Afternoon summary
YouGov has released polling today that implies Rishi Sunak has failed to gain any electoral benefit from party conference season. (See 12.21pm.)
Sadiq Khan, the Labour mayor of London, has said he fears a “disproportionate” response by Israel to the attacks by Hamas could lead to “inexplicable” suffering in Gaza. (See 2.25pm.) He spoke out as two councillors in Oxford resigned from Labour today in protest at Keir Starmer defending the seige tactics used by Israel in Gaza. (See 3.32pm.) Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, has said the “collective punishment of the Palestinian people” is unacceptable and that Israel should lift its block on Gaza being able to access water, food, medicine and electricity.
My heart breaks for Humza’s family & all of those fearing for their safety in Gaza & Israel.
We must condemn Hamas, but that can’t mean the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
International law must be upheld with free flow of electricity, water, food & medicine.
My heart breaks for Humza’s family & all of those fearing for their safety in Gaza & Israel.
— Anas Sarwar (@AnasSarwar) October 13, 2023
We must condemn Hamas, but that can’t mean the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
International law must be upheld with free flow of electricity, water, food & medicine. https://t.co/I2afXcO3WK
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Almost 40% of people do not have a view as to whether the government has or has not been too supportive of Israel, polling from YouGov suggests. Among those people who do have a view, slightly more (22%) think the government should be more critical than think it should be more supportive (16%).
Thinking about the UK's approach to recent events, do you think the UK should be...
— YouGov (@YouGov) October 13, 2023
More supportive towards Israel than it has been: 16%
More critical towards Israel than it has been: 22%
Is getting the balance about right: 24%
Don't know: 39%https://t.co/9JgMSwKN8H pic.twitter.com/k2PI4a6fXv
Covid inquiry reveals cabinet secretary said government looked like 'tragic joke' and suggested Carrie Johnson in charge
Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, described the government as looking like “a terrible, tragic joke” during the pandemic and suggested that Boris Johnson’s wife, Carrie, was the person really in charge, according to private WhatsApp messages revealed at the Covid inquiry today.
The comments were made in a WhatsApp group comprising Case, Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s senior policy adviser, and Lee Cain, the director of communications, in an exchange from October 2020.
At the time Boris Johnson was resisting pressure from government scientists, and some advisers and ministers, to order a second lockdown. Case, Cummings and Cain were all frustrated by his dithering – and by the influence of his wife.
As Ruby Lott-Lavinga reports for Open Democracy, at one point, when asked what they were talking about, Case said: “Whatever Carrie cares about”.
He later told his two colleagues:
I was always told that [Dominic Cummings] was the secret PM. How wrong they are. I look forward to telling select cttee tomorrow – ‘oh, fuck no, don’t worry about Dom, the real person in charge is Carrie’.
And, making a wider point, he told them:
This gov’t doesn’t have the credibility needed to be imposing stuff within only days of deciding not too [sic]. We look like a terrible, tragic joke. If we were going hard, that decision was needed weeks ago. I cannot cope with this.
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Humza Yousaf says he aims to revitalise reeling SNP at party conference
Humza Yousaf will attempt to “draw a line” under the SNP’s independence policy at this weekend’s party conference after a failure to address concerns over the cost of living crisis was blamed for its defeat in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West byelection, Libby Brooks and Severin Carrell report.
Two councillors resign from Labour in protest at Starmer defending Israel's seige tactics in Gaza
Two Oxford city councillors have resigned their Labour party membership over the Keir Starmer’s stance on Israel’s response to the Hamas attacks last weekend. In a joint statement posted on X, Shaista Aziz and Amar Latif say they were “deeply disappointed and alarmed” to hear the Labour leader appear to condone Israel’s decision to place Gaza under seige, cutting off water and power supplies, in apparent breach of international law.
Statement of resignation from the Labour Party from Cllr Shaista Aziz, Cllr Amar Latif, Oxford City Council.
We stand in solidarity with the people of Israel and Palestine and call for and end to violence and the humanitarian crisis.
13.10.23
— Shaista Aziz 💙 (@shaistaAziz) October 13, 2023
Statement of resignation from the Labour Party from Cllr Shaista Aziz, Cllr Amar Latif, Oxford City Council.
We stand in solidarity with the people of Israel and Palestine and call for and end to violence and the humanitarian crisis. pic.twitter.com/2L7a5ovDIJ
The councillors may be referring to answers Starmer gave in an LBC interview on Wednesday, although he has made a similar case in other interviews – saying Israel should abide by international law, but refusing to criticse a move widely seen as illegal.
Yesterday, Lubaba Khalid said she had resigned her post as the BAME offfcer on the executive committee for Young Labour, an official party organisation, over the same issue. She said:
As a Palestinian, with direct family in Gaza, I am absolutely appalled by the comments made to LBC by the leader of the Labour party and my local MP, Keir Starmer, who said that Israel “has the right” to withhold water and electricity. Collective punishment is a crime under international law.
Given recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I today announce my resignation from my role as Young Labour BAME officer. @YoungLabourUK @UKLabour pic.twitter.com/sd967fPE4a
— 🇧🇧🇹🇹🇵🇸 (@lubabakhalid) October 12, 2023
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Where is humanity?’: Humza Yousaf’s mother-in-law sends tearful video from Gaza
The mother-in-law of Scotland’s first minister who is trapped in Gaza has asked where humanity is, as she describes conditions in the Palestinian enclave under Israeli bombardment. Kevin Rawlinson has the story here.
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Sadiq Khan says he fears 'disproportionate' response by Israel could lead to 'inexplicable' suffering in Gaza
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has said he fears a “disproportionate” response by Israel to the attacks by Hamas could lead to “inexplicable” suffering in Gaza.
Government ministers have supported Israel almost unconditionally, downplaying international concerns about its call for 1.1m people to evacuate Gaza City and not urging “restraint”. Keir Starmer and his shadow ministers have adopted a similar stance.
But Khan said he was worried the Israeli response might be disproportionate. Speaking during a visit to Medical Aid For Palestinians (MAP), a charity based in Islington, he said:
I’ve spoken to Londoners who lost family members in Gaza, and Londoners who’ve lost family as a consequence of the Hamas terrorist attack last weekend, so we’re feeling the pain here.
But we are worried about the response of the Israeli government being disproportionate [and] leading to the sort of suffering which is inexplicable.
We’re talking about human suffering on a scale which this charity, who has worked in that area for decades, hasn’t seen.
He said he was particularly concerned about the threat to Palestinian children.
No child has joined Hamas to my knowledge. Those people who are in hospital aren’t members of Hamas.
Of course, Israel must go after Hamas but what’s happening in Gaza is suffering on a scale which this charity has never seen.
Khan said the British government should be calling for restraint. Referring to Israel telling civilians to evacuate Gaza City before a likely invasion, he said:
I’m hoping the Israeli government will reconsider, understanding the pressure internationally, when you hear what the United Nations are saying, what the World Health Organization are saying, and when you listen to those people on the ground.
We should use our good relationship with the Israeli government to remind them of the importance of responding proportionately, allowing food, water and medicine to reach the people of Gaza, and explain the unreasonableness of expecting over 1m people, a population the size of Birmingham, to leave their homes and go south. Speaking to people here, there’s no way for them to go south.
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Keir Starmer and Sue Gray met Labour mayors to clear the air, say sources
Keir Starmer has cleared the air with some of his party’s most high-profile mayors after a crunch meeting in London facilitated by his new chief of staff, Sue Gray, Kiran Stacey reports.
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Sunak says UK to step up deployment of troops to northern Europe, partly in response to Russian threat to pipelines
Rishi Sunak has announced that the UK will increase its deployment of troops to northern Europe next year, partly in response to the threat posed by Russia to critical infrastructure, such as pipelines.
He made the announcement in Sweden at the meeting of Joint Expeditionary Force leaders, where, according to No 10, the leaders discussed “how they can address Russia’s sabotaging behaviour in the region, both through stronger defence collaboration and increasing industrial cooperation”.
Only last week damage was detected to two pipelines linking Estonia and Finland, No 10 said.
In a news release about the deployment, Downing Street said:
More than 20,000 British troops will be deployed to [northern Europe] next year, which is vital for the protection of critical national infrastructure, as the exploitation of hybrid activities and strategic competition in the area accelerates.
It said the deployment would involve soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen and women, as well as “eight Royal Navy ships, 25 fast jets and an aviation taskforce of Apache, Chinook and Wildcat helicopters. They will take part in large-scale, multi-country exercises, as well as carrying out air policing and cold weather training.”
In a statement, Sunak said:
As the international order continues to be challenged by desperate dictators, rogue states, and terrorist organisations – like Hamas - we must stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our international friends and partners to defend our values, security and prosperity.
Northern Europe is vital to our national security, which is why it’s more important than ever that we work with our Joint Expeditionary Force neighbours to protect our backyard and deter damaging hybrid threats.
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Met police say antisemitic incidents in London up sixfold on same period last year
London’s Metropolitan police say they have recorded a sixfold increase in suspected antisemitic offences compared with this time last year.
From 30 September to 13 October this year, 75 antisemitic offences occurred, police say, while in the same period last year 12 were recorded.
Antisemitic incidents reported to police, which may include non-crimes, increased sevenfold year to year, from 14 in the same period last year, to 105.
London tends to be the centre for protest and demonstrations in the United Kingdom.
The Met deputy assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor said police had asked the attorney general, the government’s top law officer, and the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorises criminal prosecutions in England and Wales, for greater clarity about what may constitute an offence.
He said displays of Palestinian flags were not an automatic offence, with context being key. “A lot of it depends on the circumstances,” Taylor said.
Jewish groups point out that after the massacre in Israel last weekend, displaying a Palestinian flag in central London may be fine, but doing the same in Jewish area may be an act meant to offend, intimidate and show support for the murder of civilians in Israel.
Taylor reiterated that support for the massacre by Hamas, or for the group, would be an offence and that the group was banned under terrorism laws and so displaying its flag or chanting support for it would be a criminal offence.
Rallies and protests are planned this weekend in the British capital including one starting at midday in central London.
Taylor said there was “no specific intelligence” of threats to Jewish schools in London, some of which have decided to close.
Taylor said police were investigating claims that posters put up around Camden, north London, appealing for information about those still missing after last weekend’s massacre were torn down. Other incidents include verbal abuse and the alleged playing of German military music, which was meant to intimidate Jewish people.
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Sadiq Khan says Islamophobic and antisemitic incidents up 300% since Israel-Hamas war started
While Rishi Sunak has been talking about the rise in antisemitic incidents in Britain in recent days (see 1.12pm), Sadiq Khan, the Labour mayor of London, has also highlighted the rise in Islamophobic incidents. He posted these messages on X last night.
Since the weekend, both @TellMamaUK and @CST_UK have reported over 300% increases in the reporting of Islamophobic and antisemitic incidents.
Since the weekend, both @TellMamaUK and @CST_UK have reported over 300% increases in the reporting of Islamophobic and antisemitic incidents.
— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) October 12, 2023
I will always stand with Jewish and Muslim Londoners against those who espouse hate and division in our city. Those found to be committing these acts will face the full force of the law.
I will always stand with Jewish and Muslim Londoners against those who espouse hate and division in our city. Those found to be committing these acts will face the full force of the law.
— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) October 12, 2023
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Sunak says there has been 'disgusting rise in antisemitic incidents' in recent days
In his pooled TV clip this morning Rishi Sunak also said there has been a “disgusting rise in antisemitic incidents” over the last few days. He said:
Yesterday I chaired a meeting of police chiefs in Downing Street, together with the Community Security Trust, to specifically make sure that everybody in our Jewish communities can feel safe.
There’s been a quite frankly disgusting rise in antisemitic incidents over the past few days. That’s not right.
We have provided extra funding to the Community Security Trust to make sure that Jewish institutions – whether that’s synagogue or schools – have all the protection they need and the police have all the support that they need to ensure that our streets are safe for people from all communities.
Because we will absolutely not tolerate people inciting hatred, or violence or racist activity. Intimidating or threatening behaviour will not be tolerated.
It will be met with the full force of the law.
Asked if waving Palestinian flags or saying “free Palestine” in public could constitute a crime, Sunak replied:
There’s very clear guidance for the police about the measures that they can take, but inciting violence, racial hatred, is illegal. People who are acting in an abusive or threatening manner, causing distress, are breaking the law.
The police have the power and the tools that they need to ensure they can stop that from happening and you will see that in full force in the coming days to make sure anyone who breaks the law meets the full force of that law.
Yesterday the Metropolitan police issued a letter making it clear that they did not equate showing support for the Palestinian people with showing support for Hamas, and that waving a Palestinian flag did not by itself constitute a criminal offence.
According to PA Media, at the meeting Sunak chaired yesterday ministers and senior police officers discussed concerns over policing a pro-Palestine protest planned for the weekend in central London. The Met police anticipate more than 10,000 people attending.
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Sunak stresses UK's full support for Israel, while downplaying concerns about legality of its operation
Rishi Sunak has recorded a clip for broadcasters from the JEF meeting in Sweden. Echoing the line used by Grant Shapps this morning (see 9.40am), he offered more or less unequivocal support for Israel. He downplayed the concerns about the legality of the Israeli operation, while saying the UK was aligned with Washington in wanting Israel to protect civilians as far as possible.
Asked if he had any sympathy for innocent Palestinians, “many of whom have no affiliation to Hamas whatsoever who may lose their lives because of this”, and if he had discussed their plight when he spoke to Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli PM last night, Sunak replied:
We’re monitoring the situation very closely. We have formally updated our travel advice. And of course humanitarian concerns, and protecting the civilians, are very important. And this is something that I spoke to Prime Minister Netanyahu about late last night. It’s also why we’ve moved Royal Navy assets into the Mediterranean over the coming week. They will be able to provide humanitarian support if required.
The reporter then put it to Sunak that, by cutting off supplies of food and water to Gaza, Israel is arguably committing a war crime. Asked if the UK was OK with that, if if it would be “providing full moral support regardless”, Sunak replied:
It’s important to remember why we’re in this very difficult situation, and that’s because Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation, committed an appalling act and barbarity and has killed over 1,000 Israelis, including women and children, in scenes that are quite frankly horrific and that we haven’t seen in decades.
It is unequivocally wrong, and there is no moral ambiguity about that.
Israel has every right to defend itself and take the action that is necessary to ensure the protection and security of its citizens and that nothing like this can ever happen again.
But when asked again if the UK would support Israel “even if some of those actions are not in line with international law”, Sunak replied:
Of course, we should always and we are always having concerns of civilians paramount in our mind, something I’ve discussed with Prime Minister Netanyahu myself.
And I’m aligned with what the secretary of state from the United States and the president have said, that, of course, Israel should take every possible precaution to protect civilians as they exercise their rightful ability to defend themselves.
Sunak's approval rating against Starmer as best PM at record low after conferences, poll suggests
YouGov has released polling today that implies Rishi Sunak has failed to gain any electoral benefit from party conference season.
The survey results, published by the Times, suggest that on the question of who would be the best PM, Sunak has his lowest rating against Keir Starmer since he took office. The poll also suggests Labour has had a two-point boost from conference week, with the party on 47%, and the Conservatives on 24%.
Latest YouGov Westminster voting intention (11-12 Oct)
— YouGov (@YouGov) October 13, 2023
Con: 24 (no change from 4-5 Oct)
Lab: 47% (+2)
Lib Dem: 9% (-2)
Reform UK: 8% (=)
Green: 6% (-1)
SNP: 4% (=)https://t.co/SB5X5Uon8i pic.twitter.com/AOSxIz9z1J
Rishi Sunak gets his lowest score to date on our 'who would make the best PM' question
— YouGov (@YouGov) October 13, 2023
Rishi Sunak: 20% (-5 from 4-5 Oct)
Keir Starmer: 32% (-2)
Not sure: 43% (+5)https://t.co/SB5X5Uon8i pic.twitter.com/VMH7nlxO9m
As Oliver Wright reports in his Times story, the polling suggests voters are more likely to think Starmer has a plan for the country than Sunak, and more likely to see Labour as the party that would bring change. This is significant because Sunak’s main argument in his conference speech was that he, not Starmer, was the person best qualified to bring change. Wright says:
Asked whether they thought Starmer had a clear plan for the country, 28 per cent of voters said that he did — up six points on last week. This compared with 19 per cent who said that Sunak had a clear plan, down two points.
On the question of whether a Labour government would make a significant change, 47 per cent agreed that it would, compared with 37 per cent who said it would not. Only 25 per cent said that Sunak’s plans would represent a change — down five points in a week.
Labour may be concerned by one finding from the survey, which found that one of its main conference policy announcements, changing planning rules to make it easier for more homes to be built, even if that involves ignoring local opposition, does not have majority support. As Wright reports, the polling results depend on how the question is framed, but more than 40% of people do not seem to be in favour.
Forty per cent backed Labour’s plan to loosen planning laws to build new towns, and 43 per cent were opposed. Forty-seven per cent backed building more homes in their own areas, against 42 per cent who were opposed.
But the poll also found that Labour’s plan to cut hospital waiting lists by paying staff to work more overtime was popular, with 81% in favour and only 12% against.
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Rishi Sunak has had a bilateral meeting with his Danish counterpart, Mette Frederiksen, at the JEF summit on Gotland this morning. As they met, Sunak told Frederiksen there was “lots for us to talk through, not least how we’re both supporting Ukraine”.
Sunak also held a meeting with the Swedish PM, Ulf Kristersson, aboard the HMS Diamond, where Sunak slept last night.
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Sunak says terrorism 'must not prevail' and UK offering Israel full support
Rishi Sunak has said the UK is offering Israel its full support. Speaking at the opening plenary session of the Joint Expeditionary Force meeting in Sweden, Sunak told his fellow leaders:
Together we’re the first line of defence in the high north, in the North Atlantic and the Baltics.
I think it’s important for us to say that we’re all outraged by the terrorist attacks that have happened in Israel.
As you will all agree that we will stand with Israel at this moment ... I’ve offered prime minister Netanyahu my full support. Terrorism will not, must not prevail, in Ukraine, in Europe, in anywhere else.
The JEF is a military pact of 10, mostly Nordic and Baltic nations, of which Britain is the lead partner.
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'The numbers are definitely worse than in the spring,' says Jeremy Hunt on UK economy
Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, said “the numbers are definitely worse than what I faced in the spring” as he discussed the difficulties the UK economy could have ahead.
Asked on Sky News about the upcoming autumn statement and if good or bad news was expected, he said:
I think it’s a bit of both. I think the British economy compared to when I became chancellor a year ago has proved to be much more resilient than nearly every international organisation predicted and people are looking at some of the underlying strengths.
In the short-term, we have challenges. We have a challenge with inflation, which is still too high. And we have the challenge of the international environment where there is still a lot of shocks.
So I need, as chancellor, to focus on reliance in the face of those shocks. I am very much hoping for the best, but I do need to prepare for the worst, because I think we can see that the world is a very dangerous place right now.
Asked if the economic numbers, including inflation, are not as good as he would have hoped for at this time, he said:
The numbers are definitely worse than what I faced in the spring.
Our debt interest is likely to be £20bn to £30bn higher this year than we predicted in the spring. So yes, it’s a very challenging environment in the short term.
But my approach to this is to say we will manage those short-term pressures whilst at the same time building for the long term.
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My colleague Kiran Stacey has this report on Grant Shapp’s interview on the BBC’s Today programme here:
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This is from my colleague Kiran Stacey on Grant Shapps’s exchange with Mishal Husain this morning. (See 9.40am.)
I would venture it was not smart for Grant Shapps to tell @MishalHusain this morning she was "literally the only person who would be confused" by the government line on Israel's evacuation order. 😬
— Kiran Stacey (@kiranstacey) October 13, 2023
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Rishi Sunak became the first prime minister in decades to stay overnight on a Royal Navy vessel, as he travelled to Sweden for a security summit, PA Media reports. PA says:
Sunak got a taste of navy life, as he spent a night aboard the HMS Diamond ahead of the Joint Expeditionary Force summit on the Swedish island of Gotland.
The prime minister was up early to serve breakfast to sailors, dishing out hash browns and tomatoes to the ship’s company.
The last prime minister to spend the night aboard such a vessel, according to navy records, was Labour’s Harold Wilson.
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Shapps says it is 'highly likely' Britons are among people held hostage by Hamas in Gaza
In an interview with Sky News this morning Grant Shapps, the defence secretary, said it was “highly likely” that Britons were among the people being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. He said:
I can’t go into specific detail. What I can tell you is it is highly likely, no one will know for sure, that there are those with either British nationals or people with joint nationality involved in the hostage situation, as has been reported previously.
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Shapps backs Israel over Gaza City evacuation order but ducks questions on practicality or legality
Good morning. As the Israel-Hamas conflict escalates, it is becoming the main topic of debate in UK politics. Our main coverage is on the Israel-Hamas liveblog, which covers the story from an international perspective.
But here I will be covering the UK response, which has included the government continuing to show very strong support for Israel.
The United Nations has said Israel should withdraw the order it has given to about 1.1 million people living in Gaza City to move south, saying it thinks it is “impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences”.
Grant Shapps, the defence secretary, has been giving interviews this morning, and he has not taken the UN line. He has backed Israel’s decision – while ducking questions about whether its order is practical or legal.
On the Today programme, when asked if he thought it would be possible for around 1 million people to evacuate in 24 hours, Shapps said it was good that Israel was providing citizens with information about its intentions and he said the UK wanted Hamas to be “removed from the scene”, but “in a manner that does not affect the Palestinian population as far as is possible”. Hamas was using the population as human shields, he said.
Mishal Husain, the presenter, asked him if the UK government thought it was possible for 1 million people to move by this time tomorrow. Shapps did not answer directly, but said he had come from a Nato meeting where ministers were shown “incredibly distressing” footage of the atrocities committed by Hamas, including children being beheaded and bodies being dragged through the streets. He went on:
Israel is dealing with an organisation that will literally stop at nothing, and are using the Palestinian population as human shields.
Now, we’ve said to Israel, of course, it’s important to act within international law.
Husain asked if the evacuation order was within international law. Again, Shapps did not answer directly, but said Israel was warning the Palestinians of their intent. “They have the right to defend themselves as a country,” he said.
Husain tried again. She asked:
In recent times, there has never been an order of this kind. It amounts to wanting the population of half of the territory of Gaza not to be there any more. Does the UK government support that order?
And Shapps replied:
We’ve never been in these times, in as much as we’ve never seen a country have 1,300 people slaughtered by terrorists. If you scale that up to Britain’s size, it’d be thousands of Brits slaughtered by terrorists coming into the country. You’d expect, and in this case you’d expect Israel, to have the right to defend itself.
Now if those terrorists then hide themselves within populations, it is right to give that population notice so that they can move.
Husain asked Shapps to confirm that the government was supporting Israel in issuing this order, and that it thought an evacuation on this scale within 24 hours was realistic. Shapps replied:
The UK government supports Israel in providing advance notice that Hamas are hiding within a civilian population where, by the way, they’re also holding capture those people who they kidnapped at the weekend.
Husain said Shapps was not being entirely clear, but Shapps insisted he was. “The UK government supports Israel’s right to defend itself.” And when Husain said: “In this way?”, Shapps went on:
And Israel is providing advance warning of military action in order for people to move themselves out of the way, and I think it’s absolutely right that happens.
Rishi Sunak is in Sweden for a meeting of leaders from the Joint Expeditionary Force, and we are due to hear from him later.
I will also be covering any other political news, although the diary is light. But the DUP are having their conference in Belfast.
If you want to contact me, do try the “send us a message” feature. You’ll see it just below the byline – on the left of the screen, if you are reading on a laptop or a desktop. This is for people who want to message me directly. I find it very useful when people message to point out errors (even typos – no mistake is too small to correct). Often I find your questions very interesting, too. I can’t promise to reply to them all, but I will try to reply to as many as I can, either in the comments below the line; privately (if you leave an email address and that seems more appropriate); or in the main blog, if I think it is a topic of wide interest.
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