Zack Polanski

On October 20, Keir Starmer sought to ‘clarify’ the comments he made in an interview on LBC about the siege on Gaza. In the LBC interview, Starmer said Israel “does have that right” in response to a question on whether a blockade cutting off water and electricity was appropriate. He went on to say that Israel must act within international law, but failed to acknowledge that the siege on Gaza is illegal by virtue of constituting collective punishment.

He has since claimed that he did not support the siege on Gaza and that in the interview, he was instead saying that Israel has a right to defend itself. That explanation has been met with scepticism by many who saw the original clip.

Among those doubting Starmer’s account is Zack Polanski – the deputy leader of the Green Party of England and Wales. Polanski tweeted saying: “Keir Starmer is now saying Israel doesn’t have the right to cut off Palestinians water and food supplies. Shockingly – that’s progress.

“But he’s gallingly claiming that’s never what he said. We wouldn’t have accepted lying from Boris Johnson – why from Keir Starmer?”

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Image credit: Rob Browne – Creative Commons