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More than 40 per cent of Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet has been funded by pro-Israel groups, a new report revealed today.
According to an investigation by Declassified UK, 13 of the 31 members of Labour’s shadow cabinet have received donations from a prominent pro-Israel lobby group or individual funder.
Donations have been received by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, his deputy Angela Rayner, shadow foreign secretary David Lammy, and shadow international development minister Lisa Nandy.
More than half of the cabinet are listed as supporters or officers of Labour Friends of Israel (LFI).
According to Declassified UK, the donations were provided by LFI and Sir Trevor Chinn, a “philanthropist” active in numerous pro-Israel organisations such as the Joint Israel Appeal.
Sir Trevor donated £50,000 to Sir Keir’s 2020 leadership bid, and a total of £200,000 to the shadow cabinet.
While LFI does not publicly reveal its funders, a 2017 Al Jazeera documentary exposed its close ties to the Israeli embassy. It is known for taking MPs on “fact-finding” trips to Israel.
Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves received some £17,000 to travel to the country.
Declassified UK noted that only four of the 79 MPs who are listed as LFI supporters have signed an Early Day Motion (EDM) calling for “an immediate de-escalation and cessation of hostilities.”
No members of the shadow cabinet signed the motion.
In June, it was also revealed that Gary Lubner, a South African auto glass tycoon and supporter of the United Jewish Israel Appeal, donated £5 million to the party.
Since October 7, Sir Keir has opposed a ceasefire to Israel’s relentless bombing of Palestine, even going as far as to suggest that Israel “has the right” to withhold power and water from Gaza before rowing back on his comments nine days later. The move has sparked a wave of resignations from Labour councillors.
Andrew Feinstein, director of Shadow World Investigations, accused Sir Keir of undermining his own constituents.
He said:
“The reality is that politicians are first and foremost, not going to represent the people who elect them, and in my case, this includes Keir Starmer, who’s my local MP.
“But they represent the people who are funding them.”
On Sir Keir’s refusal to back a ceasefire, Mr Feinstein said:
“It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if that was because he realises that his key funders demand that he provide unqualified and uncritical support to Israel.
“What we’re seeing is that Starmer is a politician who can be bought.”
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Featured image: Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, with Angela Rayner (left) and Rachel Reeves, arriving with his shadow cabinet in central London for their first meeting. Picture date: Tuesday September 5, 2023. (Source: Morning Star)
