Sir Keir Starmer has been hit by four resignations from his frontbench amid a rebellion over his refusal to back a ceasefire in Gaza.
Greater Manchester MPs Yasmin Qureshi, Afzal Khan have quit this evening (November 15) along with Paula Barker and Jess Phillips, after voting for an SNP amendment to the King’s Speech backing a ceasefire.
It comes as frontbenchers Naz Shah and Helen Hayes face being sacked after they broke ranks with their party leader and signalled plans to vote for the rival amendment.
MPs voted 293 to 125, majority 168, to reject the SNP’s King’s Speech amendment calling for “all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire” in Gaza.
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Labour MPs Afzal Khan and Yasmin Qureshi have both written to Sir Keir Starmer saying they will resign from their roles as shadow ministers.
Yasmin Qureshi, the MP for Bolton South East, wrote: “The situation in Gaza desperately requires an immediate ceasefire to address the humanitarian catastrophe and to advance moves towards a political solution that brings freedom, prosperity and security.”
While Afzal Khan, the MP for Manchester Gorton, said: “I understand that you do not feel that a ceasefire is currently the right course of action and due to our difference of opinion on the issue, I do not feel I am able to continue as a shadow minister.”
Ms Qureshi shared her letter to the Labour leader on X, formerly Twitter, adding: "The scale of bloodshed in Gaza is unprecedented. Tonight, I will vote for an immediate ceasefire.
"We must call for an end to the carnage to protect innocents lives and end human suffering. With regret, I have stepped down as Shadow Women and Equalities Minister."
Mr Khan did the same by sharing his letter on social media, adding: "Today, I will be voting for the motion calling on the UK Govt to support a #CeasefireNow in Gaza. With 11,000+ Gazans killed, supporting a full and immediate ceasefire is the very least we can do.
"In order to be free to do so, I have stepped down as Shadow Minister for Export."
Labour MPs had been ordered to abstain on the SNP move and were told instead to back Sir Keir’s position calling for longer “humanitarian pauses” rather than a ceasefire. Frontbenchers who rebel to back a rival amendment would normally face the sack for breaking the party whip.
In a statement following the vote, Sir Keir said he regretted that party colleagues had not backed his position.
“Alongside leaders around the world, I have called throughout for adherence to international law, for humanitarian pauses to allow access for aid, food, water, utilities and medicine, and have expressed our concerns at the scale of civilian casualties.
“Much more needs to be done in this regard to ease the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding in Gaza.
“And in addition to addressing the present, every leader has a duty not to go back to a failed strategy of containment and neglect, but to forge a better and more secure future for both Palestinians and Israelis.
“I regret that some colleagues felt unable to support the position tonight. But I wanted to be clear about where I stood, and where I will stand.
“Leadership is about doing the right thing. That is the least the public deserves. And the least that leadership demands.”
The multiple resignations come after Imran Hussain also quit the front bench earlier this month over Sir Keir’s stance on the Gaza war.
