The Labour Party’s Foreign Policy Agenda: Addressing The Gaza And Ukraine Conflicts – OpEd

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Photo Credit: Official Portrait, Wikimedia Commons

 July 8, 2024 

By Altaf Moti

The election of the Labour Party to government in the United Kingdom marks a significant shift in the country’s foreign policy, with implications for its stance on key global issues like the Ukraine-Russia conflict and the Israel-Hamas war. While the Labour Party’s foreign policy platform shares some similarities with that of the previous Conservative government, there are notable differences in tone and approach that are likely to shape the UK’s relationships with international partners and its response to global crises. 

\

Ukraine-Russia Conflict

The Labour Party has pledged “iron-clad” support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, with shadow foreign secretary David Lammy and shadow defence secretary John Healey visiting Kyiv to discuss a “new UK plan” to help ensure Ukraine’s victory. The party’s commitment to Ukraine’s security and territorial integrity is unwavering with a promise to maintain military, diplomatic, financial and political support to Ukraine. This stance is in line with the previous government’s position, but Labour’s emphasis on deepening cooperation with allies and pursuing a more robust approach to Russian aggression marks a departure from the Conservative’s more cautious approach. 

Labour’s plan for Ukraine sets out five priorities: fast-tracking military support, deepening diplomatic efforts, targeting Russian aggression, boosting industrial production and supporting recovery and reconstruction. The party has expressed strong support for Ukraine’s bid to join NATO, aligning with the country’s aspirations for closer ties with the West. This stance is likely to resonate with Ukraine and its allies, but may also be viewed as provocative by Russia, potentially heightening tensions between Moscow and NATO nations. 

Starmer has pledged to maintain and even increase defense spending to 2.5% of GDP within the first year of governance, signaling a commitment to bolstering the UK’s military capabilities. This move aims to strengthen the country’s ability to assist Ukraine and deter Russian aggression. 

However, Labour’s approach also involves a strategic reassessment of the UK’s relationship with Russia. While Starmer has vowed to maintain unity in supporting Ukraine, he recognizes the need to strike a balance between economic interests and security concerns, especially with the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House. 

Starmer’s team has emphasized the importance of diplomacy and multilateral cooperation in addressing the Ukraine crisis. They have expressed a willingness to engage with a wide range of international partners including traditional allies and adversaries to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. This approach aims to leverage the UK’s diplomatic influence and foster a more comprehensive sustainable solution. 

Israel-Hamas War

The Labour Party’s stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict is more nuanced, with the party facing divisions within its own ranks over the issue. While the party leadership has expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself, it has also called for a ceasefire and an end to the blockade of Gaza. The party’s shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, has emphasized the need for a two-state solution and recognition of the “pain of the lack of peace and accommodation between Israel and the Palestinian people”. 

However, some Labour lawmakers have been critical of the party’s initial refusal to call for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, with several MPs facing challenges from pro-Palestinian independents in the election. This internal dissent may pressure the Labour government to adopt a more balanced approach to the conflict. 

The Labour party has condemned Israel’s settlement expansion and its treatment of Palestinian prisoners, and has called for an end to the blockade of Gaza and the occupation of Palestinian territories. Labour has also pledged to support Palestinian statehood and the right of return for Palestinian refugees, and has called for a comprehensive and just solution to the conflict. 

Labour’s foreign policy on the Israel-Palestinian conflict also includes a commitment to addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The party has pledged to increase aid and support for reconstruction efforts, while also advocating for the lifting of the blockade to allow for the free movement of people and goods. This approach reflects a humanitarian-focused perspective that seeks to alleviate the suffering of civilians caught in the crossfire. 

Implications for UK Foreign Policy

The Labour government’s foreign policy approach is likely to have significant implications for the UK’s relationships with international partners and its response to global crises. The party’s more assertive stance on Russia and Ukraine may lead to increased tensions with Moscow, but could also strengthen the UK’s relationships with NATO allies and Ukraine. 

On the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Labour government’s more balanced approach may help to reduce tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, but could also face opposition from the US and other allies who have traditionally been strong supporters of Israel. 

Another key aspect of the Labour government’s foreign policy approach is its commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation. The party has pledged to increase the UK’s engagement with international organizations such as the United Nations, the European Union, and the Commonwealth, and to prioritize cooperation with other countries on global issues such as climate change, poverty reduction, and pandemics. 

This approach is likely to be welcomed by many in the international community, particularly in countries that have been critical of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union. However, it may also face challenges from countries that prioritize national interests over international cooperation.

Altaf Moti writes on diverse subjects

e topics such as politics, economics, and society

 

Welcoming Refugees Would Have Saved Millions Of Lives – OpEd

Haj Amin al-Husseini meeting with Adolf Hitler (28 November 1941). Photo Credit: Bundesarchiv, Bild, Wikipedia Commons

 July 8, 2024 

By Rabbi Allen S. Maller

Fifty years ago, on July 4, 1974, Hajj Amin al-Husayni, the “Grand Mufti” of Jerusalem, died of natural causes in Beirut, Lebanon at age 79. The Mufti was appointed to his position by the British in 1921. Within the British Empire, authorities preferred to work through “native” institutions, even if they had to create them on the fly. So they established a supreme council for Palestine’s Muslims and placed the Mufti at its helm. Although he lacked religious qualifications, he did come from a leading family and appeared capable of striking deals.

In fact, he used his position to oppose almost all Jewish activities. The “Arab Revolt” of 1936 finally convinced the British that he had to go, and in 1937 he fled the country. He ended up in Iraq, where he helped foment a coup against the pro-British regime. When British forces suppressed the coup, he fled again, making his way to Berlin. There, the Nazi regime used him to stir up Arabs and Muslims against the Allies. 

He was photographed with Hitler and Himmler, recruited Muslims to fight for the Axis, and attempted to secure promises of independence for Arabs and Muslims. None of his efforts met with much success except one. 

The Mufti’s strong opposition to a two state solution did prevent the birth of an independent Jewish State in 1938 from saving hundreds of thousands of Jewish lives in 1938-1941.

The Mufti’s strong opposition to a two state solution did prevent the birth of an independent Palestine State in 1938 which would have avoided the need for the 1948 war and its displacement of over a half million refugees.  

Israelis and Palestinians still suffer from the poisonous policies of this person. 

Rabbi Allen S. Maller

Allen Maller retired in 2006 after 39 years as Rabbi of Temple Akiba in Culver City, Calif. He is the author of an introduction to Jewish mysticism. God. Sex and Kabbalah and editor of the Tikun series of High Holy Day prayerbooks.

UK

Pride and prejudice

COMMENT 

01 Jun 2024 

LAYLA MCCAY

Director of Policy, 

NHS Confederation

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION


There is a diversity gap in the workplace, with LGBTQ+ people still less likely to reach the top jobs. Layla McCay’s new book, published to coincide with Pride Month 2024, discusses what is going wrong, and offers insights and advice from inspiring LGBTQ+ leaders in senior roles.

My teenage self would never have believed that I’d be publishing a book this Pride month called Breaking the Rainbow Ceiling. First she’d have been thrilled that I had fulfilled my childhood dream of publishing a book. Next, she would have been shocked that I’d written about LGBTQ+ issues, which must imply that not only would she somehow, eventually come out of the closet, but also talk about it in public.

In high school that felt like such an impossibility – not even teachers were allowed to talk about being gay because of Section 28. Flicking though the book, the insights and inspiration so generously shared by more than 40 LGBTQ+ people in very senior leadership roles would have blown her mind. At that point she had never knowingly met another gay person, much less been aware of one leading an organisation. That lack of visibility affected her self-belief and her aspirations. Pride for that teenage version of myself in the 1990s meant nothing: it was all shame and shadows.

What has changed in the intervening 30 years? In some ways, everything: I have a wife, I have been a doctor and worked all over the world in policy leadership roles for the British government, the World Health Organization and the World Bank. While I was an adjunct professor at Georgetown University in global mental health I founded a small virtual think tank, The Centre for Urban Design and Mental Health (UD/MH) and ran it from Washington, Tokyo, Hong Kong and then London. I also wrote my first co-authored book, Restorative Cities, that created a global shift in urban planning and design towards supporting mental health (it’s my proudest achievement).

Seeing evidence that being LGBTQ+ could affect my career opportunities was galling. And when I looked up the data, I could see this was not just me.

LGBTQ+ careers

I had the opportunity to participate in one RSA talk, and I’m thrilled to be speaking at another on LGBTQ+ careers. Today, I run the national Health and Care LGBTQ+ Leaders Network alongside my role as Director of Policy at the NHS Confederation. I have been twice recognised on the Outstanding 100 LGBTQ+ Executives Role Model List. I am not ashamed or afraid of being LGBTQ+.

Or perhaps I am still a little afraid. The media certainly offers more positive representation of LGBTQ+ people in films and television, but it also amplifies political debate about what rights people like me really deserve. I have seen these rights being rescinded in other counties. LGBTQ+ hate crime is on the rise. But what hit me surprisingly hard was a subtle, more personal assault: I learned that at an interview a few years ago, the fact of me being gay had been deemed a negative factor by the panel.

I was of course theoretically aware of workplace discrimination. But seeing evidence that being LGBTQ+ could affect my career opportunities was galling. And when I looked up the data, I could see this was not just me. The disparity shows up everywhere from staff survey results (where LGBTQ+ people have worse experiences at work) to the disproportionately low numbers of LGBTQ+ leaders in CEO and board roles.

LGBTQ+ people are being disadvantaged in our careers, and it isn’t as simple as basic prejudice and discrimination on interview panels. From the lack of LGBTQ+ role models in my formative years to comments from past colleagues to feeling shut out of networking opportunities, I came to realise that there is a ‘rainbow ceiling’ in place, and many of us don’t even see it until we bash our heads against it. I looked for a book to learn more about this topic and couldn’t find one, so I decided to write it.

From the lack of LGBTQ+ role models to comments from past colleagues to feeling shut out of networking opportunities, I came to realise that there is a ‘rainbow ceiling’, and many of us don’t even see it until we bash our heads against it.

Inspiring leaders

Thinking about my own experiences typified by the adage ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’, it was important to me that alongside the data and other existing research, my book focused on insights and advice from numerous inspiring LGBTQ+ leaders in senior roles – including a ‘Letter to our younger self’ which still makes me cry when I read it.

From Fortune 500 CEOs to senior government officials and people holding senior leadership roles in world-famous companies, this is the book I needed to read when I was younger – and also at every subsequent stage of my career. It’s the book I want my managers and future recruiters to read, because it’s full of new understanding and practical advice about how to make things fairer for LGBTQ+ people in the workplace.

Writing this book has changed me. It is apt that it has been published in time for Pride month. I hope it will inspire and encourage current and future generations of LGBTQ+ people.


Layla McCay is Director of Policy at the NHS Confederation and Executive Lead of the UK's Health and Care LGBTQ+ Leaders Network. She will be discussing her book, Breaking the Rainbow Ceiling: How LGBTQ+ people can thrive and succeed at work, at an RSA Public Talk on 6 June 2024.

A CONSUMER DRIVEN ECONOMY

'I had to downgrade my life' - US workers in debt to buy groceries

By Natalie Sherman and Nathalie Jimenez, BBC News, New York
BBC
Stacey Ellis works two jobs, but needs to economise


Stacey Ellis, a lifelong Democrat from Pennsylvania, should be the kind of voter that US President Joe Biden can count on.

But after four years of rising prices, her support has worn thin – and every time she shops at the supermarket, she is reminded how things have changed for the worse.

Ms Ellis works full-time as a nurse’s assistant and has a second part-time job.

But she needs to economise. She has switched stores, cut out brand-name items like Dove soap and Stroehmann bread, and all but said goodbye to her favourite Chick-fil-A sandwich.

Still, Ms Ellis has sometimes turned to risky payday loans (short-term borrowing with high interest rates) as she grapples with grocery prices that have surged 25% since Mr Biden entered office in January 2021.

"Prior to inflation," she says, "I didn't have any debt, I didn't have any credit cards, never applied for like a payday loan or any of those things. But since inflation, I needed to do all those things....I’ve had to downgrade my life completely."

The leap in grocery prices has outpaced the historic 20% rise in living costs that followed the pandemic, squeezing households around the country and fuelling widespread economic and political discontent.

"I’m a Democrat," says Ms Ellis, who lives in the Philadelphia suburb of Norristown. "I love voting for them. But Republicans are speaking volumes right now and Democrats are whispering."

“I want somebody to help me, help the American people," she adds. “Joe Biden, where are you?”

For the president, already contending with serious doubts about his age and fitness for another term, the cost-of-living issue presents a major challenge, threatening to dampen turnout among supporters in an election that could be decided, like the last two, by several tens of thousands of votes in a handful key states.

Grocery prices have surged 25% since Joe Biden entered office

Across the country, Americans on average spent more than 11% of their incomes on food, including restaurant meals last year – a higher proportion than any time since 1991.

The jump in food prices has hit younger, lower-income and minority households - key parts of the coalition that helped Mr Biden win the White House in 2020 - especially hard.

But worries about the issue are widespread: a Pew survey earlier this year found that 94% of Americans were at least somewhat concerned about rising food and consumer goods prices.

That was nearly identical to two years earlier, even though the staggering jumps in food prices that hit the US and other countries after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine have subsided.

Dylan Garcia, a 26-year-old security guard from Brooklyn, says he’s never struggled to buy groceries as much as he has now.

Instead of the fresh food and brand-name items he used to enjoy, he now stocks up on ramen noodles and frozen vegetables - and only eats twice a day because he can't afford more.

At checkout, he routinely uses "buy now, pay later” schemes, which allow him to pay the bill in installments, but have led to mounting debt.

“I’m stuck in a loop,” he says. “It’s become an insecurity to pull up my phone at the register and have to use these programmes. When they see me, it’s embarrassing.”

Mr Garcia, who has long voted for Democrats, says his precarious financial situation has made him lose hope in politics and he does not plan to vote in November's election.

“I don’t think the government has our best interest and I don’t think they care,” he says.

John Wirick
Trump voter Katie Walsh says her makeup business slowed as people cut back

The White House maintains Mr Biden has been engaged on issues of food affordability, fighting to increase food stamp benefits and other government aid, initiatives opposed by Republicans.

At last month's presidential debate, the first question was on inflation, and Mr Biden sought to shift blame to big companies, accusing them of price gouging – a claim that is hotly disputed among economists.

But despite strong job creation and low unemployment, opinion polls show voters continue to trust Mr Biden's opponent, former President Donald Trump, more on economic issues.

On the CNN debate stage, the Republican White House candidate blamed Mr Biden for stoking inflation, which the White House denies, and said: “It's killing people. They can't buy groceries anymore. They can’t.”

The Trump campaign in turn denies that policies he proposes - including a 10% tariff on all goods coming into the US - would worsen price rises, as many analysts predict.

"We believe that a second Trump term would have a negative impact on the US's economic standing in the world, and a destabilizing effect on the US's domestic economy," wrote 16 Nobel prize-winning economists in an open letter last month.

Republicans have accused Mr Biden of trying to mislead the public about the extent of the inflation problem, noting that Mr Biden has claimed, incorrectly, that inflation was already at 9% when he entered office. It was 1.4%.

Katie Walsh, a makeup artist in Pennsylvania, voted for Trump in 2020 and says she plans to do so again, based on his economic record.

The 39-year-old says her family has struggled to keep up with inflation, especially since her business has slowed, as people squeezed by higher prices cut back.

"I know he's a big fat mouth," she says of Mr Trump. "But he at least knows how to run the economy."

Stephen Lemelin, a Michigan Democrat, says his grocery bill is getting lower

Analysts say it is clear that the economy is important to voters, but less clear it will prove decisive in the November election.

In 2022, when inflation was at its worst, Democrats did better than expected in mid-term elections, as concerns about abortion access drove supporters to the polls.

This time around, issues such as immigration and fitness for office are also top of many voters' minds, while economic trends appear to be moving in the right direction.

Grocery prices were up just 1% over the past 12 months, well within historic norms; and the cost of a few items, including rice, fish, apples, potatoes, and milk, has even come down a bit.

As major chains such as Target, Amazon and Walmart announce price cuts in recent weeks, there are signs the situation could continue to improve.

Some analysts also expect wages, which have increased but trailed the leap in overall prices, to finally catch up this year, providing further relief.

“We’re on the right track,” says Sarah Foster, who follows the economy for Bankrate.com. “Wage growth has slowed, price growth has slowed but, you know, prices are slowing at a much faster rate than wages.”


Stephen Lemelin, a 49-year-old father of two from Michigan, another electoral battleground, says he was pleasantly surprised by lower prices on a recent supermarket trip.

Whatever his concerns about the economy, the military veteran says his support for Mr Biden, who got his vote in 2020, has never been in doubt, given that he sees Trump as a threat to democracy.

“Nobody likes high interest rates or high inflation but that’s not under presidential control,” he says. “If you know politics, there’s really only one choice.”

UK

Amazon workers set for vote on joining a trade union: GMB


Amazon maintains that its employees have always had the choice of joining a union
Alan Jones

Online giant Amazon could recognise a trade union in the UK for the first time after a ballot is to start on Monday.

Workers at the company’s Coventry site will start voting on whether they want the GMB union to represent them.


Firstly, 40 per cent of employees must vote, whether they are union members or not. If this threshold is not met, the ballot fails. Then if the 40 per cent threshold is met, it is a straight majority of the vote that decides the outcome.

Amazon maintains that its employees have always had the choice of joining a union.

The GMB will stage protests at Amazon warehouses across the UK as voting begins and a rally will also be held outside Amazon’s London head office.

The union said more than 3,000 workers will take part in the ballot, with the result expected in mid-July.

Members of the GMB union on the picket line stand in front of a freight lorry outside the Amazon fulfilment centre in Coventry (Jacob King/PA) (PA Archive)

GMB national officer Andy Prendergast said: “Workers have come together because of the poverty pay and unsafe conditions Amazon has thrust upon them.


“They want the same fair pay and safe conditions any of us would demand.

“Amazon has had every chance to do the right thing – now workers are taking things into their own hands to make work better.”

An Amazon spokesperson said: “Our employees have the choice of whether or not to join a union. They always have. Across Amazon, we place enormous value on having daily conversations and engagement with our employees. It’s a strong part of our work culture. We value that direct relationship and so do our employees.


“We regularly review our pay to ensure we offer competitive wages and benefits. Our minimum starting pay has increased to £12.30 and £13 per hour depending on location – that’s a 20 per cent increase over two years and 50 per cent since 2018. We also work hard to provide great benefits, a positive work environment and excellent career opportunities.

“These are just some of the reasons people want to come and work at Amazon, whether it’s their first job, a seasonal role or an opportunity for them to advance their career.”

UK

‘Attlee won in ’45 but lost in ’51. His time in office carries a warning for Starmer’

Steven Fielding

LABOUR LIST

7th July, 2024,

© Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Whatever happens next, Labour’s 2024 election victory will go down in history along with its small handful of earlier landslide triumphs.

The most fondly remembered by Labour people is, of course, that of 1945 when the party won 49.7% of votes cast and a majority of 145 Commons seats. Guided by Clement Attlee, Labour reshaped Britain in a social democratic direction for a generation and more.

If Margaret Thatcher dismantled and reversed many of its achievements, in the form of the National Health Service, the Attlee government lives on, just about, eight decades later.

For good or ill, Attlee and colleagues like Aneurin Bevan and Ernie Bevin have cast a shadow over subsequent Labour administrations and leaders. Historians and party members love measuring their own times against the achievements of Attlee’s cabinet – and invariably to the detriment of the present.

After 2010, the Labour left appropriated the 1945 government, seeing it as a model of socialist radicalism, one the party should emulate to challenge the austerity that followed the banking crisis. This process was undoubtedly helped by the 2013 movie The Spirit of ’45, a feel-good historical fantasy directed by Ken Loach, which became a favourite with supporters of Jeremy Corbyn.

Despite its boldness, Attlee’s Labour was out of power very quickly

This has meant that, for most of Keir Starmer’s leadership, 1945 has been invoked to cast shade on his cautious path to power. Sharon Graham of Unite spoke for many when she argued in 2023 that “we need be as bold as the 1945 Labour government“, noting: “There wasn’t much money about then, I can tell you.” That, so far as many in the party are concerned, is the only lesson Starmer needs to learn from the Attlee period.

But 1945 has another and perhaps more compelling and relevant message for the Labour leader as he makes his first moves as Prime Minister.

For, despite its much-vaunted ‘boldness’, the government elected with a landslide in July 1945 was reduced to a majority of just five Commons seats in the February 1950 election; and when Attlee sought to improve that position in October 1951, Labour lost out to a resurgent Conservative Party which remained in power until 1964.

How did this happen to a government of almost unprecedented and bold achievement? Its sad fate is even more mysterious because in 1951 Labour’s vote share at 48.8% was almost as high as it was in 1945 and meant the party won nearly a quarter of a million more votes than the victorious Conservatives.

Labour’s approach caused frustration – which the Tories exploited

The reason is, however, not hard to find. Attlee’s overriding priority was to transform an exhausted wartime economy into a dynamic export-focused peacetime operation amidst a world in turmoil. If Labour nationalised various industries under the rhetoric of socialism, the basic reason was that ministers expected this would make them more efficient and help a largely capitalist economy make that transition.

But instead of things only getting better, they got worse: rationing, shortages and queues for essential goods became the bane of most Britons’ lives. Labour’s almost disinterested focus on turning the economy around in the country’s long-term interests led to its own (and original) version of austerity. Individual consumption was purposely limited by the state to shift vital resources to revenue-earning export industries.

Doing the right thing economically however meant Labour opened the door to the Conservatives who enthusiastically exploited popular frustration with austerity – as articulated in the famous 1949 Ealing comedy Passport to Pimlico. This allowed the party to appeal especially to middle-class voters who had supported Labour for the first time in 1945.

Thanks to this opportunism, made under the banner of ‘Freedom’, and Conservatives squeezing the Liberal vote, constituencies on the south coast and in the commuter suburbs around London returned to the party in large numbers. Labour in contrast racked up bigger majorities in working class seats it already held.

Starmer could face similar attacks from the Tories and Reform

Labour’s current talk of ‘hard choices’ made to promote a ‘decade of national renewal’ based around its long-term five missions, the achievement of which all require increasing private and public investment in the economy in the expectation productivity will improve, certainly has echoes of the austere 1940s.

Conservatives – and now Reform – will hope to emulate Winston Churchill’s party and exploit any frustrations should this strategy falter or fail to deliver in a timely fashion – most obviously before Labour seeks reelection.

After all, Prime Minister Starmer seeks the kind of growth that has eluded most recent governments without which he will be unable to finance promised improvements in the public services. In this, the Labour leader does not lack ambition; but his strategy contains plenty of risks.

A party in which Morgan McSweeney has any influence is unlikely to be as politically naive as was Attlee’s. Moreover, Labour’s 2024 landslide in Commons seats was based on just 34% of votes cast and thanks to a spectacularly efficient vote distribution. The precarious nature of this victory means it is unlikely many in the leadership will see it as more than the first tentative steps towards a sustained period in power.

That said, Attlee’s deputy was the arch-pragmatist and electoral wizard Herbert Morrison and he constantly warned the party against the consequences of losing the middle class vote – but to little avail given many members believed, as we now know erroneously, the forward march of Labour could not be reversed.

‘The left can’t sit this out. We must stop austerity, purges and pandering to the right’

Sasha Das Gupta & Kate Dove

 7th July, 2024, 

:

After 14 years of austerity and privatisation, the Tories are out. We now have a Labour Government that has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape Britain’s economy in favour of the many, rather than the interests of an established few. 

We at Momentum welcome this, and in particular the progressive aspects of Labour’s policy programme; including proposals to end tax breaks for private schools, public ownership of rail, repealing anti-union laws and the commitment to automatic voter registration. 

We must reflect on dark side of campaign

Sadly, while celebrating the victory, the Party has a responsibility to reflect on the darker side of Labour’s campaign. The blocking of socialist Labour candidates, from Jeremy Corbyn to Faiza Shaheen to Lloyd Russell-Moyle, and the attempted blocking of Diane Abbott, which was ultimately reversed under pressure from the black campaigners and pluralist voices across the Party, were divisive and unpleasant. 

In Islington North, voters rejected these purges by re-electing Jeremy – Starmer must now do the right thing and restore his status as a Labour MP. What’s more, Keir Starmer’s shameful comments on Bangladeshi migrants and Labour’s apparent refusal to support a young black candidate standing against Nigel Farage suggested a leader willing to pander to the far right rather than stand up to it. 

READ MORE: Sign up to our must-read daily briefing email on all things Labour

Continuing down this path in Downing Street will alienate traditional Labour voters and heighten tensions that already exist within the Party. Given Farage’s win in Clacton, handing the far-right a much larger influence in politics than ever before, the Labour Government must stand against racism both in the Party and wider society. 

The electoral costs of failing to adequately oppose the Israeli genocide against the people of Gaza and treating ethnic minority voters with contempt were also clearly demonstrated by the loss of formerly safe seats and near loss of others to independents. 

Any austerity would be catastrophic

Whilst out on the campaign trail, Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves failed to make substantive pledges on fiscal policy, leading commentators to highlight the risk of  ‘baked-in austerity’. Any continuation of austerity will have a catastrophic impact on society and should be stridently opposed by the labour movement. 

Beyond vague mutterings on reforms to capital gains and inheritance tax to raise revenue, the main ‘solution’ put forward to generate investment was to offer sweetheart deals to private finance. In plain terms, this would mean further exposing the public sector to financial greed to the detriment of the majority. 

There were also further revelations of corporate lobbyists writing policy for the Labour frontbench, posing major questions about conflicts of interest distorting the priorities of an incoming Labour Government. This is no way to achieve the ‘change’ promised by Labour. 

We must not make the mistakes of Macron

Hollow platitudes and failed policy proposals risk increased voter disengagement, creating the perfect conditions for an emboldened far-right to spread hate more widely across the country. 

This was something that was demonstrated across the English Channel, as Emmanuel Macron’s failed centrist project created space for the far-right to make inroads in the recent French legislative elections. We must not make the same mistakes. 

A genuine political alternative to 14 years of Tory misrule means rolling up our sleeves and building it within the Labour Party. A democratic, socialist Labour Party that remains the best hope of achieving transformative change. 

Some on the left may be despondent, but we should feel encouraged by the reelection of socialist Labour MPs such as Zarah Sultana, Apsana Begum, and Olivia Blake, as well as the election of some great socialist MPs such as Lorraine Beavers and Stephen Witherden. These candidates wouldn’t have been elected without activists pounding the pavements the last few weeks talking to voters on doorsteps. 

Momentum will campaign for free school meals, council homes and ending two-child cap

In the coming months, Momentum will continue to support and nurture activists to put themselves forward as councillors and enact change in their local areas, as well as support socialist candidates in internal elections. 

Under a Labour government, Momentum will continue to campaign for the policies the country so desperately needs, including universal free school meals, a mass council-house building programme, and an end to the heinous two child benefit cap. 

Our job is to raise the expectations of the labour movement, making it clear that party members and supporters expect a Labour Government to seriously address the ills afflicting society, such as privatisation, austerity, and entrenched inequality. 

We will also oppose any anti-democratic proposals put forward at Party Conference, such as the perverse idea to restrict leadership elections during Labour governments, whilst making the case for real Labour values. 

The Left can’t do this by sitting on the sidelines. It is essential that socialists in the Party get organised to defend and build the Left. So join Momentum – we have a world to win, and there is lots of work to be done. 

Kate Dove and Sasha das Gupta are Co-Chairs for Momentum. 

 UK

Apsana Begum – I will step up for Palestine, migrant rights & an end to austerity.

7th July 2024on Apsana Begum – I will step up for Palestine, migrant rights & an end to austerity.

“Whether it’s calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, opposing austerity and privatisation, defending the NHS, calling out the housing crisis, or speaking up for migrant rights- I promise you I will continue to step up.”

After being re-elected as MP for Poplar & Limehouse, Apsana Begum used her acceptance speech to reflect on her first 5 years in Parliament and outline her commitment to speaking up for Palestinian rights, peace, equality, workers’ rights and an end to austerity economics. You can read it in full below:

I am grateful to the Returning officer – and all your staff here tonight, and who were at polling stations across Poplar and Limehouse. I want to thank everyone who has worked so hard in supporting me: my agent, my entire campaign team, all my supporters- and the people of Poplar and Limehouse who have re-elected me: thank you.

It has been a difficult journey. I have survived domestic abuse. I did not crumble when I was dragged unfairly through the courts. I have refused to be crushed by harassment and racism. But I have not done this alone.

Because ultimately, this has not been about me as an individual- but about trying to provide the representation that local people deserve. About kicking out the Tories after fourteen years of brutal austerity, and rejecting the their prioritisation of the super-rich, and attacks on our trade unions, human rights, and civil liberties. And it’s also about calling for an end to the oppression and dispossession of Palestinian people. But not only this: it is about building a grassroots movement for real change. For socialism.

I know that the past few years have been very difficult for everyone. I know that people are angry. I want to be frank and clear: I understand how frustrated local people are feeling with the political establishment. I have heard, I have listened and I will not forget.

Whether it’s calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, opposing austerity and privatisation, defending the NHS, calling out the housing crisis, or speaking up for migrant rights, I promise you I will continue to step up.

I will also defend local people, including our local Bangladeshi community, when we are targeted by dog-whistle racism and Islamophobia.

And yes: I will be a voice for the people of Palestine, who are enduring unimaginable horrors as I speak. I will stand up for the people of Poplar and Limehouse, no matter what. I always have, and I always will. Thank you.

---

• Apsana Begum is the MP for Poplar and Limehouse and a regular contributor to Labour Outlook. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram and TikTok.

Keir Starmer pushes Israel for ceasefire after party sheds Muslim votes

James Moules   

7th July, 2024

:

Keir Starmer has pushed with Israel’s Prime Minister for a ceasefire in Gaza in one of his first international phone calls since assuming office.

The new Prime Minister “set out the clear and urgent need for a ceasefire” to Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call this morning, a Downing Street statement has confirmed.

Starmer also said that he looked forward to “further deepening” relations between the United Kingdom and Israel during the call.

In a subsequent call with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas, the Prime Minister said that statehood was an “undeniable right” for the Palestinian people.

It comes after many Labour candidates faced assertive challenges from independents standing on a pro-Palestine platform, with frontbencher Jonathan Ashworth being among the most high profile party figures to lose his seat to such an independent.

Other constituencies including Ilford North and Birmingham Ladywood – represented by cabinet members Wes Streeting and Shabana Mahmood – saw their Labour incumbents narrowly hold on in the face of pro-Palestine independent challengers.

Keir Starmer drew fierce criticism following an LBC interview last autumn when he seemed to suggest Israel had a right to withhold power and water supplies from Gaza amid Israel’s military operations following the October 7 Hamas terror attacks.

He later said he had only referred to Israel’s right to defend itself and that its retaliation to the Hamas attacks must follow international law.

UK Prime Minister affirms supportive position for ceasefire in Gaza

PUBLISHED ON JULY 07, 2024 | THE GULF NEWS


UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer affirmed the UK's supportive position for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, providing humanitarian assistance and releasing the hostages.

Speaking on the phone with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Starmer called for proceeding with the Palestinian government's rehabilitation programs, affirming his readiness to work together accordingly.

Starmer pointed out that UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy will soon visit Palestine to continue the political discussions and reinforce the cooperative relationships between the two countries.

For his part, the Palestinian President expressed his confidence that the formation of the new British government would contribute to strengthening relations between the two countries. He apprised the UK Prime Minister of the latest developments in the Palestinian territories, along with the prompt need for response to the international ceasefire efforts, getting humanitarian assistance, withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from the entire Gaza enclave, and releasing the Palestinian funds seized by Israel.

Abbas underlined his readiness to work with the UK Prime Minister in peace-making efforts through the two-state solution based on international legitimacy, calling for the importance of the UK's recognition of the State of Palestine.


UK's new Premier Starmer calls for 'clear, urgent' need for cease-fire in Gaza

Starmer thanks Netanyahu for his congratulations, looks forward to 'further deepening the close relationship' between the two countries

Muhammed Enes Calli |07.07.2024 - TRT/AA



ISTANBUL

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday emphasized the need for a "clear and urgent" cease-fire in Gaza, the Palestinian enclave where Israel has killed more than 38,000 Palestinians in nine months and reduced it to a rubble.

Speaking on the phone with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Starmer "reiterated his condolences for the tragic loss of life following the October attacks," his office said in a statement.

"He then set out the clear and urgent need for a ceasefire, the return of hostages and an immediate increase in the volume of humanitarian aid reaching civilians," it added.

Starmer thanked Netanyahu for his congratulations, and said he looked forward to "further deepening the close relationship" between the two countries.


He said "it was also important to ensure the long-term conditions for a two-state solution were in place, including ensuring the Palestinian Authority had the financial means to operate effectively," the statement said.

Starmer also spoke with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, according to a separate statement.

"The Prime Minister updated President Abbas on his immediate priorities, including securing a ceasefire, the return of hostages, an increase and acceleration in humanitarian aid, and financial support for the Palestinian Authority," the statement said.

"Discussing the importance of reform, and ensuring international legitimacy for Palestine, the Prime Minister said that his longstanding policy on recognition to contribute to a peace process had not changed, and it was the undeniable right of Palestinians," the readout added.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 which killed some 1,200 people and took around 250 as hostages.


Besides the casualties, the military campaign has turned much of the enclave of 2.3 million people into ruins, leaving most civilians homeless and at risk of famine. Efforts for a permanent cease-fire after a brief truce in November have not borne fruit.