QUESTIONS are being asked after Sky News deleted a video clip showing Keir Starmer admit to having private talks with the President of Israel.
During an interview with the channel on Thursday, Starmer was quizzed about whether his party pressured Speaker Lindsay Hoyle into accepting Labour’s amendment to an SNP Opposition Day motion calling for an “immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel”.
It came after the House of Commons descended into chaos on Wednesday when Hoyle broke long-established parliamentary convention by picking the Labour amendment for consideration.
Speaking to Sky News, Starmer “categorically denied” pressuring Hoyle to accept Labour’s amendment despite reports suggesting he did.
READ MORE: Call for Liz Truss to lose whip for promoting 'conspiracy theories'
He added: “The proposition I put on the table in that amendment was crafted by me after I came back from the Munich Security Conference having spoken to Secretary of State Blinken, having spoken to the Prime Minister of Qatar, having spoken to the President of Israel.
“I.e. having spoken to the people who are actually involved in trying to wait for this awful conflict.
“I wanted that proposition heard and voted on and my MPs wanted to vote on it”.
While the full interview is still available on the Sky News YouTube page, the clip was deleted from the broadcaster’s X/Twitter after questions were raised in the comments about Starmer’s meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog ahead of the planned ceasefire vote.
READ MORE: Liz Truss silent as Tommy Robinson called 'hero' on Steve Bannon podcast
Herzog has previously been criticised after photographs showed him signing Israeli bombs set to be dropped on Gaza.
His comments in the wake of the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel were also cited in South Africa’s International Court of Justice case as expressing genocidal intent.
In the days after the attack Herzog said it was not only Hamas militants who were responsible but “an entire nation” and vowed that Israel would fight “until we break their backbone”.
Sky News have been contacted for comment.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel