11/10/2025
*")8)774'+_!;'';'"*✓\×^€×§×
Labour members have voted to recognise Israel’s assault on Gaza as a genocide, despite attempts from the party’s leadership to block motions on Palestine from being debated at its conference in Liverpool.
The motion – brought by Unison and seconded by Aslef – committed Labour to accepting the findings of the UN Commission of Inquiry, which concluded this month that Israel is committing the crime of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. It calls for the full suspension of arms sales to Israel, comprehensive sanctions, and an embargo on trade with illegal settlements in the West Bank.
The conference heard from Unison general secretary Christina McAnea, who told delegates: “This is genocide. Let’s not play with semantics. If we wait around for a court to confirm it, it will be too late, because it’s already happening as we sit here.”
Debate over the motions has been contentious, with activists accusing the party leadership of silencing members and limiting voices opposing the tougher motion. In the weeks leading up to the conference, Labour’s conference arrangement committee rejected 30 motions on Palestine from being debated at the event.
Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said the outcome was a “huge defeat” for the Labour leadership: “After almost two years of complicity in Israel’s genocide, the movement in solidarity with Palestine is turning the tide. This historic vote must now become government policy.”
Maryam Eslamdoust, general secretary of the TSSA union, added: “Today the Labour movement stood on the right side of history and in solidarity with the Palestinian people, sending a clear message to the Labour leadership: we will not remain silent on the crime of genocide.”