Cambridge councillor quits Labour over Starmer's Israel-Gaza comments

Cambridge City Council's Mairéad Healy has announced her resignation from the Labour Party

A Labour councillor has announced she has left the party over comments Sir Keir Starmer made about the Israel-Gaza war.

Cambridge City Council's Mairéad Healy said she made the decision after "much soul-searching and tears".

In an interview with LBC, Labour leader Sir Keir said "Israel has the right" to withhold power and water from Gaza.

Ms Healy said she would now represent the Romsey ward as an independent councillor.

She said in a statement on Facebook she had also resigned from her position as executive councillor for communities, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"In recent times, it has become increasingly unconscionable to remain in a party which has lurched so far to the right, that it is hard to distinguish itself as a party of genuine opposition," she said.

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The "final straw", she said, was comments made by the national party leadership regarding the Israel and Gaza conflict.

Israel declared a "complete siege" of Gaza on Monday, saying electricity, food, fuel and water would be cut off in response to the Hamas attacks and atrocities.

Ms Healy said the Labour leadership was "encouraging collective punishment towards the Palestinian people by condoning the indiscriminate withholding of water and energy supplies in Gaza", which she said was illegal under international law.

She said: "I will continue for the remainder of my term, standing up for those most disadvantaged in our city, championing local issues in Romsey and will seek to always advocate for those who need support."

The Labour Party has been contacted for comment.