Celebrities urge Labour leader to label Gaza actions genocide as conference nears

A coalition of prominent British figures is pressing Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to describe Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide, releasing a video through the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) ahead of the Labour Party conference in Liverpool. The message features actor and comedian Steve Coogan, singer Paloma Faith and actress Maxine Peake among others, urging Starmer to condemn what the group calls genocide and to support sanctions and a halt to arms sales.

The PSC's video interweaves footage from the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict with statements from public figures, including the line “It’s genocide.” The roster also includes Paul Weller, Khalid Abdalla of The Crown, Alex Lawther of Alien: Earth, Nadine Shah, Bilal Hasna of Extraordinary, musician Brian Eno and Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos. The campaign argues that Britain must take a stronger stand amid what it describes as a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and calls for sanctions against Israel.

The dispute over whether Israel’s actions amount to genocide has persisted at the international level. The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry has previously argued that its criteria for genocide could be met under certain interpretations of the conflict, while Israel’s foreign ministry has rejected those conclusions as based on false premises. According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, more than 65,000 people have been killed since the war intensified after the Hamas assault on Israel in October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and took roughly 251 hostages. The magnitude and trajectory of casualties have fed into ongoing international debates about intent and the proper legal framing of the conflict.

In Britain, the government said earlier this month that it did not consider Israel’s actions in Palestine to be genocide. A Foreign Office assessment cited by then-Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated that Israel was not acting with intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group. Labour has also indicated that determining whether genocide has occurred could ultimately rest with the courts rather than decisions by the government, a stance reiterated by ministers in previous years.

Last Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu branded the move as absurd when Keir Starmer recognized a Palestinian state. The recognition came on the same day as similar announcements from Canada, Australia, and Portugal, and shortly before France and Belgium weighed in on the issue. Netanyahu accused the UK of rewarding Hamas, highlighting the political tensions surrounding Britain’s stance on the conflict and on international law.

Ben Jamal, director of PSC, said that nearly two years into what the group calls Israel’s “genocide in Gaza,” it was an unacceptable turn that Starmer’s Labour Party has not labeled the events as genocide or taken stronger measures. Jamal argued that public pressure from motions on Palestine at Labour’s annual conference reflects a broader demand for the government to confront Britain’s alleged complicity and to reassess arms sales to Israel.

“Almost two years into Israel’s genocide in Gaza, it is a mark of enduring shame that Keir Starmer’s Labour Party still refuses to call it what it is – a genocide – and take meaningful action to end Britain’s complicity,” Jamal said. “The Prime Minister must listen to this growing public outrage and acknowledge the genocide, sanction Israel and end all arms sales.”

Actor Khalid Abdalla, who has spoken out about Gaza in the past, said the situation in Gaza needed urgent international legal attention. He echoed a sentiment that Britain’s refusal to use the term “genocide” reflects a failure to meet its legal obligations under the Genocide Convention and a broader moral and political failure that could have lasting consequences for Britain’s democracy and the Labour Party.

The PSC plans to lead a national demonstration at Labour’s conference in Liverpool on Saturday, signaling that public pressure over Gaza policy will be a central issue as the party gathers. Supporters hope the conference platform will force a frank debate about Britain's role in the conflict and the government’s stance on sanctions and arms sales.

As part of its messaging, the PSC and its supporters argue that recognizing Palestinian statehood last week marked a significant shift in British policy, even as some international leaders criticized that move. The alliance of artists and activists behind the video says it is time for the Labour Party to align with international calls for accountability and to address what they view as ongoing humanitarian suffering in Gaza. The convergence of artistic voices and political advocacy ahead of the conference underscores the breadth of concern over the war’s consequences and the potential direction of British foreign policy in the weeks ahead.

This story reflects ongoing developments in international diplomacy and domestic political debates surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict, as well as the role of public advocacy in shaping policy at a time of heightened scrutiny of humanitarian law, civilian protection, and the ethics of arms sales. It remains to be seen how Labour will respond to the PSC’s demands and to the broader chorus of voices calling for a reassessment of Britain’s stance on Gaza. World news