UK main opposition MP suspended over speech at pro-Palestine protest

LONDON

Britain’s opposition Labour Party has suspended an MP over what it called "deeply offensive" remarks during his speech at a weekend pro-Palestinian demonstration in London.

Andy McDonald, MP for Middlesbrough in North Yorkshire, said late Monday that his words were misrepresented by the media.

"These have furthered baseless and extremely harmful accusations against me, in order to avoid any further errors in the press," he said in a statement, shared on X.

During his address at a Saturday rally, McDonald said: "We will not rest until we have justice. Until all people, Israelis and Palestinians, between the river and the sea, can live in peaceful liberty."

A Labour spokesperson said the comments made by McDonald were "deeply offensive, particularly at a time of rising antisemitism which has left Jewish people fearful for their safety."

In the statement McDonald said his "words should not be construed in any other way than they were intended, namely as a heartfelt plea for an end to the killings in Israel, Gaza, and the occupied West Bank, and for all peoples in the region to live in freedom without the threat of violence."

"I will be happy to explain these views to the investigation when it convenes, and trust that the whip will be restored. In the meantime, for the sake of humanity, I hope and pray that we see an end to the war in Gaza, and steps are taken towards a lasting peace," he added.

In a statement, the Labour Muslim Network (LMN) called McDonald’s suspension "both obscene & deeply offensive."

The network, an inclusive organization that seeks to promote British Muslim engagement with the Labour Party, said the fundamental right to live in peace, with liberty and self-determination, is "one which should be applied to all peoples."

"The only conclusion that can be drawn is that those who have made this decision do not see Palestinian & Muslim life as deserving of this fundamental principle," it added.

On Monday, Conservative Party MP Paul Bristow was dismissed from his post as a parliamentary private secretary after publicly advocating for a cease-fire in Gaza amid the conflict, which has taken over 10,000 lives since Oct. 7.