Keir Starmer welcomes Trump plan for Gaza – but keynote conference speech focuses on Farage

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to the deal yesterday, along with multiple Arab countries including Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia; US news network CBS reported that Hamas is leaning towards accepting the plans.

Throughout the Labour Party’s annual conference, Starmer has been facing calls by activists and trade unions to adopt more punitive measures against Israel.

Yesterday, the conference backed a motion calling Israel’s actions in Gaza a “genocide”, in contrast to the government’s longstanding position that this is a matter for international courts.

The motion – which was backed by major trade unions including Unison and Aslef and made no mention of Hamas – urged the government to take measures to prevent “genocide” in Gaza; implement an arms embargo against Israel; and “ensure individuals and corporations in the UK are not involved in aiding and assisting the genocide”.

It was formally moved by Christina McAnea, the general secretary of Unison, Britain’s largest trade union, which has been supportive of Starmer’s leadership, though McAnea attacked the government’s stance on “genocide”.

“Let’s not play with semantics, let’s use the word … If we wait for this to be confirmed by a court, it will be too late because it is already happening as we sit here,” she told delegates in Liverpool.

One Labour source labelled her actions “disgraceful”.

A Labour frontbencher speculated to the JC that the reason McAnea herself moved the motion was because of pressure from the left of her own union and that she faces a “tough” re-election campaign later this year.

Although they thought she was “much the best person to lead Unison – certainly compared with the inevitable far-left alternative”, they said it was “so regrettable that there wasn't more leadership shown yesterday”.

They added: “We've ended up with a motion on Gaza that doesn't mention October 7 or hostages – just bonkers. Thankfully, it's just a motion – and certainly not government policy."

The prime minister’s backing of Trump’s plan was the only time he mentioned the conflict in Gaza in his speech, with Starmer instead focusing on Nigel Farage’s Reform party, which has been topping opinion polls.

“When was the last time that you heard Nigel Farage say anything positive about Britain’s future? He can’t. He doesn’t like Britain, he doesn’t believe in Britain”, said Starmer, who spoke passionately about wanting to “fight for the tolerant, decent, respectful Britain that I know”.

The Union Jack, the cross of St George and the Saltire were waved by party activists listening to the prime minister’s address.

“Let’s fly all our flags conference, because they're our flags. They belong to all of us, and we will never surrender them”, Starmer said.