Six Walsall Labour councillors quit over Keir Starmer's Gaza ceasefire vote

Six Walsall Labour Councillors, including the group leader, have resigned over Keir Starmer's stance on the conflict in Gaza.

The councillors confirmed they were resigning from Labour to sit as independents, after Starmer order Labour MPs not to vote for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Eight of Keir Starmer's shadow ministers and two parliamentary private secretaries left his top team after defying the party whip by voting for a ceasefire, rather than backing his calls for so-called "humanitarian pauses".

Among the most high profile resignations was domestic violence and safeguarding secretary and Birmingham Yardley MP Jess Phillips, who said she was leaving the the Shadow Cabinet with a "heavy heart".

The decision of the six to resign further strengthens the Conservatives' hold on Walsall Council.

Among the Walsall councillors to quit was Aftab Nawaz, the group leader.

The other five councillors to quit alongside Cllr Nawaz were: Sabina Ditta, Naheed Gultasib, Farhana Hassan, Saiqa Nasreen and Abdus Nazir.

In a joint statement, the six Walsall councillors said: "We are saddened to inform you that we will be resigning from the Labour Party immediately due to Keir Starmer refusing to back and vote for a ceasefire in Gaza. The vote was an opportunity to take a humanitarian position that we would expect from the leader of the Labour Party.

"Unfortunately, Keir Starmer had instructed Labour MPs not to support the ceasefire amendment to the King’s Speech and did not vote for it himself. The situation in Gaza is a humanitarian catastrophe and requires leaders to show moral courage and a moral leadership that demands that the killing stops. In not calling for a ceasefire we feel that the party leadership has lost its moral compass and is stubbornly maintaining a position that at best is indifferent to the killing of innocents and at worst is approving of the tactics of the Israeli forces.

"The Labour Party has been a part of our life for many years and the decision to leave has not been taken lightly. We feel that the current leadership on the issue of Gaza has betrayed us and those we represent. The simple fact is that we, our supporters and our communities expected better from a party that should be standing up for justice and human rights."

They added: "We will continue to support and work for our communities and our residents in our wards. We will sit as independent councillors and continue to be strong voices for our residents.

"However, we cannot in all conscience continue to be members of a party that is led by people who have become so passive to the deaths of so many innocent men, women and in particular children."

Sir Keir, speaking exclusively to ITV News, said he "of course" wants his party to be united, "but you wouldn't expect me to stand here today and say my concern is the Labour Party management, rather than the hostages and the innocent civilians and children that are dying in Gaza".

"My focus and attention is there and that's where it is and where it will always be."

His comments come after MPs voted 290 to 183, a majority of 107, to reject Labour's King's Speech amendment calling for longer "humanitarian pauses" - as opposed to a longer lasting ceasefire in Gaza.

The SNP's King's Speech amendment calling for "all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire" in the enclave was also rejected 293 to 125.

In total, the division list showed 56 Labour MPs backed the SNP's call for an immediate ceasefire.

Sir Keir said he regretted that party colleagues had not backed his position.