More than 250 Muslim Labour councillors have signed a joint letter to Labour leader Keir Starmer and his deputy Angela Rayner urging an immediate ceasefire, according to the Labour Muslim Councillors Network.
They write in the letter, seen by LabourList and published in full below, that every day Labour does not back a ceasefire, “Gazan children and hundreds of innocent men and women pay the price”, adding: “As a party that bases it’s principles on fairness and justice, we can not sit idly by as Palestinian’s face collective punishment.”
The group called it an “unprecedented letter of unity from Muslim Labour representatives”, which shows the “strength of feeling throughout the nation and in our communities”.
It comes ahead of an expected meeting between Starmer, Rayner and Muslim MPs and peers later today, and following a row over Starmer’s visit to the South Wales Islamic Centre. Leaders there claimed the visit, which sparked a local backlash subsequently, had been “misrepresented” by Labour online.
It also follows a letter from councillors who quit the party to Starmer last week, which similarly backed a ceasefire and accused him of “gaslighting” by denying he had backed the withholding of power and water to Gaza by Israel.
Labour released a public statement from Keir Starmer later on Thursday saying aid access is “completely insufficient” in Gaza, all parties need to ensure it reaches those in need, and the party supports “humanitarian pauses” as proposed by US secretary of state Anthony Blinken.
Starmer added that”in the long term there can only be a political solution to this crisis”, so talks should start for a two-state solution.
Addressing the Commons on Monday, Starmer had reiterated that Israel “has the right to defend herself” to “get their hostages home but also to defeat Hamas.
National executive committee member Luke Akehurst argued in a LabourList op-ed earlier this week Israel’s fight was a “just war” given the “largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust” and citizens being held hostage.
He argued it was “impossible” to fight Hamas without civilian casualties given their presence in urban communities, and that a ceasefire would save lives now but cause “more future deaths and destruction as Hamas rebuild and plan more attacks”.
Read the full letter from Muslim councillors:
🚨 Over 150 Muslim Labour councillors have come together to call on Labour’s leadership to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
An unprecedented letter of unity from Muslim Labour representatives shows the strength of feeling throughout the nation and in our communities. pic.twitter.com/nSLUtyegKw
— Labour Muslim Network (@LabourMuslims) October 25, 2023
Dear Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner,
We the undersigned write to you as Muslim Labour Party councillors, formally calling on the Labour Party to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the humanitarian disaster.
5,791 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza since 7th October. Of those killed 2,360 of them have been children. It has also been reported that 704 Palestinians had been killed in the previous 24 hours alone. This is in addition to 1400 Israelis who lost their lives in the shocking terror attacks of October 7th.
Everyday we fail to call on the government and the international community to push for cessation of hostilities, Gazan children and hundreds of innocent men and women pay the price. As a party that bases it’s principles on fairness and justice, we can not sit idly by as Palestinian’s face collective punishment.
This week five UN agencies, including The World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have called for a humanitarian ceasefire as they described the conditions in Gaza as “catastrophic”. Leaders across all faiths, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, have also called for a ceasefire and polling shows the vast majority of Britons and Labour voters support this position (YouGov poll: 76% of the British public support a ceasefire).
The humanitarian aid that has passed through into Gaza through the Rafah crossing is a ‘drop in the ocean’ compared to the humanitarian crisis at large in the region. Without an immediate ceasefire, UN agencies, NGO’s and charities have made it clear that much needed aid will not reach pregnant women, children, critically ill patients and those others that will simply be left to die.
Gaza is home to 2.2 million people, over half of whom are children. Before this crisis began, over 80% of the population relied on aid, now this crisis has turned to catastrophe. The innocent civilians in Gaza have had nothing to do with this crisis and bear no responsibility to its outcome.
As Labour councillors elected to serve our constituents, the message we have been hearing repeatedly over the past 2 weeks is simple, people just want an end to the bloodshed and the loss of innocent life. No nation, no people or community should have to endure collective punishment and the same should be the case for the Palestinian people. We are also clear that hostages held captive must also be returned to their families safely.
Therefore, as Labour Party councillors, as members, and as members of the Muslim community we urge the Labour Party to urgently adopt a position of calling for an immediate ceasefire, calling on the UK government and the international community to act upon this proposal to save innocent human lives.
Yours sincerely,
Cllr Summya Sohaib – Barking and Dagenham
Cllr Fatuma Nalule – Barking and Dagenham
Cllr Saima Ashraf, Deputy Leader – Barking and Dagenham
Cllr Manzoor Hussain – Barking and Dagenham
Cllr Muhammad Saleem, Chair of Planning Committee – Barking and Dagenham
Cllr Sabbir Zamee – Barking and Dagenham
Cllr Regina Rahman – Barking and Dagenham
Cllr Syed Ghani , Cabinet Member – Barking and Dagenham
Cllr Abu Sultan, Group Whip – Bedford Borough
Cllr Majid Mahmood , Cabinet Member for Environment – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Saima Suleman, Cabinet Member – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Zafar Iqbal – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Basharat Mahmood – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Shabina Bano – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Shafique Shah – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Shehla Moledina – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Waseem Zaffar – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Mohammed Idrees, Chair of Homes O&S Committee – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Bushra Bi – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Mariam Khan, Cabinet Member – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Mohammed Ziaul Islam – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Shabrana Hussain, Scrutiny Chair – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Amar Khan – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Waseem Zaffar – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Saima Ahmed – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Saddak Miah – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Rashad Mahmood – Birmingham City Council
Cllr Shaukat Hussain – Blackburn Council
Cllr Sonia Khan – Blackburn Council
Cllr Sabiya khan – Blackburn Council
Cllr Safwaan Patel – Bolton Council
Cllr Ibrar Hussain – Bradford Council
Cllr Mohammad Amran – Bradford Council
Cllr Mohammed Amran – Bradford Council
Cllr Tariq Dar MBE – Brent Council
Cllr Sandra Kabir – Brent Council
Cllr Saqlain Choudry – Brent Council
Cllr Rita Begum – Brent Council
Cllr Saqib Butt, Vice Chair Planning Committee – Brent Council
Cllr Ishma Moeen – Brent Council
Cllr Majid Hussain – Buckinghamshire Council
Cllr Ummrana Farooq – Bury Council
Cllr Ayesha Arif – Bury council
Cllr Babar Ibrahim – Bury Council
Cllr Tamoor Tariq, Deputy Leader of the Council – Bury Council
Cllr Shaheena Haroon – Bury Metropolitan Council
Cllr Hanif. Raja MBE – City Council Glasgow
Cllr Imran Alam – City Council Glasgow
Cllr Rashid Hussain – City Council Glasgow
Cllr Saqib Ahmed – City Council Glasgow
Cllr Soryia Siddique, Deputy Leader – City Council Glasgow
Cllr Majid Khan – Doncaster City Council
Cllr Shaneila Mughal, Shadow Cabinet Member – Dudley MBC
Cllr Qadar Zada – Dudley MBC
Cllr Dr Aysha Raza – Ealing Council
Cllr Arshad Ahsan Afsar – East Staffordshire Borough Council
Cllr Ali Chaudhry – East Staffordshire Borough Council
Cllr Soraya Adejare – Hackney Council
Cllr Humaira Garasia – Hackney Council
Cllr Ghazanfar Ali , Former Mayor – Harrow Council
Cllr Labina Basit – Hillingdon Council
Cllr Jilani Chowdhury – Islington Council
Cllr Saiqa Pandor – Islington Council
Cllr Ilkay Cinko-Oner – Islington Council
Cllr Ibtisam Adem, Policy Lead – Sanctuary Services – Lambeth Council
Cllr Yousuf Motala – Lancashire County Council
Cllr Javaid Akhtar, Chair Labour Group – Leeds City Council
Cllr Mohammed Iqbal – Leeds City Council
Cllr Mahalia France-Mir – Leeds City Council
Mohammed Shahzad – Leeds City Council
Cllr Mohammad Rafique, Cabinet Member – Leeds City Council
Cllr Zara Hussain – Leeds City Council
Cllr Salma Arif, Cabinet Member – Leeds City Council
Cllr Asghar Khan, Scrutiny Chairman – Leeds City Council
Cllr Gohar Almass – Leeds City Council
Cllr Raffiq Moosa Mohammed – Leicester City Council
Cllr Hanif Aqbany – Leicester City Council
Cllr Yasmin Surti – Leicester City Council
Cllr Misbah Batool – Leicester City Council
Cllr Fatima Begum – Luton Council
Cllr Tahmina Saleem, Portfolio Holder Children’s Services – Luton Council
Cllr Yaqub Hanif, Mayor of Luton – Luton Council
Cllr Zanib Raja – Luton Council
Cllr Umme Ali – Luton Council
Cllr Alia Khan, Chief Whip – Luton Council
Cllr Mahmood Hussain – Luton Council
Cllr Naeem ul Hassan – Manchester City Council
Cllr Yasmine Dar, Lord Mayor – Manchester City Council
Cllr Fiaz Riasat – Manchester City Council
Cllr Zahid Hussain – Manchester City Council
Cllr Shaukat Ali – Manchester City Council
Cllr Abid Chohan – Manchester City Council
Cllr Shazia Butt – Manchester City Council
Cllr Zulfiqar Ali, Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources – Newham Council
Cllr Zuber Gulamussen – Newham Council
Cllr Mariam Dawood – Newham Council
Cllr Salim Patel – Newham Council
Cllr Nur begum – Newham Council
Cllr Imam Haque – Newham Council
Cllr Mumtaz Khan, Deputy Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care – Newham Council
Cllr Sabia kamali, Cabinet Member – Newham Council
Cllr Salim Patel – Newham Council
Cllr Liaqat Ali – Nottingham City Council
Cllr Salma Mumtaz – Nottingham City Council
Cllr Mohammad Ammer – Pendle Borough Council
Cllr Ruby Anwar – Pendle Borough Council
Cllr Zafar Ali, Executive Portfolio Holder – Pendle Borough Council
Cllr Juma Begum – Redditch Borough Council
Cllr Sid Khan, Chief Whip – Redditch Borough Council
Cllr Carol Wardle, Cabinet member – Rochdale Borough Council
Cllr Mohammad Arshad – Rochdale Borough Council
Cllr Aasim Rashid, Former Mayor – Rochdale Borough Council
Cllr Shahid Mohammed – Rochdale Borough Council
Cllr Saghir Alam, Cabinet Member – Rotherham Council
Cllr Tajamal khan – Rotherham Council
Cllr Taiba Yasseen, Chair of Health Select Commission – Rotherham Council
Cllr Mohammed Bakhtiar – Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Cllr Nabeela Mowlana – Sheffield City Council
Cllr Mazher Iqbal – Sheffield City Council
Cllr Nighat Basharat – Sheffield City Council
Cllr Safiya Saeed – Sheffield City Council
Cllr Zaffar Ajaib – Slough Borough Council
Cllr Sabia Akram – Slough Borough Council
Cllr Maroof Bibi Mohammad – Slough Borough Council
CllrMohammed Nazir – Slough Borough Council
Cllr Forhad Chowdhury – Stevenage Borough Council
Cllr Nazmin Chowdhury – Stevenage Borough Council
Cllr Amjid wazir, Deputy leader – Stoke Council
Cllr Majid khan, Lord Mayor – Stoke-on-Trent Council
Cllr Waseem Akbar – Stoke-on-Trent Council
Cllr Naila Sharif – Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council
Cllr Tafheen Sharif – Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council
Cllr Mohammad Chowdhury, Secretary Labour Group – Tower Hamlets Council
Cllr Faroque Mahfuza Ahmed – Tower Hamlets Council
Cllr Asma Islam Group Chair – Tower Hamlets Council
Cllr Sabina Akhtar, Group Whip – Tower Hamlets Council
Cllr Abdal Ullah – Tower Hamlets Council
Cllr Armaan Khan – Wakefield Council
Cllr Saqa Nasreen – Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
Cllr Aftab Nawaz , Leader of Labour Group -Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
Cllr Farhana Hassan – Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
Cllr Shakila Begum Hussain – Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
Cllr Naheed Gultasib, Shadow Cabinet Member- Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
Cllr Abdus Nazir – Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
Cllr Khizar Hussain, Deputy leader – Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
Cllr Hajran Bashir – Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
Cllr Sabina Ditta , Shadow Cabinet Education – Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
Cllr Ahsan Khan, Deputy Leader – Waltham Forest Council
Cllr Shabana Dhedhi – Waltham Forest Council
Cllr Aydin Dikerdem, Cabinet Member for Housing – Wandsworth Council
Cllr Asif Khan – Watford Council
Cllr Hamza Taouzzale – Westminster City Council
Cllr Abdul Aziz Toki – Chair Audit Performance committee, Chair of License Committee Westminster City Council
Cllr Liza Begum , Cabinet Member for Housing Services -Westminster City Council
Cllr Obaida Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Digital and Community Inclusion – Wolverhampton City Council
Cllr Iqra Tahir – Wolverhampton City Council
Cllr Qaiser Azeem – Wolverhampton City Council
Cllr Jabba Riaz, Deputy leader – Worcester City Council
Cllr Basharat Ali – Worcester City Council
Cllr Joseph Ghayouba – Cumberland Council
Cllr Saeed Adan – Newport Council
Cllr Suleman Khonat – Blackburn Council
Cllr Saeed Ebrahim – Cardiff Council
Cllr Areeq Chowdhury – Newham Council
Cllr Pat Akhtar – Preston City Council
Cllr Shumel Rahman – Newcastle Council
Cllr Imran Safdar – Kirklees Council
Cllr Yusra Hussain – Kirklees Council
Cllr Zainab Asunramu – Bexley Council
Cllr Sajid Ali – Bolton Council
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