Labour has called for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza in a major shift in the party’s position on the conflict.
The party has tabled an amendment to an SNP motion, to be debated by MPs tomorrow, which calls for an “immediate ceasefire” in the war between Israel and Hamas.
Labour’s amendment calls on the House of Commons to “support Australia, Canada and New Zealand’s calls for Hamas to release and return all hostages and for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, which means an immediate stop to the fighting and a ceasefire that lasts and is observed by all sides.”
The amendment also says an Israeli offensive into Rafah “risks catastrophic humanitarian consequences and therefore must not happen”.
It “condemns the terrorism of Hamas” and says that “Israel cannot be expected to cease fighting if Hamas continues with violence”.
And it goes on to demand that “rapid and unimpeded humanitarian relief is provided in Gaza”.
Labour MPs will now be expected to vote for the party’s amendment rather than the SNP motion.
And Labour’s Scottish secretary, Ian Murray, has written to the SNP calling on it to back Starmer’s version.
Until now, Labour has stopped short of demanding an “immediate” end to the conflict, calling instead for a “sustainable ceasefire”.
But Keir Starmer signalled a shift in Labour’s position on Sunday when he told the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow that the fighting “must stop now” and that Israeli hostages still being held in Palestine must be released.
The last time the issue was voted on in the Commons, Starmer suffered the biggest rebellion of his leadership when 56 Labour MPs voted with the SNP.
That led to 10 Labour frontbenchers quitting their posts.
Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s Westminster leader, said he welcomed today’s “long-overdue U-turn from Sir Keir Starmer”
“The plain truth is Sir Keir was forced into this position through public pressure and, in particular, by the SNP,” he said.
“It’s telling that it took the SNP to insert a backbone into the Labour party and act as Westminster’s conscience on this conflict.”
He added: “Questions will naturally arise as to why it’s taken Sir Keir so long to change his mind, what his long months of prevarication achieved, and whether he will reinstate the MPs he sacked in November for supporting the same position he finally holds too.”
Flynn said the “focus is now squarely on Rishi Sunak” and urged the prime minister to also “reverse his stance”.
“I urge Rishi Sunak and the UK government to join with the vast majority of the international community, back an immediate ceasefire – and then ensure the UK government acts on it by applying the maximum diplomatic pressure,” he said.