There is no loophole in Keir Starmer’s lack of empathy for Gaza

Britain’s role in the ethnic cleansing of Palestine and the accelerated genocide of the Palestinian people has been more than that of a passive bystander.

Both Labour and Conservative politicians resisted calls for a ceasefire, with Labour eventually agreeing to support a pause in the slaughter under pressure from widespread national protests and demands from party MPs.

Despite repeated massacres, the British government has suspended just 10 percent of arms licenses to Israel. Most alarmingly, it refused to halt indirect exports to Israel of components for the F-35 combat aircraft, known to massacre Gazan children at will. 

This is nothing new. Since 1917, Britain has facilitated and funded a continuous cycle of Palestinian displacement and dispossession, leading to millions of Palestinian refugees residing in neighbouring Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. 

Britain, by contrast, has taken scarcely few. Now compare this to Britain’s swift response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A settlement scheme was quickly set up and hailed as an example of Britain’s so-called moral leadership on the world stage. Palestinians, conversely, are dehumanised to such an extent that even one family arriving in Britain is enough for our political class to panic.

The UK’s racist cross-party consensus

Last month, the House of Commons witnessed a sickening moment between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch which showed their utter disdain for the lives of Palestinians. During the exchange, Badenoch asked the Prime Minister if his government intended to appeal a legal ruling that would allow a family of six fleeing Gaza to settle in the UK. 

The mother, father and their four children — who were aged seven, eight, 17 and 18 in September — were displaced after their home was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike. With no family reunification scheme for Palestinians, they applied for entry to the UK using the Ukraine Family Scheme to join the father’s brother, who has lived in the UK since 2007 and is a British citizen.

In January, they successfully appealed a Home Office decision to deny them entry to the UK after tribunal judges ruled in the family’s favour under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects the right to family life.

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Judges highlighted that the youngest children were “at a high risk of death or serious injury daily” and that it was “overwhelmingly” in their best interests to be in a safe or safer environment together with their parents and siblings. The absence of a resettlement scheme for Palestinians in Gaza was also a significant consideration.

Undermining the independence of the judiciary, former human rights lawyer Keir Starmer described the decision as wrong, explaining that his government was already looking to close the “legal loophole”. There was no empathy at all for the Palestinian family or the ordeal that they had been subjected to.

The remarks from both Starmer and Badenoch led to condemnation from the most senior judge in England and Wales who said she was “deeply troubled” by their comments on the ruling. Lady Chief Justice Baroness Sue Carr said the remarks were “unacceptable” and conflicted with the duty of politicians to uphold the rule of law and respect the independent role of judges.

The uniform agreement between Badenoch and Starmer was a grim racist display, shaming Britain as a nation. This was accompanied by the inflammatory language of the Home Office who warned of “floodgates opening” in response to the legal decision.

In stark contrast, Britain has welcomed 218,000 Ukrainian refugees since the Russian invasion, with politicians from across the political spectrum hailing this as an example of Britain’s internationalism and moral leadership.

Why the moral panic when a single Palestinian family enters through the same scheme — especially after overcoming numerous legal and bureaucratic obstacles?

The appropriate response should have been to establish a dedicated Palestinian family reunification program, so Palestinians aren’t forced to endure such challenges just to be with their loved ones. Instead, politicians stir up outrage over people fleeing genocide and famine.

Palestinians want nothing more than to stay in their homeland, to live in peace without the constant threat of bombs. But Israel’s actions have created more than a humanitarian disaster — their actions are tantamount to genocide, and many Palestinians are desperate.

The least Britain can do is adopt a consistent approach to family reunification. No one should face such arbitrary, unjust barriers just to be reunited with their family.

In recent days, there has been a great deal of discussion about Britain’s leadership on the world stage. A chorus of political commentators have praised Starmer for his stance on Ukraine.

But the glaring inconsistency when it comes to the plight of the Palestinians is clear for all to see. In Gaza, Britain arms the oppressor while turning its back on those fleeing the oppression. If Britain truly wants to show moral leadership on the world stage, it must end this racist double standard and recognise the humanity of the Palestinian people.

Taj Ali is a journalist and historian. His work has appeared in the Huffington Post, Metro and the Independent. He is the former editor of Tribune Magazine and is currently writing a book on the history of British South Asian political activism in the UK.

Follow him on X: @Taj_Ali1

Follow him on Instagram: taj.ali1

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Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The New Arab, its editorial board or staff.