Rishi Sunak’s and Suella Braverman’s attempts to discredit the hundreds of thousands of protesters who have marched over the last month for a ceasefire in Israel-Gaza  – and will be marching again this Saturday – appear to have rebounded in the government’s face.

Having denounced peaceful protesters as participants in “hate marches”, the increasingly discredited Home Secretary has now turned her fire on the Metropolitan Police, accusing them of operating a “double standard”, saying “there is a perception that senior police officers play favourites when it comes to protesters.”

Braverman’s article in The Times was apparently not cleared by the Prime Minster. Worse, the Guardian reports: “It is understood the article was sent to Downing Street but that major changes that had been sought were not made.” Distancing Sunak from the article, a prime ministerial spokesperson said: “The prime minister continues to believe the police will operate without fear or favour.”

Braverman’s breach of collective Cabinet responsibility raises questions about how much longer the Prime Minister can allow his Home Secretary to freelance in this way. Some commentators argue Sunak is weak and dare not sack the increasingly maverick Braverman.

But others suggest that the government’s approach is part of a broader plan by Sunak to keep his own image clean and socially liberal while licensing others to fight divisive culture wars, Tory Deputy Chair Lee Anderson included. Here’s one recent opinion:

“Sunak appointed Braverman within a week of her originally resigning as Home Secretary not because she is super competent and was what briefcase Toryism needed. It was to inflame, stoke up tensions, and say racist things. The Tories want a populist Brexit-style substitute to glue an electoral coalition together, and the dominant school of thought thinks going hard on reactionary tropes is the way to do it. Braverman is a megaphone for this politics. She does it so Sunak doesn’t have to.”

In any case, Sunak himself has helped orchestrate the disapproval against Saturday’s peace march which has been so keenly taken up by right wing media outlets. It’s got little to do with disrespect on Armistice Day: as Andrew Fisher points out: “For years now, the neo-Nazis of the National Front have been allowed to hold a march to the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday. They plan to do so again this Sunday. Not a peep has been heard from Sunak or Suella Braverman about this march.”

Pressure on Starmer

Meanwhile the Labour leadership is also feeling the pressure. Imran Hussain MP, Shadow Minister for the New Deal for Working People, has resigned from the Labour frontbench saying “I wish to be a strong advocate for the humanitarian ceasefire advocated by the UN Secretary General… it is clear that I cannot sufficiently, in all good conscience, do this from the frontbench.”

Labour List speculates: “Further frontbench resignations do not seem out of the question, given the large number of MPs, both front and backbench, who have deviated from the party line… Hussain was one of four members of the Socialist Campaign Group on the frontbench, the others being Paula Barker, Navendu Mishra, and Rachel Hopkins, all of whom have indicated support for a ceasefire.”

Additionally, Zarah Sultana MP is tabling an amendment to the King’s Speech in support of an “immediate ceasefire” to “protect civilians in Israel and Palestine”, which could potentially be subject to a parliamentary vote next week. The amendment is supported by Labour figures including Rosena Allin-Khan MP, John McDonnell MP and Nadia Whittome MP, along with MPs from other parties.

Meanwhile more groups of Labour Councillors are making their voices heard. Worthing Labour Group and Birmingham Labour Group of Councillors are the latest to back demands for a ceasefire.

A third Labour councillor in Haringey, which covers the constituency of shadow Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, has resigned, Mary Mason, and the three have formed a new Independent Socialist Group on the council. And a Labour councillor in Bedford has quit the party over the leadership’s stance on Israel-Gaza.

In east London hundreds of school students boycotted an assembly with Labour MP Wes Streeting over his Party’s position on Israel-Palestine. Around 300 17 and 18-year-olds at Beal High School in Ilford either refused to attend or walked out of the assembly last Friday.

“We heard Wes Streeting would be coming down to do a talk on university and personal statements,” one Year 13 student involved, Amina, told Novara Media. “But as a year group, we wanted to show our support to those in Palestine.”

On the same day, hundreds of children in Bristol walked out of class in protest at the failure of UK politicians to back a ceasefire in Gaza. More school strikes are planned elsewhere tomorrow.

Richard Burgon MP has put down the first backbench motion of the new parliamentary session. It calls for a ceasefire to help save lives. It already has the support of 94 MPs from eight separate parties.

The Welsh Senedd has also voted to join calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Katy Clark MSP has tabled a motion against arms sales to Israel in the Scottish Parliament.

Former Labour MP Richard Burden has called on Labour to reinstate its previous policy of immediately recognising the state of Palestine, as the Party committed to under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy appeared to dilute this commitment when he recently said the Party “will strive to recognise Palestine as a sovereign state.” Strive against what, exactly?

Labour & Palestine meeting

Last night thousands of activists joined an online event organised by Labour & Palestine: Why Labour should join calls for a #CeasefireNow. The meeting was addressed by leading figures from across the Party.

Labour NEC member Jess Barnard said, “We meet at a vital time for all of us interested in campaigning for peace and Palestinian rights, with the UK government – and sadly the leadership of the Labour opposition – failing to join the growing chorus of voices internationally calling for a ceasefire, from the UN to Oxfam, from the ITUC, to the Pope.”

Commenting on the growing rebellion against Keir Starmer’s stance, she added, “it is good see so much support for the call for a ceasefire in the Labour Party, labour movement and beyond, including through the councillors, Mayors, MPs, trade unions and others who have spoken out.”

Labour NEC member Mish Rahman said that we have all seen “images of innocent people dying while Sunak and Biden refuse to act and Keir Starmer continues to back them.”

Addressing the position of Labour’s leadership he added that “This has to change. We will not forgive them. History will not forgive them [and] we will continue to hold them accountable because they have taken the easiest option of all which is to do nothing and that’s what they are doing – nothing. And their silence and refusal to do anything is their complicity,” adding that “their complicity and hypocrisy is breathtaking and there for all to see.”

Young Labour Chair Nabeela Mowlana said, “The current Labour leadership’s stance and the comments they’ve made in public appearances have been shameful.”

She added, “It is our duty as Labour members, as socialists and trade unionists to do everything we can to push our MPs and this government to recognize the inviolable rights of the Palestinian people to live in freedom and security. We know all too well that as we mourn the dead, we must fight like hell for the living.”

Former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell MP argued that it was clear that both the Government and Labour party leadership have been “refusing to move” on the question of a ceasefire. Outlining elements of the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, he said that “If you don’t do everything to prevent it you are complicit in war crimes.”

Other speakers at the rally included MPs Richard Burgon and Beth Winter, Baroness Christine Blower.  You can watch the event here.  

Over 5,000 Labour members from over 500 constituencies have signed this petition initiated by Labour & Palestine.  Read about how to join Saturday’s demonstration and other actions here.

Image: Protest in Chelmsford, October 28th, c/o Bryn Griffiths