The conference will play host to yet another provocation by hard-left activists voicing support for a terrorist organisation.
Pro-Palestine protesters being arrested in London (Image: Getty)
Labour’s party conference in Liverpool is set to be the scene of mass arrests on its first day as hard-Left Palestine activists plan yet another major protest. Defend Our Juries has announced plans for more than 100 people to challenge the recent ban of the terrorist group Palestine Action, which broke into an RAF base in June and caused £7million of damage to planes.
The protesters hope to cause “acute embarrassment” for the Government on the first day of Labour’s conference, by provoking the police into arresting those showing clear support for Palestine Action. Nearly 900 people have already been arrested by the Met Police since the Home Office’s ban on supporting Palestine Action came into force, with a whopping 425 arrested at one protest alone at the start of September. The organisers hope to turn the issue into a major divide hovering over Labour’s annual gathering, with 70% of Labour members opposing the ban.
Rows about Palestine threaten to overshadow Labour’s gathering (Image: Getty)
However, Sir Keir Starmer’s team has been busy trying to avoid embarrassment, rejecting all 30 motions put forward for debate on Palestine.
Despite the Prime Minister trying to placate hardline members by recognising a state of Palestine at this week’s annual United Nations gathering, many want him to go further with bans on selling arms to Israel and withdrawing military co-operation.
A spokesman for Defend Our Juries said: “Labour members and trade unions are against their party’s complicity in genocide and the ban on Palestine Action. Yet party officials have shut down all the debates that members wanted to have on these issues during their conference.
“Defend Our Juries will bring the ‘Lift The Ban’ campaign to the door of the party that continues to deny genocide and has banned the direct action group that was trying to prevent it.
“The action will pose a dilemma for the Merseyside Police: prioritise human rights and community relations like Police Scotland and other forces around the UK, or trample over fundamental rights to protest and free expression like the Met Police by arresting over 100 peaceful sign-holders under this ridiculous ban.
“Labour has reneged on Jack Straw’s promise that the Terrorism Act he introduced would never be used against a domestic protest group. Unless the law is redrawn and the ban overturned, any group that this Government or a future government does not like could be treated as terrorists. This ban cannot and will not stand.”
John McDonnell says Palestine supporters must not be silenced at conference (Image: Getty)
Labour’s conference committee, made up of elected representatives and officials, ruled out nearly three dozen motions relating to Palestine.
Local parties who submitted the call for debate had until this last Sunday to appeal the decisions.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) has since accused Labour of attempting to stifle debate on the issue at conference.
John McDonnell, the former shadow chancellor, said: “With more than 30 motions on Palestine submitted to this year’s Labour party conference, it is clear that party members see Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people as a major issue that needs to be raised on [the] conference floor.
“The Government should join those, including Sadiq Khan, who have spoken out this week to make clear that what we are witnessing in Gaza is genocide and urgently implement sanctions, including a full arms embargo and a ban on all trade that aids or assists Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people. Delegates must not be prevented from discussing these issues at conference.”
A Labour spokesperson said: “A wide range of topics will be debated and discussed at annual conference.
“The democratically elected conference arrangements committee rules on whether motions to conference are in order, in line with Labour Party rules. All party procedures have been followed.”
