UK: Labour Party bans words ‘genocide’ and ‘apartheid’ from conference

UK Labour Party managers blocked the words “genocide” and “apartheid” in reference to Israel’s conduct against Palestinians from being used in brochures at a side event during its annual conference in Liverpool. 

The conference’s start was marked by pro-Palestine protests as over 15,000 people marched through the city on Saturday to express their opposition to Britain selling arms to Israel amid its ongoing siege and bombardment of Gaza. 

Labour MP Kim Johnson addressed the crowd but was heckled by some protesters who urged her to “get out of the Labour Party”.

Controversy also erupted surrounding a planned fringe event on Palestine at the conference.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) has revealed that party managers refused to allow the words “genocide” and “apartheid” to appear in the name of its fringe event scheduled for Monday in the conference brochure. 

The event, set to feature members of pro-Palestinian groups in a panel discussion alongside Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy, will be described as “Justice for Palestine”, with the phrases “end the genocide” and “end the apartheid” removed.

PSC director Ben Jamal told Middle East Eye: “I think what this speaks to is the party leadership’s failure to address the root causes of the current violence that is happening in Palestine. It says it wants that violence to end, it says it wants a ceasefire. 

“But it fails to acknowledge that Israel is committing the crime of apartheid, a judgement made by the International Court of Justice. It is now on trial at the world’s highest court, the ICJ, which has accepted the plausibility of South Africa’s case that Israel is committing genocide.

“You cannot tackle an injustice unless you’re prepared to name it accurately.”

He added that Labour “still wants to treat Israel as a normal democratic state and therefore as a crucial ally”.

Middle East Eye contacted the Labour press office for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

Calls to halt all arms sales

Meanwhile, another event due to be held on Monday entitled “A new era of defence” is being sponsored by Northrop Grumman, a company that supplies the Israeli military with weapons and missile systems reportedly used on Palestinian civilians. 

On Sunday morning, pro-Palestinian protesters stood outside the entrance to the conference at Liverpool’s ACC Arena. Black vans were parked nearby emblazoned with posters reading “Suspend all arms sales to Israel”.

The Labour government suspended 30 out of 350 arms exports licences to Israel in early September. 

But many in the party want the suspensions to go further, with a recent poll showing that three-quarters of Labour members back a full arms ban. 

Labour members advanced an emergency motion calling for all arms sales to be suspended on Sunday. If the topic receives enough votes by Labour members, the motion will be debated on Monday. 

On Monday evening the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot, is scheduled to speak at a reception alongside Angela Rayner, the party’s deputy leader, and Middle East minister, Hamish Falconer.

The conference comes after a difficult week for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has been heavily criticised over revelations he had received over £16,000 for work clothing and spectacles from a Labour peer, Lord Waheed Alli. 

Starmer vowed on Friday that he would no longer accept donations for clothing.