Ten Labour frontbenchers opposed the party leadership and voted for an explicit immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war on Wednesday evening. Who are the MPs that defied Keir Starmer’s position on the conflict?
Jess Phillips
Phillips is one of Labour’s most recognisable faces, and a sign that this rebellion goes much further than the usual disgruntled left of the party. Phillips regularly clashed with Jeremy Corbyn and his allies when he was Labour leader, and is also a member of Labour Friends of Israel, making her an unlikely rebel on the issue of Gaza. But she has also been a vociferous critic of Israeli military action in recent weeks, and has a constituency where Muslims make up the largest group of voters, making her more susceptible to a challenge on this issue at the next election. Starmer made her shadow minister for domestic violence in 2020, a job for which she was well suited, given her previous job as a manager of refuges for victims of domestic violence in the West Midlands.
Naz Shah The MP for Bradford West won her seat in 2015 from George Galloway, the then leader of the Respect party, after a bitter and divisive campaign. She was forced to quit as John McDonnell’s parliamentary private secretary in August 2016 over antisemitic Facebook posts for which she apologised. Shah worked as shadow women and equalities minister in Jeremy Corbyn’s final shadow cabinet, and was kept in Labour’s frontbench by Keir Starmer but moved to the position of shadow minister for community cohesion. The frontbencher has long been a strong supporter of Palestine and in 2021 she called on the government to support the recognition of a sovereign Palestinian state.
Afzal Khan Khan became Manchester’s first Muslim MP after winning the Manchester Gorton seat in the 2017 general election. The 65-year-old is widely regarded as a team player and party loyalist, noted for his work under Corbyn and Starmer’s leadership to help Labour navigate difficult issues of internal culture. A former chair of Labour’s Muslim Network, Khan has campaigned heavily on the issue of Islamophobia, urging the government to come up with an official definition of the form of discrimination.
Yasmin Qureshi Qureshi had been on Labour’s list of MPs to watch for potential resignations as the pressure on Starmer’s position grew stronger. The MP for Bolton South East became an MP in 2010, after working as a barrister for the Crown Prosecution Service. She had also volunteered at a number of law centres.
Sarah Owen Owen, MP for Luton North, is the first British MP of south east Asian heritage. She joined the Labour frontbench under Starmer’s leadership first as an opposition whip before joining the shadow housing team. Until she defied the Labour whip on the ceasefire vote she was the shadow minister for local government and faith. Before becoming an MP she held a number of jobs including a political adviser to Alan Sugar and a care worker for the NHS.
Rachel Hopkins The MP for Luton South has held a number of frontbench roles under Starmer’s leadership. She is considered to be “on the right” of the leftwing Socialist Campaign Group (SCG) caucus.
Andy Slaughter The MP for Hammersmith was elected at the 2005 general election and is known for campaigning on issues including legal aid, climate change and housing.
Paula Barker The MP for Liverpool Wavertree is seen as a rising star within the SCG. She became a Labour MP at the last general election and was swiftly appointed as the shadow minister for homelessness.
Mary Foy Foy, also a member of the SCG, is linked to the Unison and Unite unions. The MP for Durham previously resigned as parliamentary private secretary to Andy McDonald over the covert human intelligence bill. She was Angela Rayner’s PPS until she backed the ceasefire amendment.
Dan Carden The MP for Liverpool Walton is another SCG member, who assumed office in 2017 and has held frontbench roles under Corbyn and Starmer. The former PPS has been praised by MPs across the house for his campaigning work on alcoholism.