Tahir Ali: Labour MP apologises over PM 'blood on hands' remark

A Labour MP has apologised after saying Rishi Sunak had "the blood of thousands of innocent people on his hands" over the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Tahir Ali made the comment in Parliament, as he challenged the prime minister about the UK's stance on the war.

He apologised shortly afterwards, after being asked to do so by Labour's chief whip.

But he added he did not "resile from my strongly held views" on the conflict.

In a social media post, Mr Ali, the MP for Birmingham Hall Green, said he was sorry for "the way in which I described" Mr Sunak in his question.

The Labour leadership has publicly distanced itself from his remarks, with a party spokesman telling reporters they were "clearly inappropriate".

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Ali said "recently released documents" revealed the Foreign Office had concerns over Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law in its ongoing military campaign in Gaza.

It appeared to be a reference to documents that have emerged as part of a legal challenge to the business department's decision to continue arms export licences to Israel.

The Guardian reported last week that an internal Foreign Office assessment in late November had raised concerns over Israel's bombing campaign, and how it was deciding whether to grant access to aid workers.

The licences were eventually continued after Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron advised they should, but be kept under review.

Mr Ali said the documents had been "hidden from Parliament" whilst Mr Sunak had "boldly stated his confidence in Israel's respect for international law".

He added that South Africa's case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which alleges Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians, had revealed "the scale of Israel's war crimes in Gaza".

"Is it now not the time for the prime minister to admit that he has the blood of thousands of innocent people on his hands, and for him to commit to demanding an immediate ceasefire and an ending of UK's arms trade with Israel?" he asked.

But in a post three hours later on X, formerly Twitter, he issued an apology over his intervention. It is understood Labour's chief whip Sir Alan Campbell spoke to him after PMQs and asked him to apologise.

Mr Ali added: "While I do not resile from my strongly held views on the situation in the Middle East, I would like to apologise for the way in which I described the prime minister in my question".

"We all have a responsibility to be respectful in the language that we use, even when discussing difficult and, at times, sensitive issues."

Israel launched its bombing and ground offensive in Gaza with the declared aim of destroying Hamas, after its gunmen killed 1,300 people - mostly civilians - and took about 250 others hostage in an unprecedented attack in October.

At least 25,700 people have been killed in the Israeli military campaign in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.