RECOGNISING Palestine as a state must translate into concrete responsibility, protesters told the Labour government ahead of its party conference in Liverpool.

Chants of “free Palestine” echoed through the city as thousands marched from St George’s Hall towards the conference venue on the eve of the meeting on Saturday.

Speaking on the government’s formal recognition of Palestine last week, general secretary of rail union TSSA Maryam Eslamdoust told the crowd: “Recognition must mean responsibility. If the UK truly recognises Palestine, it must act to end starvation in Gaza.

“That means demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire. It means ending all arms sales to Israel, and backing full access for humanitarian aid, food and water.”

Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne said: “We’re here today to send a message to the government.

“This is not a war. It’s not a conflict. It’s not a humanitarian crisis. It’s a genocide. It’s ethnic cleansing. It’s systematic starvation and war crimes committed by Israel day after day, month after month, year after year.”

One demonstrator, Serena Fenton, came to the protest wearing an electronic tag. She had previously been arrested for targeting a Teledyne arms factory in Shipley.

“I am a peaceful protester, although I have been arrested 12 times in 15 months for speaking out against the genocide and that is the state of affairs in the world today,” she said. “Peaceful protesters are being criminalised while the war criminals like Keir Starmer, like David Lammy, like Yvette Cooper, are being glorified.”

Labour has blocked some 30 motions about Palestine from being debated at this year’s conference.