Lawyers try to force Keir Starmer to stop arming Israel
‘What is happening in Gaza is a live-streamed genocide’
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/what-happening-gaza-live-streamed-genocide
A demonstrator outside the Royal Courts of Justice, May 13, 2025THERE is clear evidence British weapons are contributing to war crimes in Gaza, campaigners outside the High Court said yesterday as the government went on trial to defend its continued supply of arms to Israel.
The case, case brought by Palestinian human rights group Al-Haq, challenges the government’s decision to continue exporting components for F-35 jets, described by its US manufacturer Lockheed Martin as “the most lethal” fighter jet in the world.
Last September, the government enforced a partial ban on arms exports to Israel, suspending 30 out of 350 licences, after admitting there was a “clear risk” they could be used to violate international law.
But it carved out an exception for F-35 components, arguing that they are part of a global supply programme and important to international security.
Campaign Against the Arms Trade said that British industry manufactures 15 per cent of each jet, which have dropped 2,000lb bombs on “safe zones” in Gaza.
The government said the parts would not be sent directly to Israel, but allows them to be supplied via the global spares pool and F-35 partner countries, a move lawyers argue breaches international and domestic law.Raza Husain KC, for Al-Haq, said the loophole “gives rise to a significant risk of facilitating crime.”
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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/what-happening-gaza-live-streamed-genocide
UK sent Israel thousands of military items despite export ban, study finds
UK firms have exported thousands of military items including munitions to Israel despite the government suspending key arms export licences to the country in September, new analysis of trade data shows.
The research also raises questions over whether the UK continued to sell F-35 parts directly to Israel in breach of an undertaking only to sell them to the US manufacturers Lockheed Martin as a way of ensuring the fighter jet’s global supply chain was not disrupted, something the government said was essential for national security and Nato.
The findings have led the former Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell to call for a full investigation, adding it was a resigning matter if the foreign secretary, David Lammy, was shown to have misled parliament in breach of the ministerial code when he told MPs in September that much of what the UK sends to Israel was “defensive in nature”.
McDonnell said “The government has shrouded its arms supplies to Israel in secrecy. They must finally come clean in response to this extremely concerning evidence and halt all British arms exports to Israel to ensure no British-made weapons are used in Netanyahu’s new and terrifying plans to annex the Gaza Strip and ethnically cleanse the land.”
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Article continues at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/may/07/uk-sent-israel-thousands-of-military-items-despite-export-ban-study-finds
Ministers Accused of ‘Lying’ About Arms Exports to Israel
Labour MPs urge Starmer to change course after Reform takes Runcorn safe seat
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and actor Ross Kemp join the national phone bank at the Labour Party headquarters in central London, during campaigning for tomorrow’s local elections, April 30, 2025LABOUR MPs, trade unions and campaigners called on the government to urgently change course today after Reform UK overturned the party’s majority of 15,000 to win the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by six votes for its candidate, former Conservative councillor Sarah Pochin.
Thursday’s local elections saw the far-right party also take their first mayoralty in Greater Lincolnshire for ex-Tory MP and minister Andrea Jenkyns, and come close seconds to Labour in three other mayoral races, as well as taking hundreds of council seats from the Tories and winning control of many councils.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer responded to the losses by saying ”I get it,” and pledged to go ”further and faster” in changing Britain.
But veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott said: ”Labour leadership is saying the party will go further and faster — in the same direction.
”They don’t seem to understand: it is our current direction that is the problem.”
Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell MP said: ”The message to ministers is: drop plans to attack disabled people.”
And Labour MP for Leeds East Richard Burgon said that Labour’s defeat in Runcorn was ”entirely avoidable” and a ”direct result of the party leadership’s political choices.”
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Article continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/labour-mps-urge-starmer-change-course-after-reform-takes-runcorn-safe-seat
