COMMUNIST PARTY general secretary Robert Griffiths has warned of a revival of far-right and fascist street-gangs in Britain encouraged by Conservative nationalist MPs at Westminster.

His comments came after many Conservative MPs had voted against a ceasefire in Gaza and called for Britain to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights, breaking international law on refugees.

He told the party’s political committee on Thursday night: “Clearly, there are elements on the Tory back benches whose commitment to democratic and human rights — whether in Britain or Palestine — is zero.

“Furthermore, the King’s Speech confirmed Tory government plans to clamp down further on peaceful protest and outlaw measures by public bodies to reject economic links with Israel.”

The CP leader warned there was a body of Tory MPs for whom even these anti-democratic measures are not enough, which could lead to deeper divisions in Conservative ranks as some of them link up with the far-right Reform UK party and extra-parliamentary fascist organisations.

But the CP political committee also condemned the Labour Party leadership’s refusal to back the SNP call at Westminster for a ceasefire in Gaza, or to condemn — on humanitarian as well as cost and efficiency grounds — Tory plans to dump asylum-seekers in Rwanda.

“The SNP, Plaid Cymru, Lib-Dem and 56 rebel Labour MPs who voted on Monday for a ceasefire should be congratulated for defending basic humanitarian principles, as Keir Starmer hid behind weasel words and in effect endorsed Israel’s ongoing shelling of homes, hospitals and roads,” Mr Griffiths declared.

“It’s impossible to see why some of these anti-ceasefire Labour MPs should be supported in the next general election.”

The CP political committee also discussed approaching other left and progressive groups about possible electoral co-ordination.