Independents take on jittery Keir over Gaza

WITH a 20-point lead in the polls, you might think that Sir Keir Starmer is blissfully awaiting the General election.

Quite the opposite. his party is frantically spending tens of thousands of pounds polling muslim communities after a slump in support over Starmer’s refusal to back a ceasefire in Gaza.

For good reason. Little noticed last month was the announcement by mohammed Akunjee, a muslim lawyer, that he will stand as an independent candidate in the London Labour stronghold of Bethnal Green and Bow.

Akunjee, whose clients include Shamima Begum, the isis bride in Syria fighting to restore her British citizenship, says: ‘i will be going head to head with Labour.’ his election slogan? ‘Vote Akunjee. Don’t trust Labour.’ he’s fighting the Labour MP rushanara Ali, who faced furious crowds chanting ‘vote her out’ and ‘Labour Party, shame on you’ outside her constituency office in November after she refused to back a Gaza ceasefire vote in Parliament.

in 2022, the local tower hamlets council was captured by the Aspire party, whose 24 councillors are all Bangladeshi- heritage muslims. the council leader, Lutfur rahman, backs Akunjee.

A muslim independent candidate is also standing in ilford North, where openly gay and fiercely ambitious Wes Streeting, the Shadow health Secretary seen as future party leader, took down a 5,400 tory majority in 2015.

revolts are stirring in other seats where there are a big muslim vote — with George Galloway standing for the Workers Party of Britain in the rochdale by-election. Starmer is right to be worried.