UK Labour leader hit by frontbench rebellion in Gaza truce vote

Labour leader Keir Starmer has been hit by a string of resignations from his frontbench in the House of Commons, after facing a rebellion from his MPs over his refusal to back a ceasefire in besieged Gaza.

The vote calling for the ceasefire was defeated on Wednesday by 293 votes to 168, but eight of Starmer's frontbenchers resigned from the frontbench after supporting the amendment.

Labour MPs had been ordered to abstain on the vote and were told instead to back Starmer's position calling for longer "humanitarian pauses" rather than a ceasefire.

Starmer said he regretted that party colleagues had not backed his position, but that he wanted to be clear about where he stood.

"Much more needs to be done in this regard to ease the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding in Gaza," he said in a statement after the vote.

"Leadership is about doing the right thing. That is the least the public deserves. And the least that leadership demands."

High-profile frontbencher Jess Phillips, one of the most senior Labour MPs to resign, said she was quitting with a "heavy heart".

"On this occasion, I must vote with my constituents, my head, and my heart, which has felt as if it were breaking over the last four weeks with the horror of the situation in Israel and Palestine," she said in a letter to her party leader.

Party dispute

The row over Starmer's stance on Israel's war on besieged Gaza has escalated in Labour in the past week.

Starmer — who looks set to become Britain's next prime minister at an election expected next year, according to polling — has refused to call for a permanent ceasefire.

Instead, the former human rights lawyer has called for a humanitarian pause to Israel's bombardment to allow much-needed aid to reach ordinary Palestinians unable to leave the blockaded enclave.

His stance, however, has caused disquiet within the party.

A Labour spokesperson said a ceasefire would freeze the war and "leave hostages in Gaza and Hamas with the infrastructure and capability to carry out the sort of attack we saw on October 7".

"International law must be followed at all times, and innocent civilians must be protected. Labour is calling for humanitarian pauses in the fighting."

Israeli bombardment and ground invasion of besieged Gaza has killed more than 11,500 Palestinians, including 4,710 children and 3,160 women, according to authorities in Gaza.

The Israeli death toll stands at 1,200, officials say, after revising it down from 1,400.