SIR KEIR STARMER faced a wall of protest as he arrived in Glasgow to be guest of honour at a gala dinner fundraiser for the Scottish Labour party.
The Labour leader’s journey north of the border on Thursday night got off to an inauspicious start when he was challenged on the train over his support of the Israeli invasion of Gaza.
A fellow passenger walked into the first class carriage where Sir Keir was seated with aides asking him: “Keir, how many more children in Palestine have to die before you call for a ceasefire?
“Over 7,000 children have died, over 7,000 children have been slaughtered by Israel.
“This is unacceptable. What happened to human rights, what happened to democracy?
“We call for peace and we call for democracy, we don’t see any of that when it comes to Palestinians.
“Where is you’re humanity?”
The former human rights lawyer did not respond as Special Branch officers moved the passenger on.
But this proved to be only a taster for what awaited Sir Keir at Glasgow Central Station where he was welcomed by dozens of peace and Palestinian solidarity protesters.
Looking straight ahead and emotionless, Sir Keir did not engage with anyone as he was ushered by special branch officers and local police through the crowd to chants of “shame on you!”, “war criminal!” and “Keir Starmer, you can’t hide, you’re supporting genocide!”
The chants continued as he scrambled into a waiting Range Rover, which was then surrounded and had its getaway delayed as the number of protesters grew.
More awaited Sir Keir when he arrived at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on the Clyde, where both he and Labour loyalists arriving for the Scottish Labour fundraising dinner were greeted by extended delays to gain access as protesters placed Palestinian flags over car windscreens and blocked the road to chants of “Free, Free Palestine!” which could be heard as far away as Govan.
One protester — a disenchanted former Labour Party member — Danny O’Neill told the Star: “I’ve heard some people say it was out of order, that politicians shouldn’t be challenged like this, but I don’t recall any of those people worrying when Corbyn was on the receiving end of continual harassment.
“The bottom line is that people holding public office need to face the public, and the consequences of their actions.
“The murderous Israeli regime he backs might continue to dodge accountability for this slaughter, but Starmer can’t.”
Police Scotland confirmed two people have been arrested and charged with alleged disorder offences following the protest.
