LABOUR have ejected appeals for dozens of motions on Palestine to be heard at the party’s conference this weekend.
This has led to claims – including from one of its own MPs – that the party is silencing debate on the topic.
More than 30 Palestine motions were passed by Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) and affiliated organisations – including demanding that the UK Government imposes comprehensive sanctions on Israel and brings in a full arms embargo.
But they were all blocked by the party’s Conference Arrangements Committee (CAC) on Monday.
The CAC today upheld its decision to rule the motions out of order, dashing members’ hopes of passing resolutions demanding further action from the Government.
The overwhelming majority of the Palestine motions were ruled out of order by the CAC on the grounds that they did “not relate to a new issue not substantially covered in the National Policy Framework (NPF) Annual Report 2025 report”.
But many of the motions focused on events that took place after the NPF Report was finalised in August – including the announcement of the Israeli government’s plans to militarily occupy Gaza City and the killing of five Al Jazeera journalists.
Almost all the motions also made demands on Labour that are not included in the NPF Report, such as an end to all arms trade and military cooperation with Israel, comprehensive sanctions, and a ban on trade that aids or assists Israel’s violations of international law.
The number of motions sent to conference demanding the party take more action on Palestine has dramatically increased since last year, when just three motions were sent to conference.
Recent polling has found that 72% of Labour’s 2024 voters want a full arms embargo on Israel.
Ben Jamal, director of Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said: “Less than a week after a UN Commission of Inquiry confirmed that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, it is shocking that Labour officials have decided to block a large influx of motions in solidarity with Palestine from being debated at this year’s party conference.
"The government needs to stop ignoring the overwhelming evidence as well as growing public outrage at its ongoing failure to take meaningful action to end British complicity with Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people.”
Clive Lewis, the Labour MP for Norwich South, said: "It is beyond belief that the Labour Party is silencing debate on Israel’s genocide in Gaza. This is one of the most shocking moral catastrophes of our age and it is no surprise our supporters want us to be taking a much firmer position.
“I call on Keir Starmer to finally acknowledge the genocide for what it is – a genocide – and to take the action that requires of him: starting with an end to all arms sales, an end to military cooperation, and comprehensive sanctions to pressure Israel to ends its violations of international law.”
