The MP for Beckenham in south-east London is also said to have told the protester on 14 December last year to "get stuffed", that he was "taking money off my country" and "go away, I hate you", after Mr Alwadaei shouted at him: "Bob Stewart, for how much did you sell yourself to the Bahraini regime?" The Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into the incident after a complaint was made by activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, who has said he was living in exile after being tortured in the Gulf state. Tory MP Bob Stewart showed "racial hostility" towards a protester by telling him to "go back to Bahrain" during a demonstration outside a Foreign Office building, a court has head. While so far there have been no major resignations, the big test for the Labour leader is whether this frustration explodes into a major rebellion once parliament returns next week. Sir Keir clearly believes the wider electorate understand and sympathise with his (and the government's) reasoning on the situation - and have the appetite to hear more of his ideas on other issues, like growing our way out of the cost of living crisis.īut as the number of civilian casualties in Gaza continues to rise - the anger about his approach among party members grows too. It's a high-minded position - attempting to present himself as above the local political fray, and focused instead on international humanitarian goals.īut divided parties struggle to win elections - and many will view this inability to deal with insurrection as weakness. He's clearly taken on board criticism over a perceived lack of empathy towards the Palestinians as a result of his early comments about Israel's rights, telling today's audience he shares their human emotion in wanting to take action.īut he didn't exactly give a straight answer when questioned about whether he would fire frontbenchers who defied the party line on this, arguing that while collective responsibility is important, "dealing with particular positions taken by individuals in the Labour Party" isn't his priority or focus. When I asked him whether the lack of party unity over the issue could lose him a likely majority at the next election, he rather implausibly insisted his party is united, because their divided responses all come from the same fundamental place - the desire to alleviate suffering. Sir Keir today reiterated his argument against a ceasefire on the basis that Israel shouldn't have to give up its right to self defence and to that in practical terms, humanitarian pauses would be a more effective way to swiftly alleviate the suffering of people in Gaza and Israel. It follows a string of high profile interventions from frontbenchers and big names like the mayors Andy Burnham and Sadiq Khan and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar. Last night two Labour council leaders even called for Sir Keir to resign over the issue, because - they claim - he's not listening to members or representing Labour values. It's all part of the concerted charm offensive he and his shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves have been on over the past year to convince business that Labour are the party to trust on the economy.īut politically speaking his appearance today has been thoroughly overshadowed by the Labour's increasingly bitter divisions over the question of a ceasefire in Gaza. Sir Keir Starmer travelled up to County Durham today to make a speech about Labour's plans to grow the economy to a lunch for business leaders from across the north east in a fancy hotel near Stockton on Tees.
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