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UK MPs urge sanctions on Netanyahu and Israeli justice minister over torture of Palestinians

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The British Union flag on the Houses of Parliament in London, UK, on Friday, July 5, 2024. [Photographer: Jose Sarmento Matos/Bloomberg via Getty Images]

Dozens of British parliamentarians have urged the UK government to impose sanctions on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his justice minister, Yariv Levin, over the “systematic and well-documented torture” of Palestinian civilians in Israeli detention.

According to Sky News, 71 cross-party MPs and peers signed a letter to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper calling on Britain to “help end this impunity” by targeting Netanyahu and Levin, who also serves as deputy prime minister, interior minister and religious services minister. 

The letter, led by Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan, argues that responsibility for the alleged abuse of Palestinian detainees “lies with the government of Israel, including Prime Minister Netanyahu”. It follows the UK’s decision last year to sanction Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich over their extremist comments and conduct towards Palestinians. 

The parliamentarians said those measures “remain welcome” but have failed to change Israel’s treatment of Palestinian detainees. Since then, they warned, the situation has “escalated, with near total impunity”.

The letter cites a February 2026 UN report which found that “torture has become integral” to Israel’s domination and punishment of Palestinian men, women and children, including through custodial abuse, forced displacement, mass killings, deprivation and the destruction of the means of life.

MPs also pointed to Netanyahu’s praise for a decision by Israel’s military advocate to drop charges in March in a case involving the alleged rape of a Palestinian detainee by Israeli soldiers, part of which was reportedly captured on CCTV.

READ: UK MPs warn platforming Pahlavi risks replacing ‘one form of authoritarian rule with another’

They further cited the interception in April and May of the Global Sumud Flotilla and Freedom Flotilla Coalition by Israeli naval forces in international waters. British nationals were among those detained, and detainees alleged that they were beaten and shot. Footage of their treatment was later shared online by Ben-Gvir, Sky News reported. 

A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told Sky News that reports of mistreatment of detainees by Israeli forces were “disgraceful” and said the UK had raised the issue with the Israeli government.

“All detainees must be treated with dignity and in full accordance with international law, and any allegations of torture or mistreatment must be thoroughly investigated,” the spokesperson said.

The Foreign Office also called on Israel to grant the International Committee of the Red Cross “immediate and unrestricted access to all detention facilities”, adding that it was “completely unacceptable” that hundreds of Palestinian children are reportedly held in Israeli detention without charge for months.

The letter was signed by 30 Labour MPs and seven Labour peers, as well as representatives from the Greens, Plaid Cymru, Sinn Fein, the SDLP, the Liberal Democrats, the SNP, the Conservatives, crossbench peers and non-affiliated members of the House of Lords.

READ: UK rights organisation calls on Business Secretary to cancel Israeli real estate event in London

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says Sundown Syndrome is a dead givaway and he wishes someone would Lock Him Up
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says Sundown Syndrome is a dead givaway and he wishes someone would Lock Him Up

Continue ReadingUK MPs urge sanctions on Netanyahu and Israeli justice minister over torture of Palestinians

Keir Starmer told scrapping two-child cap on benefits should be ‘bare minimum’ in fight against poverty

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Keir Starmer explains that he feels no shame or guilt benefitting personally from gifts from the rich and powerful while insisting on policies of severe austerity causing suffering and death.
Keir Starmer explains that he feels no shame or guilt benefitting personally from gifts from the rich and powerful while insisting on policies of severe austerity causing suffering and death.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/keir-starmer-told-scrapping-two-35965638

[Daily Record] EXCLUSIVE: SNP MP Kirsty Blackman said getting rid of the hated Tory welfare policy should be the “bare minimum – not the height of ambitions”.

The UK Labour Government has been challenged to go “much further” than scrapping the two-child cap on benefits if it wants to reduce number of kids living in poverty.

SNP MP Kirsty Blackman has today written to Keir Starmer to insist getting rid of the hated Tory welfare policy should be the “bare minimum – not the height of ambitions”.

It comes amid rising speculation the Prime Minister may use next week’s UK Labour conference in Liverpool to confirm the two-child cap will finally be ended.

Anti-poverty campaigners and charities have long warned the policy punishes larger families and pushes more youngsters into a life of poverty as a result.

The SNP Government has already commited to mitigating the impact of the welfare cap in Scotland from next March.

In her letter, Blackman said: “Independent analysis shows that if the UK government matched SNP action across the UK, it could lift 2.3million families out of poverty overnight, including a further 96,000 in Scotland.

…

Article continues at https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/keir-starmer-told-scrapping-two-35965638

Keir Starmer confirms that he's proud to be a red Tory continuing austerity and targeting poor and disabled scum.
Keir Starmer confirms that he’s proud to be a red Tory continuing austerity and targeting poor and disabled scum.
Keir Starmer says that the Labour Party under his leadership all feel a small part of Scunthorpe.
Keir Starmer says that the Labour Party under his leadership all feel a small part of Scunthorpe.
Keir Starmer commits to play the caretaker role for Capitalism through the "hard times".
Keir Starmer commits to play the caretaker role for Capitalism through the “hard times”.
Continue ReadingKeir Starmer told scrapping two-child cap on benefits should be ‘bare minimum’ in fight against poverty

Support for separation at four-year high as SNP rebound in polls

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/support-for-separation-at-four-year-high-as-snp-rebound-in-polls

People take part in a Believe in Scotland march and rally in Edinburgh, September 2, 2023

SNP is on course to retain power in Holyrood as support for independence hit a four-year high of 54 per cent, according to a new poll.

Despite a year which has seen their former chief executive facing charges related to embezzlement, the loss of a leader, a coalition with the Greens and 38 seats at the general election, research since Wednesday’s draft budget suggests the SNP are on course to win 37 per cent of constituency votes and 32 per cent on the regional lists at the next Holyrood elections in 2026.

Writing in the Sunday Times — which commissioned the Norstat poll — expert Sir John Curtice suggests this would give SNP 59 seats in Holyrood, as Labour plunge to a new low of 20, and Reform win 13.

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/support-for-separation-at-four-year-high-as-snp-rebound-in-polls

Continue ReadingSupport for separation at four-year high as SNP rebound in polls

SNP vow to ‘sabotage’ Labour’s ‘watered-down’ House of Lords reforms

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/snp-vow-sabotage-labours-watered-down-house-lords-reforms

King Charles III reads the King’s Speech, as Queen Camilla sits beside him during the State Opening of Parliament in the House of Lords, London, July 17, 2024

THE SNP has vowed to “sabotage” Labour’s “watered-down” House of Lords reforms with a deluge of amendments.

Labour’s House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill, aiming to exclude the last remaining 92 hereditary peers from the legislature, faces its third reading in the House of Commons today.

But SNP MP Pete Wishart has tabled amendments ranging from abolishing the institution altogether to making peers’ £342 daily allowance liable for income tax.

Pointing to the “egregious example” of £18,808 paid to private healthcare tycoon Lord Hameed of Hampstead last year, despite him playing no role and failing to vote even once, Mr Wishart argues that taxing the £20 million paid out in allowances last year could generate over £9m — enough to restore Winter Fuel Payments to more than 22,000 pensioners in Scotland.

Urging Scottish Labour MPs to “at least” back him on taxing allowances, Mr Wishart commented: “That’s the only viable option for anyone who believes in democracy.

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“The Labour Party has repeatedly broken its promise to abolish the House of Lords for more than a century and, frankly, this embarrassingly limited Bill is 114 years too little, too late.

“The undemocratic House of Lords is an archaic institution of the kind you’d find in a banana republic and it’s second only in size to the Congress of China costing taxpayers more than £200m a year.

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/snp-vow-sabotage-labours-watered-down-house-lords-reforms

Continue ReadingSNP vow to ‘sabotage’ Labour’s ‘watered-down’ House of Lords reforms

Campaigners take to Westminster Bridge to block Rosebank

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Fossil Free London set off flares and dropped a 15-metre banner Image: Fossil Free London
Fossil Free London set off flares and dropped a 15-metre banner Image: Fossil Free London

ENVIORNMENTAL activists have demanded MPs block a “reckless and absurd” climate time-bomb.

MPs returning to Parliament today were welcomed by Fossil Free London, who set off flares and dropped a 15-metre banner from the nearby bridge demanding development of the Rosebank oil field be dropped.

The decision to develop the field has been repeatedly delayed but, if granted, the licence could see oil giant Equinor benefit to the tune of £3.7 billion in tax breaks as the Tory tax giveaway to big oil — costing £10.6bn so far — continues apace.

Fossil Free London’s Joanna Warrington said: “Rishi Sunak wants to give billions of pounds of public money to a giant oil company in exchange for the climate time-bomb, which will do absolutely nothing to lower our energy bills.

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/campaigners-take-westminster-bridge-block-rosebank

First Minister Humza Yousaf ‘not convinced’ by Rosebank

In a conversation with the Daily Record, Scotland’s first minister said: “My starting position on Rosebank is I’m not convinced it should go ahead and I’ve said as much publicly, for a number of reasons.

“First and foremost, for example, the majority of Rosebank is oil as opposed to gas – that oil, of course, then gets exported.

“Any suggestion that helps us in terms of our domestic energy security, I think, doesn’t quite stack up.”

Humza Yousaf added: “Unlimited oil and gas extraction is not Scotland’s future,” when asked about the controversial Rosebank oil field.

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Continue ReadingCampaigners take to Westminster Bridge to block Rosebank