Is Gaza going to be a general election issue?

Natalie Elphicke is retiring & won't be a Labour MP - I would not be comfortable with her being an MP but the point of elections is to get previous opponents to vote for you. What's wrong with Luke Akehurst? Im interested to know what it is about Labour's policy on Israel-Gaza that you object to? They are calling for a ceasefire, the return of the hostages, for Israel & Hamas to adhere to international law & for a 2 state solution.

I live in an area that has a high percentage of Muslims and has always been a very safe Labour seat. Our local MP is extremely good at his job and well liked. However, along with the Gaza stance by the LP and the fact that there have been several comments including "shaking off the fleas" directed towards the Muslim community from those higher up he might find that does lose some votes to an other standing.

For the first time in my voting life I find my moral conscience is directing me away from voting Labour at this election. It probably won't make a difference when at the last election Labour were at 59.9% in my area, but for me they are currently a 'Tory Lite' party. When they are accepting the likes of Natalie Elphicke and standing Luke Akehurst, then there is something intrinsically wrong within this party. I don't for one minute believe that Labour will lose this election, it remains to be seen if they can improve on the shit show we have had for 14 years and how much they will swing to the right in the meantime.

Its reassuring to know that you agree.

Agree with this otherwise I wouldn't be voting for them in July. He's cleaned up his house a lot.

I don't think its institutionally antisemitic. I think there are pockets of major problems and I think the sort of denialism of a/s, 'resistance is justified' approach and pretending that Hamas aren't vicious fascists is a problem on the left and in the LP still. We see it again and again on these boards. But I think Labour has made progress and I think Starmer is genuine on this. You can join the Jewish Labour movement as an ally, as I did a long time ago to stand up against a/s in the party.

Some areas of the country.

However, there are so many issues the country needs to focus on a d can actually change.

I think it's unlikely to swing much of the vote. I reckon only about 5-10% of the country really care that much about it and less of them care more about it than other issues that may sway them. Both main parties are generally supportive of Israel - though studies are showing a massive reduction in Labour support amongst Muslims (there was always a small but limited Tory support amongst them). But they are also more likely to live in areas which are labour safe seats and left wing supporters are also more likely to vote labour anyway they are unlikely to sway the vote as much.

The Jewish vote ie the pro-Israel vote is actually going to be more interesting. they are a smaller voice but they live in areas where the vote is more swing - they generally are less "loyal" to one party or another. Hendon, Hampstead and Kilburn and Golders Green and Finchley have had very close votes in the past and they all have very big Jewish votes that could easily influence the election.

When people are considering who to vote for, as well as looking at a party's manifesto, I'd encourage people to look at where their funding comes from.

The people and organisations giving money to political parties will have influence, both conscious and subconscious, upon decision-making.

For who?

Palestinians? I doubt it.

If Labour get will they do a resettlement scheme like they have with the Ukrainians?

This.

Also agree that most politicians will have noticed who the silent majority seems to be supporting. So they won't want to touch the issue with a barge pole, losing the Muslim votes is a drop in the ocean compared to that.

Or, people could look at whether they have other options. The devolved nations have their own parties - people might want to look at their manifestos too.

Yup, culture war is why Rishi went for it now (they had until December to call an election).

He's calculated that the Gaza situation will lose Labour a lot of younger and ethnic minority votes (similar to Biden in America in certain States). So even if Labour win it won't be as big as projected.

I think sadly its very clear that a lot of right wing politicians, news outlets and media commentators would love to make it a right wing, culture war issue. I'm not looking forward to it and hope the other parties don't rise to it.

I think only in a few seats would there be a chance of an independent pro-Gaza candidate succeeding against Labour/LibDem/Tory. Islington, for example. They'd need to have impressive credentials.

Even the Greens (the only party supporting ceasing arming Israel, as well as the slightly useless call for a ceasefire that all parties pay lip service to) are not going to get far, simply because nobody takes anyone but Caroline Lucas seriously, and even then...

People are disgusted by both labour and the Tories on this matter.
I'd say they will cancel each other out.
Not voting achieves nothing too.

So which party represents your needs and views TrinaChiele? It obviously isn't either Conservative or Labour unless their manifestos are widely different from current policies.

A government openly facilitating and continuing to support (profiting from?) the historic and ongoing genocidal and barbaric actions of Israel affect me greatly.

Particularly when they purport to speak for me.

Indeed.
For a party/person that has shown some iota of moral integrity.

That's what I wrote, yes. I'm still not sure what you're asking or looking at me to do or say, though.

@blackcherryconserve I genuinely don't know.

So which party will you vote for VerlynneWebb?

I feel as an older woman that I am disenfranchised so am interested in other people's reasons for why they won't vote Labour (it's pretty obvious why many of us won't vote Conservative).

It absolutely is an issue for me, but I realise I'm out of step with most people, who just go 'oh but there's genocide in these places, you're not talking about that' - a weak argument because actually we should be, elsewhere, but the question here is Gaza and Israeli interests and we have a looooong history in that part of the world. (Or it's 'what about the Tories? They aren't doing what you want' - I have zero interest in the Tories, they are beyond caring about.)

I can't support any party that isn't vehemently and vocally against committing war crimes: we are arming a genocide. Those chickens will come home to roost in future decades and I'm ashamed of the UK to be on the side that's going to have to answer to that.

And it's a skill issue: the Labour Party had a problem with anti-semitism, and dealt with it. If the Labour Party now has no politicians who can present the argument that (despite having ignored antisemitism from some members in the past) having a manifesto pledge to stop arming a genocide does not equal antisemitism: that's a problem. It takes nuance in the present media climate, but it has to be done. If they don't, can't, won't, then that's an issue of competence as well as morality and I can't support them.

Ideally we'd be in a situation where Labour was going to immediately implement multiple hard-hitting changes to things like child poverty: our individual (and therefore national) wealth being drained by rapacious fuel companies, supermarket prices ditto, the absolute state of our water infrastructure, the environment. Just for starters and off the top of my head. And yeah they are going to say some stuff and might do some things, might not. That's Labour these days. So if you're thinking I am wrong for not focusing on my own country, well it's because I don't have much faith in Labour currently on that score, Keir Starmer flip-flops all over the place (and he does - it's on camera!). So it's not like it's either/or: either you care about Gaza OR you care about the UK. I think they are a much-depleted and compromised party on both counts.

Scirocco @06.33

' I will not give one iota of support or endorsement to any party which, through their actions and inactions, has supported and facilitated the murders of my friends and colleagues, the killing of tens of thousands of civilians, and the prevention of efforts for peace.'