FORMER shadow culture secretary Thangam Debbonaire, who lost her seat at the general election, has blamed her defeat on Labour’s “lack of a strong narrative” on Gaza. 

Ms Debbonaire, who herself abstained in a vote on a ceasefire motion in November, represented Bristol West for 10 years until she was ousted by the Greens in the new Bristol Central constituency last week.

Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer, who took her place, had made calls for a ceasefire in Gaza a key issue in her campaigning.

In an interview with Channel 4, the former MP was quick to point out that she had voted for a ceasefire on two other occasions.

She spoke of having a hunch from November onwards that she was going to lose the seat, but she said that “if my party doesn’t communicate what we’ve done, what we’re saying, then obviously voters don’t know it.”

Ms Debonnaire added that “the lack of a strong narrative had consequences” and that there was a certain level of “collateral damage.”