Labour: Burnley councillors quit party over Israel-Gaza ceasefire stance

Sir Keir Starmer’s refusal to press for a ceasefire in Gaza has resulted in the resignation of ten council members and the leader of the council from the Labour Party.

Among those quitting the party is Afrasiab Anwar, the leader of Burnley Council, who had demanded the resignation of the Labour leader. According to the council members, their memberships were “untenable.” Labour agrees with the government’s position that Israel should stop its campaign against Hamas in order to permit humanitarian aid to reach Gaza. A Labour Party spokesman stated that while the party was fully in favour of a ceasefire, one at this point would only “freeze the conflict,” leaving hostages in Gaza and enabling Hamas to launch more attacks against Israel.

Prior to the resignations, the Labour group had 22 of the 45 seats on the Burnley Council; following Sunday’s announcement, it is still the largest party. They claimed that given the party’s current standing, their position within it is untenable. As MPs return to Westminster this week, Labour’s leadership is expected to come under increasing pressure to maintain its position. A ceasefire has been called for by several Labour MPs, including shadow ministers, but Sir Keir has rejected these requests. It is understood that concerns regarding Sir Keir’s status extend to the shadow cabinet.