London, UK – A significant wave of disquiet is sweeping through the Labour Party’s Muslim representatives, with a groundbreaking new survey revealing widespread dissatisfaction over Keir Starmer’s handling of the Gaza crisis. The first-ever survey of Labour Muslim MPs, councillors, and mayors, conducted by the Labour Muslim Network (LMN) between April 2nd and May 16th, exposes a strong desire for more robust action against Israel, alongside concerns about the party’s approach to its own Muslim members.
The LMN’s findings, drawn from 221 respondents out of 477 eligible Labour Muslim elected officials, paint a clear picture:
- 77% of respondents believe the UK government should end all arms exports to Israel.
- 84% support sanctions against the Israeli government.
- A near-unanimous 97% advocate for the immediate recognition of the state of Palestine.
These statistics underscore the profound political challenges facing the UK government regarding its response to the Israel-Hamas war and the escalating humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. While Starmer recently acknowledged the “dark days” in Gaza and vowed to consider “further action,” and the government suspended free trade talks with Israel and sanctioned West Bank settlers, many within Labour’s Muslim contingent clearly feel these measures fall short. The pressure to recognize Palestine as a state, potentially jointly with France, is mounting, especially given that over 140 UN countries already do so. Labour’s manifesto commitment to a two-state solution, including Palestinian state recognition, adds another layer to this internal debate.
The survey also highlighted significant internal party concerns:
- 58% of Labour Muslim representatives believe the government has represented British Muslims badly.
- 66% feel that Muslim representatives are not treated equally within the party.
- A substantial one-third of Muslim Labour representatives reported directly experiencing Islamophobia, with more than half expressing a belief that the party does not take Islamophobia seriously enough.
This disquiet within Labour’s Muslim base was notably reflected in the last summer’s election results, where pro-Gaza independents defeated Labour candidates in areas with large Muslim communities, including Dewsbury and Batley, Blackburn, Birmingham Perry Barr, and Leicester South. These losses, coupled with a close call in Wes Streeting’s Ilford North, followed a controversial LBC interview in which Starmer appeared to endorse Israel’s right to withhold water and electricity in Gaza.
A spokesperson for the LMN described their report as a “call to action” for “a renewed commitment to Muslim representation, rooted in equality and justice.” They asserted that the Labour Party cannot credibly claim to be anti-racist while disregarding the experiences of its own Muslim elected officials. In response, a Labour Party spokesperson affirmed pride in the party’s diversity, citing the increase in Muslim MPs and the appointments of Shabana Mahmood as the first Muslim Lord Chancellor and Sadiq Khan as the first Muslim Mayor of London. They reiterated Labour’s commitment to equality and stated that all complaints of discrimination, including Islamophobia, are taken seriously and processed through their independent complaints system.
