Starmer rebukes pro-Gaza MP at PMQs over failure to mention 7 October massacre
Prime minister says Ayoub Khan would be wise to start a question about 'genocide' with reference to what happened in October last year
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Keir Starmer has criticised an MP elected on a pro-Gaza ticket for failing to reference either Hamas or the October 7 terror attack after he quizzed him in the Commons.
During PMQs on Wednesday Ayoub Khan, the independent MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, told MPs:”The intent of the Israeli Government and the Israel Defence Forces has been explicit in words and actions over the past 400 days, with more than 45,000 innocent men, women and children killed.”
The MP, previously exposed by Jewish News over his attempt, when a local councillor, to question the extent of the crimes committed by Hamas during the October massacre, then added: “The Foreign Secretary denied that a genocide has even taken place, and suggested that the Israeli army had not yet killed enough Palestinians to constitute a genocide.
“And last week, at PMQs, the Prime Minister started that he has never referred to the atrocities happening in Gaza as a genocide. Will the Prime Minister share his definition of genocide with this House?” Lib Dem councillor questions accounts of Hamas terrorist atrocities
But in a firm response, the PM said: “It would be wise to start a question like that by reference to what happened in October of last year.
“I’m well aware of the definition of genocide, and that is why I’ve never described this as and referred to it as genocide.”
Elsewhere in PMQs, Reform leader and MP Nigel Farage asked when the UK would be proscribing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which he suggested would mend fences with the in-coming Trump administration in the US “given that the whole of his cabinet have been so rude about him over the last few year”.
Starmer said the issue of proscription was a “serious point” and that a move against the IRGC was being kept under review.
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