Sheffield Labour: Council source says resignations 'always a possibility' amid ceasefire tensions with Starmer
EXCLUSIVE: Labour source tells The Star resignations are "always a possibility" as the Sheffield branch calls for a ceasefire.
Labour could lose councillors in Sheffield to resignations if Keir Starmer does not call for a ceasefire in the Israel/Hamas war, a senior local source has told The Star.
The source would not rule out resignations from Sheffield Labour Party after councillors collectively called for a ceasefire in the region on Monday - however, they said they are not aware of any councillors currently planning to leave the party.
They said: "It is always a possibility... That's not to say people locally are happy with the party position - but that as a group we're challenging it."
The party has lost a number of councillors in other local authorities, like Oxford, over the national leadership's decision not to call for a ceasefire in the violence plaguing Israel and Gaza.
On Wednesday, Sheffield City Council collectively passed a motion calling on the UK Government to call for an immediate ceasefire in the region. The motion was originally tabled by The Green Party and amended and passed by both the Liberal Democrats and Labour.
The motion eased a lot of worries for local Labour councillors, the source said, adding the party have taken a "stronger stance" on the subject in Sheffield.
Nine Sheffield Labour councillors were amongst 330 from across the country who signed a letter to Keir Starmer asking him to back an "immediate ceasefire" - some of those were part of another nine Sheffield Labour Muslim councillors to condemn "Israel's relentless indiscriminate bombing of Gaza" in October.
Resignations could be significant for the local party should Starmer not join in the calls.
Sheffield Labour's precarious position as the largest party on the council was made even more delicate following the resignations of eight councillors - including former leader Terry Fox.
Labour currently have 31 councillors in Sheffield, compared to the Liberal Democrats' 29. The Star has been told Monday's statement was released after "leadership conceeded to councillors demanding we do it".