The Labour leadership is understood to have held a meeting with councillors after a number of resignations over the party’s messaging on the conflict in the Middle East.
Amna Abdullatif, a councillor in Ardwick in Manchester since 2019, said on Monday she would quit Labour after Sir Keir Starmer made “horrifying comments about Israel having the right to withhold fuel, water, food and electricity from the 2.2 million Palestinians trapped in Gaza, effectively endorsing a war crime”.
It came after Shaista Aziz and Amar Latif, of Oxford City Council, said they were resigning from Labour for similar reasons.
The Labour leader had said during an interview with LBC that Israel has “the right” to withhold energy and water from Gaza.
ITV News reported Sir Keir’s chief of staff, Sue Gray, and shadow foreign secretary David Lammy held urgent talks with council leaders on Monday night amid fears over pending resignations.
A source in the Labour leader’s office confirmed a meeting had been held with elected representatives where “emotion and strong views” were expressed but said they “did not recognise” reports it had been “heated.”
“The meeting was one of a series with elected representatives, as you would imagine from a serious grown up government-in-waiting on such a difficult and sensitive issue,” they said.
“Of course there was emotion and strong views but that is what you would expect.
“It was acknowledged that councillors are on the front line dealing with some difficult circumstances.
“Support was offered, and our position made clear.”
Related: At least 500 people killed in Israeli air strike on Gaza hospital
