Starmer set to face new pressure over stance on conflict, says pollster

LABOUR MPs in London constituencies with large Muslim populations are likely to put "pressure" on the party leadership over its stance on Gaza following George Galloway's by-election win, a leading polling expert said today.

- Rachael Burford

Sir John Curtice, Professor of Politics at Strathclyde University, said the Rochdale poll was not "typical", but showed that Mr Galloway's ability to appeal to Muslim voters was a "wider issue" for Labour.

Independent candidates angry at Sir Keir Starmer's response to Gaza have already vowed to stand against Labour in constituencies across the capital, including in shadow health secretary Wes Streeting's Ilford North seat and against shadow business minister Rushanara Ali in Bethnal Green.

"We know that there is tension within the Labour Party including among its MPs about Sir Keir Starmer's relative reticence to criticise Israel's intervention and the scale and character of that intervention," Sir John told LBC.