Sir Keir strongly supported Israel's right to self-defense after 1,300 of its citizens were killed in a Hamas attack. Photo: Labor
Labour has called for crisis talks to prevent a mass uprising as the party faces the loss of a key council over its pro-Israel stance.
Party bosses are bracing for a wave of resignations in Leicester as a result which they will relinquish control of the city for the first time in 16 years amid anger over Sir Keir Starmer's defense of Israel's decision to cut off water and electricity to the Gaza Strip.
Four Muslim advisers from across the country have already resigned in protest at his position, and dozens more are said to be close to following it.
David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, held a video call with Labor council leaders from across the UK on Monday evening in an attempt to quell the rebellion.
However, the talks reportedly went south, with participants warning Sir Keir had days to change his approach or face another resignation.
Labour councilors were outraged after the party leader's remarks in an interview with LBK said that “Israel has the right” to deprive Gaza of water and electricity.
Lammy later tried to contain the damage by tweeting that Tel Aviv must comply with international law, which «requires… access to food, water and electricity», but tensions reignited when the leadership sent a letter to local representatives demanding they stay away from pro-Palestinian rallies.
One Labor Party activist warned: “They are in big trouble and I don’t think they are they realize this. I can't believe someone could score such a monumental own goal.»
Labour sources said the scandal threatened a mass strike in Leicester, costing the party a council it had controlled for 43 from the last 50 years.
Last week, seven Muslim city councilors published a letter «clearly distancing themselves» from Sir Keir's remarks and calling on him to apologise.
One insider said representatives had come «under enormous pressure» from constituents to resigned due to the position of Labor leader.
“I have never seen such contempt for the Labor Party from the local Muslim electorate as I have seen this week,” warned the insider. «Every day we are looked at like, 'Why are you still here defending the Labor Party?' because of the position taken at the national level.
“If things continue like this, we may well see a number of resignations. I know that two or three councilors are on the verge of resigning. That's how strongly they feel about it — they just feel like they're not being heard. Even I am amazed by this reaction. It turned out to be more than difficult.”
Labour's representation on Leicester council was slashed in May's local elections and it now holds power with a majority of just three seats.
Party insiders warned that the rebellion could spread, with one source saying that «there are councilors from all over the place who want to resign» and that local activists were «very , very angry.» One of them said: «I've never seen anything like it — they explode.»
Last week Shaista Aziz and Amar Latif, two councilors in Oxford, quit the Labor Party and took aim at Sir Keir over his «appalling rhetoric». Jessie Hoskin resigned in Stroud on Saturday, saying the Labor Party «no longer lives up to the values of human dignity.»
On Monday, Amna Abdullatif, the first Arab woman on Manchester council, quit and said she had “There was no other choice left.”
Labour MPs hold 31 constituencies with predominantly Muslim communities, of which 17 are represented by leaders. MPs who could be at risk at the next election include Angela Rayner, the deputy leader, and Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary.
Shabana Mahmood, Lucy Powell, Liz Kendall and Jonathan Ashworth are all shadow members The Cabinet Office also represents such places.
Sir Keir strongly supported Israel's right to self-defense after 1,300 of its citizens were killed in an attack by Hamas terrorists on Saturday.
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