Amid the Israel-Gaza war, the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, stressed on ceasefire and a two-state solution in calls with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Al Jazeera reported. This comes as Israel continues to escalate, resulting in a significant loss of life, with over 38,000 people killed so far. Keir Starmer spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over phone call on Sunday and urged for a “clear and urgent need for a ceasefire, the return of hostages, and an immediate increase in the volume of humanitarian aid reaching civilians.” When in opposition, Starmer was accused of not calling for a ceasefire and taking the same line as Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. However, he eventually reversed his stance in February, urging a ceasefire after intense public pressure. Starmer has also been accused of denying party tickets to pro-Palestinian members of Labour, including former party leader Jeremy Corbyn. At least five pro-Palestinian candidates, including Corbyn, won the elections as independents. Starmer faced backlash last October for comments he made on an LBC podcast, where he stated that Israel “has the right” to cut off water and electricity supplies to Gaza. Although, a Labour Party spokesperson later clarified Starmer’s remark, saying his comment was in response to a question on Israel’s right to defend itself. According to Al Jazeera, the ongoing Israeli military offensive in Gaza has resulted in a devastating toll on the Palestinian population. Since the conflict began on October 7, over 38,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, with women and children making up a significant majority of the fatalities. Additionally, more than 87,000 people have been injured and thousands are missing. According to a statement by the new British government, the prime minister added that “it was also important to ensure the long-term conditions for a two-state solution were in place, including ensuring the Palestinian Authority had the financial means to operate effectively. ” Starmer assured Netanyahu that the UK wishes to continue its “vital cooperation to deter malign threats” with Israel. Netanyahu’s office did not put out a statement after the phone call on Sunday. Starmer also spoke with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to reiterate the same priorities.
Tag: Keir Starmer
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Victoria Starmer: Woman Who Rejected Keir Starmer In First Meeting, Now Set To Be First Lady Of Britain |
Following the 2024 general elections, the UK is set to welcome Keir Starmer as its new Prime Minister. Starmer, a Labour Party candidate, secured the necessary 326 seats to form the government. Alongside him is his wife, Victoria Starmer, who has largely stayed out of the public eye.
Who Is UK’s First Lady, Victoria Starmer?
Victoria Starmer, a former solicitor, has avoided media attention and never given interviews, unlike Akshata Murty, the wife of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Victoria and Keir Starmer met in the early 2000s when he was a senior barrister at Doughty Street Chambers. Their first meeting was marked by Victoria’s blunt reaction, reportedly saying, “Who the f… does he think he is?” Despite this rocky start, the couple married in 2007 and have two children, who are being raised in their mother’s Jewish faith. Victoria expresses a desire to continue her role in NHS occupational health as her husband assumes the office of Prime Minister.
Born into a Polish-Jewish family that migrated to the UK before World War II, Victoria is a practising Jew. She earned degrees in law and sociology from Cardiff University in 1996 and began her career at the Soho law firm Hodge Jones & Allen, where she specialised in street crime. After working there for four years, she married Keir Starmer and shifted her focus to the National Health Service (NHS) occupational health.
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UK Election Results 2024: Keir Starmer Likely To Lead As Exit Polls Show Major Setback For Rishi Sunak | Latest Updates |
UK Elections Results Latest Updates: If the exit poll prediction on Thursday is any right, Britain’s next Prime Minister will be Labour Party’s Keir Starmer. As per the poll forecast cited by Associated Press, voters have punished the governing Conservatives after 14 years of economic and political upheaval as the Labour is projected to secure around 410 seats in the 650-seat House of Commons, while the Conservatives are expected to win 131 seats.
In Britain, voters use paper ballots, marking their choices with a pencil, and the votes are then counted manually. The final results are expected by Friday morning.
Reform UK, a new anti-immigration party, has won its first seat in the general election. Lee Anderson, who used to be a Conservative deputy chairman but switched to Reform a few months ago, kept his seat in Ashfield, central England, with 43% of the vote, reported news agency AP.
The UK’s ruling Conservative Party has lost its first seat in the general election. As per AP, Robert Buckland, a former justice minister, was defeated in Swindon South, central England, with his vote share dropping by 25% compared to the last election in 2019.
According to AP, UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps, a prominent Conservative Party member, has been defeated in the general election. Shapps lost the Welwyn Hatfield seat, located north of London, to his Labour Party opponent Andrew Lewin by nearly 4,000 votes or 8 percentage points. At 55, Shapps is the highest-ranking Cabinet minister to lose his seat so far.
Labour leader Keir Starmer is running from London seat, Holborn and St. Pancras seat.
Labour is expected to win around 410 out of 650 seats in the House of Commons, while the Conservatives are projected to get only 131 seats, according to exit polls. This would be the lowest number of seats the Conservatives have had in almost 200 years, leaving the party in chaos.
Thousands of election workers are counting millions of ballots at centers nationwide, as the Conservatives grapple with a historic defeat that has left the party in turmoil and is expected to trigger a leadership contest to replace Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Polling stations closed at 10 pm local time (2100 GMT) on Thursday, and an exit poll indicated that Keir Starmer’s left-leaning Labour Party is on track to win a large majority.
The UK has 67 million residents, and 46 million were registered to vote in the 2019 general election. The voter turnout at that time was 67%.
The centre-left Labour Party is on track for a significant victory in Britain’s general election, according to a detailed exit poll. This result ends the Conservative Party’s 14-year rule and puts Labour leader Keir Starmer on the path to becoming the next prime minister.
As per reports, Sunak’s decision to leave D-Day commemorative events in France early for a TV interview upset veterans and even prompted criticism from within his own party, questioning his political judgment.