Three-quarters of members want government to suspend Israel arms sales

More than three-quarters of Labour members want the government to suspend all arms exports to Israel amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Polling conducted by Survation for Save the Children found 78 percent of members would support an arms embargo on the country, including parts for F-35 fighter jets.

A majority would also back banning trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza (87 percent) and suspending the UK-Israel trade agreement (68 percent).

The poll also found dissatisfaction with the government’s current approach to Palestine among the Labour membership, with 62 percent disapproving, while less than one in five (19 percent) approve.

Support for the government’s position varied based on members’ vote in the deputy leadership election; while three-quarters (76 percent) of Lucy Powell supporters oppose their approach, Bridget Phillipson backers are more evenly divided – with 36 percent supporting the government’s stance and 37 percent opposed.

Amid discussion about an impending leadership contest, 58 percent of members said the approach towards Palestine would be important in how they might vote in such a ballot, while 41 percent said their stance would not be important in who they back.

Emma Burnell, editor of LabourList, said: “The war in Gaza and the horrific humanitarian crisis we have seen as a result is something that Labour members feel a deep sense of horror at. The idea that the UK is – or should – play any part in prolonging this or supporting Isreal’s offensive actions is anathema to a large majority of Labour members.

“There are going to be some among our opponents who will try to conflate this feeling among members with the antisemitism crisis that Labour went through in recent memory. They shouldn’t.

“Just as British Jews cannot and should not be blamed for the actions of the Israeli state, the converse must also hold true. We must be able to separate deep discomfort with the actions of the Netanyahu government from any notion that this discomfort stems from malevolent – rather than humanitarian – instincts on the part of Labour members.”

Survation surveyed 1,036 readers of LabourList, the leading dedicated newsletter and news and comment website for Labour supporters, who also said they were Labour Party members between May 22 and 26.

Data was weighted to the profile of party members by age, sex, region, 2020 leadership vote and 2025 deputy leadership vote. Targets for weighting were drawn from the British Election Study and the results of the leadership and deputy elections.

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