UK: Labour Party suspends MP for referencing Gaza as an example of genocide

Kate Osamor, a left-wing Labour MP, faced suspension from her Party following a message to local members where she listed the war in Gaza as genocide.

Labour officials confirmed that Osamor, who previously held the position of shadow international development secretary in the front bench team of former leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has been suspended by opposition Chief Whip, Sir Alan Campbell, “pending an investigation”.

It comes after she wrote in her message on Friday: “Tomorrow is Holocaust Memorial Day, an international day to remember the 6mn Jews murdered during the Holocaust, the millions of other people murdered under Nazi persecution of other groups and more recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and now Gaza.”

In response, the Holocaust Educational Trust described her remarks as a “painful insult to survivors of the Holocaust” while the Board of Deputies of British Jews called her comment “disgraceful”.

She later tweeted an apology “for any offence caused by my reference to the ongoing humanitarian disaster in Gaza as part of that period of remembrance”.

However, she was suspended upon landing, after she had been on a flight on Sunday, according to Labour sources. According to the Financial Times, she is expected to hold further discussions with Campbell in the coming days.

Jonathan Reynolds, the shadow Business Secretary, informed Sky News that Osamor had engaged in discussions with the Chief Whip regarding her comments.

“What is happening in Gaza is clearly a humanitarian catastrophe that is recognised,” he said. “But there are specific reasons why the Holocaust is considered as it is. It’s important on Holocaust Remembrance Day to remember that.

“And I understand Kate has apologised. There’s been a conversation with the Chief Whip. There’ll be further conversations next week, but of course we take anything in this space extremely seriously.”

When asked about the likelihood of disciplinary actions against Osamor, he responded, “There will be discussions, and I can confirm that they are already scheduled for the upcoming week. Whenever we encounter situations like this, we treat them with the utmost seriousness.”

Since 7 October, the Israeli army has killed 26,422 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them children and women, and wounded almost 66,000 others. Eight-five per cent of the population in the Territory has been displaced, almost two million people, according to the Palestinian authorities and international organisations. There are severe shortages of food, fresh water and medicines because of the Israeli blockade, leading to a humanitarian catastrophe for the Palestinians in Gaza.

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