UK Election results – future possibilities

Day 245.  We are now 8 months on from the horrific attacks on the 7^th October 2024 and it is as if much of the UK media and many Labour supporters and politicians have forgotten about that day and the fate of the remaining hostages taken by Hamas.  A clear war crime if there was one, but that isn’t getting in the way of the hostility towards Israel shown by the BBC (to name one media outlet) or Labour candidates pushing for election.

Today, it became clear that what we expected would happen will in fact happen; Labour in their election manifesto to be released shortly will be calling for recognition of Palestine as a state even before any negotiations are concluded.  In other words, recognition is intended to be an incentive for the Palestinian leadership to come to a settlement rather than a reward for doing so.  It’s a little like giving a winning medal to a team before the game has finished.

Aside from the obvious absurdity of such a promise, there is a more concerning factor which appears to have driven the Labour Party to this declaration.  It’s all about the votes. Muslim votes.  Out of an overall population of about four million there are somewhere in the region of 2.5 million votes up for grabs, allowing for the usual demographic spread.  There are already at least two Muslim pressure groups operating to put pressure on candidates to push for a Palestinian state.  Little wonder then that Labour have jumped on this bandwagon.

To be fair, it has been on the cards for some years now, such has been the growth of the anti-Israel movement in the Labour party.  So what is the answer?  Sadly I don’t believe there is one.  Promoting a territory run by a murderous Jew-hating regime to Statehood without condition says more about the Labour party’s attitude to peace and security than any number of interviews or television appearances could possibly achieve.  Simply put, they don’t care.  All they want are the votes.

What then?  Suppose Labour are successful, form a Government and recognise Palestine as a state.  The hostility towards Jews will only increase.  The previous password to gain entry to polite Labour society was ‘Two State Solution’.  Once statehood is granted the requirements for entry will be phrases like ‘1967 borders’ and ‘division of Jerusalem’.  A casual throwaway remark such as ‘Netanyahu is a war criminal’ will go a long way I am sure to secure invitations to sit at the Labour top table.

Hamas continue to make their mission perfectly clear.  Kill Jews, then export Jihad to the West and destabilise society there.  The Palestinian Authority are not too dissimilar in their rewards to Palestinians who kill Jews.  These are just inconvenient truths which Labour cheerfully ignore and what is most worrying is that they just don’t see how misjudged the recognition policy is.

What makes all this bizarre is that attitude of the Labour leadership and their supporters is not reflected in the UK as a whole.  The research has shown that Israel doesn’t count very much when it comes to house prices, food inflation and the appalling quality of the roads.  It is these and similar issues which matter to most people and by the same token they are not impressed with Islamist attacks.  Buses being blown up in London and a suicide bomber at an events arena in Manchester tell us with vivid clarity what is at stake.  It is just so disappointing that Labour cannot see, but then at least we can all understand in practical terms the phrase – “none so blind as those who cannot see”, or put in plainer speak, understanding cannot be forced on someone who chooses to be ignorant.  The only thing we can try and do is replace ignorance with knowledge, but on current performance I don’t see those calling for recognition being up for being told the truth.