Starmer should think twice before listening to ‘The Muslim Vote’

A grassroots campaign group called ‘The Muslim Vote’ is aiming to capitalise on the success of pro-Gaza candidates at the local election by issuing a set of 18 ‘demands’ of Keir Starmer. The organisation seeks to ‘punish’ MPs who fail to back a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. It says that Labour must ‘return the Zionist money’, bin the government’s new extremism definition and slap a travel ban on pro-war Israeli politicians. The group says its members will turn to other parties if Starmer doesn’t listen up.

On the question of Gaza, Labour is in an almighty pickle. Over the weekend, Starmer suggested he wanted to repair the damage done over the issue, indicating he wants ‘to win back their (voters’) trust and confidence’. But how can he reconcile those words with adopting a position on the war that won’t alienate supporters on either, or both, sides?

It’s a question Starmer, who often prefers to sit on the fence, must answer quickly: his party is already paying the price for his muddled view on the situation in the Middle East.