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Labour MP tells Sunak he has ‘the blood of thousands of innocent people’ on his hands
Palestinians displaced by the Israeli bombing and invasion of Gaza sit next to the border wall with Egypt in Rafah, January 24, 2024

LABOUR MP Tahir Ali accused Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in the Commons today of having blood on his hands over Gaza.

The Birmingham MP also demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to British arms sales to Israel.

Accusing the PM of ignoring legal warnings that Israel was committing war crimes he said: “You have the blood of thousands of innocent people on your hands.” 

Mr Sunak’s only response was to brand Mr Ali “the new face of the Labour Party” in a bid to embarrass Sir Keir Starmer. 

Sir Keir’s spokesman said that Mr Ali’s language “was not what we would support or endorse.” 

Indeed there was speculation that the authoritarian Labour leadership would order parliamentary whips to sanction Mr Ali for articulating what millions believe. 

In other Commons exchanges, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn challenged the Prime Minister to admit that television footage of an Israeli sniper shooting dead a civilian waving a white flag in Gaza was showing a war crime. 

Mr Sunak and, later, the Labour spokesman both dodged the issue. 

The Prime Minister stuck with the question-begging formulation that he did not want to see the conflict continue “longer than necessary.” 

Both party leaders did, however, dismiss calls by the head of the Army, General Patrick Sanders, for a return to conscription in preparation for war with Russia. 

His suggestion at an arms fair at Twickenham was not welcomed, although Labour reiterated its view that the army was too small. 

Stop the War Coalition vice-chair Chris Nineham said the general’s demand “reflects growing attempts by the British establishment to militarise society” and that “we must resist all attempts to mobilise this country for more wars abroad.” 

MPs were preparing to debate the Anglo-American war against Yemen at the time this article was published.

The Communist Party argued that the Red Sea conflict could be stopped by ending Israel’s Gaza aggression. 

Speaking to a meeting of the party’s political committee, party chair Ruth Styles said: “The Western imperialist powers can stop the attacks by Yemeni Houthis on maritime trade with Israel by forcing the Israeli regime to end its genocidal war against the Palestinian people. 

“But Prime Minister Sunak and President Biden always put the interests of big business first, at home and around the world.”

The committee finalised plans for its participation on the next national demonstration for a ceasefire in Gaza on February 3. 

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