KEIR STARMER’S approach to the crisis of legitimacy his government is enduring because of its support for Israel’s increasingly monstrous crimes in Gaza is two-fold. Spoiler alert: Neither involves actually doing anything to bring the war to an end.  

First, he is stepping up repression of the Palestinian solidarity movement on the streets. Every weekend, hundreds are being arrested for expressing opposition to the preposterous ban on Palestine Action.  

And across the country, police officers are using the proscription decision to harass anyone expressing any form of support for the Palestinian people.  

It is now impossible to be sure that you are safe from arrest if you wave a Palestinian flag or wear a T-shirt mentioning the word “Palestine.” Yes, some police officers are irredeemably stupid, but others are relishing the opportunity to confront peaceful protesters.  

Four organisers of the solidarity movement face criminal charges arising from a peaceful mass demonstration in January.  

And the Metropolitan Police continues to impose entirely unnecessary and burdensome restrictions on the right to protest, often at the behest of Israel’s champions.  

Starmer is buttressing this repression, which has so far failed to dent the momentum of the mass support for the Palestinian people, with a sustained effort to put some rhetorical distance between his government and Benjamin Netanyahu’s genocide squad.  

Foreign Secretary David Lammy was sent out today to do a shift in that cause. He described himself as “appalled, sickened” by the daily massacre of starving Palestinians.  

But as for action from the government, there was none. There may be sanctions at some point. The recognition of a Palestinian state is for another day. And any further restrictions on arms sales is unnecessary.  

It is possible, as per Lammy, that war crimes may be being committed every single day, but who is he to say? That is a matter for the courts, and on this matter alone, the Foreign Secretary will not prejudge them.  

RAF Akrotiri continues to be used as a base for spy flights to assist the Israeli armed forces. Lammy denies that this is their purpose, but is unable to explain what other reason there could be.  

Certainly, they are not being used to protect Palestinian civilians from the murderous depredations of the Israeli army.  

Instead of action, there are appeals to the Israeli government to order a ceasefire and allow more aid into Gaza, which are falling on very deaf ears. Netanyahu and his gang have long since taken the measure of the Labour government and know they have nothing to fear from that direction.  

The latest Lammy/Starmer posture is a study in hypocrisy. The state turns a hard face to the mass movement, which actually wants to bring an immediate end to the war, while posing in public as the friends of peace.  

No-one should be fooled by this manoeuvre. Amnesty International is absolutely right to describe Lammy’s hand-wringing as “empty words.”  

To be taken seriously in the face of the revolting crimes being perpetrated by Israel daily, the government must actually act.  

It must impose punishing sanctions on all forms of economic contact with Israel, including, of course, ending arms sales.  

It must sever all ties between the British military and the Israeli and suspend diplomatic relations until there is an end to the murders, the starvation and the ethnic cleansing. Far-right ambassador Tzipi Hotovely should be sent packing.  

A Palestinian state must be recognised without further prevarication. And the repression of the solidarity movement halted immediately.  

Only thus can Starmer and Lammy start removing the bloody stain on the Labour Party caused by their prolonged indulgence of this genocide.