Peaceful protest for peace: members of the Croydon Federation of Mosques gathered outside Labour MP Steve Reed’s constituency office last night
It’s a simple enough question.
“Members would be keen to understand why you feel that the killing of 10,328 Palestinians, including 4,237 children, can be justified as part of Israel’s self-defence.”
The question was posed to Croydon North’s Labour MP Steve Reed, in a letter delivered by hand last night by a delegation of around 20 people from the Croydon Federation of Mosques.
Hand-delivered: Ansari drops the letter to Reed through the door of the constituency office
The letter was posted through the letterbox of Reed’s constituency office on London Road, Thornton Heath, by Dr Anwar Ansari, who had signed the letter as president of the community organisation for Muslims.
Reed’s constituency office was closed at the time of the gathering (it is open to constituents for less than 10 hours each week), although there was an unmarked police car with plainclothes police parked nearby. Dr Ansari thanked the officers for their service.
As Inside Croydon reported last month, more than 200 people attended a meeting organised by the Federation held at Purley Mosque where another Croydon MP, Tory Chris Philp, who represents Croydon South, and politicians from other parties (but not Labour) listened to residents’ concerns about the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank.
Many of the speakers had relatives living, and dying, in Palestine.
The meeting included condemnation of the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israeli settlements on October 7. But it also accused the Israeli government of war crimes by deliberately attacking innocent civilians, while cutting off fuel, food and water supplies to Gaza.
The situation in Gaza has only got much worse in the subsequent weeks, with hospitals targeted by the Israeli military, thousands more being killed, including many workers from international aid agencies.
Yet still the position of the parliamentary Labour Party is to refuse to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The word on the streets: one of the stickers seen in Reed’s Croydon North constituency
Neither Reed nor his party colleague, Sarah Jones, both members of Keir Starmer’s shadow team at Westminster, have joined the growing call for a ceasefire.
And neither Reed nor Jones have responded to appeals from the Muslim communities in their constituencies to attend meetings organised by the Croydon Federation of Mosques to meet their constituents and hear their concerns.
Starmer and Reed’s growing notoriety in refusing to call for a ceasefire in Gaza has seen stickers and posters begin to appear around Croydon North with their image and a legend: “I stand with genocide”.
The Croydon Federation of Mosques’ letter simply requested that Reed should reconsider attending a meeting.
The letter said: “I wonder whether you might be able to reconsider your decision not to come to a Croydon Federation of Mosques sponsored meeting with residents in your Croydon North constituency.
“The Croydon Federation of Mosques aims to lobby those in Croydon civic society on matters of interest to its 22 mosques members.
“Members would be keen to understand why you feel that the killing of 10,328 Palestinians, including 4,237 children, can be justified as part of Israel’s self-defence.”
It’s a simple enough question.
Read more: Demo threat sees Labour fund-raiser for MP Reed ‘postponed’
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He will duck and dive answering then produce waffle like his Leader, it is also noted that Croydon Labour are silent and so are the current Labour Councillors
Not sure about the duck but he is still chickening out. Slippery Steve. . . Read the comments and apologise for 1) not meeting the reps from community 2) explain how much dough you received from the Israeli lobby 3) why cant you tell ur Big G Starmer about calling for a ceasefire and d) why u poking ur nose in candidate selection for east Croydon.
Come to Croydon Bangladeshi Youth Association and tell us please.
Keep it real and call 4 CEASEFIRE NOW!
This is a disgrace that none of Croydon’s MPs have spoken out despite carrying constituents who are clearly traumatised by the on-going genocide in Gaza.
The imposed narrative of ‘Defending itself’ is simply no longer accepted by the masses when empirical independent evidence shows to the contrary. To justify the slaughter of innocents and to remain silent, one wonders about the moral compass of these people. Do they have any idea how frustrated their constituents are?
Instead, what we have witnessed is the trio of MPs acquiescence to the petulant war mongers. Steve Reed for one has repeatedly displayed his propensity to please his lobbyists. Why on earth would Steve Reed be held hostage to a cabal over his constituents especially in light of the views that his constituents hold.
Gone are the days when the MP would show up to the local mosques for photo sessions just prior to elections. The new generations are much more savvy than the old guards so make no mistake, your perpetual quest for genocide, your deafening silence will not go unnoticed come the next election.
The MPs are on notice – there is still time to correct the wrong.
Thank you
I am afraid you are are seeking solace from our publicly ‘elected’ officials who have very little to gain by qualifying the frustrations of their constituents. The only way to get Steve’s attention is start the deselection process via trigger ballot. I am sure there are enough Labour comrades in Croydon North to initiate this.
Rules governing deselection
Labour Party rules specify that MPs will face a “trigger ballot” procedure where each branch of the Constituency Labour Party (CLP) and each affiliate (trade union and socialist society) branch will have a simple majority vote on whether they wish their sitting MP to automatically stand again in the next general election, or whether they wish to have a full selection process.
If one third or more of party or affiliate branches vote for a full selection then the sitting MP will face a vote of all party members to decide whether they want their existing MP, or an alternative candidate to represent them at the next election.
Except there’s a new constituency now, with Reed moving back towards Streatham.
Is he remembered fondly in Lambeth Labour, we wonder?
So this explains the lack of empathy and any desire to engage with his Croydon constituents. Nonetheless he will still carry 41.3% of Croydon North and 49.0% of Streatham in the new constituency of Streatham and Croydon North. The majority of newly acquired wards have been vocal in their displeasure of not calling out the Ceasefire. He can run but he cannot hide. Calling for deselection (trigger ballot) is perhaps a compelling recourse. He is an incompetent MP who is belligerent, lacks any moral cohesiveness, failed to engage with his constituents, sides with moneybags and has not represented the views of his constituents robustly.
I will send a letter to him asking to support this important communication from the community.
All he had to do was to meet the Mosque leaders. He has now ignited a fire storm in our community and mobilised mass support for his accountability.
This article was shared on almost every Muslim community group in Croydon. The public awareness is so much greater now. Steve will have a hard time justyfing his absence to the Muslim community. As someone commented, the silent minority has awakened.
It is good to see political activism from the silent minority. I preface by stating that this is the first time that I had commented on this publication. Here is my view as to why I believe the Croydon MPs will remain complacent and take the 40,000+ Croydon Muslims’ preordained support for granted.
1. Chris Philp MP – He is happy to pay the lip service to his disciples as long as they do not rock the boat too much. An odd visit to the local mosque will be taken as ‘listening’ so that the Muslim folks can be pacified. No Q&A would be permitted – just a lecture on how much he is doing for the poor Palestinians and how he will cascade local view to the upper echelons in Downing St. He works under that nasty woman (whose name I shall not utter S.B) hence it is fully expected that he shall continue to push the same narrative and will ignore the views of his constituents. The next promotion, perhaps under a possible S.B leadership is squarely in sight, so don’t expect him to call for ceasefire anytime soon.
2. Steve Reed MP: “His longstanding commitment to Labour Friends of Israel is well documented. Shadow minister Steve Reed gave a series of extraordinary pledges during a 2 December 2020 meeting with prominent Israel lobby donor Trevor Chinn. The minutes conclude that the lobbyists had established “a regular channel of communication” with Reed and his office (source: The Electronic Intifada). Need I say more as to why this office was locked up for a bunch of Muslims. Steve will keep manipulating his Muslim voter base via the honchos at local mosque. Cometh the hour, the grovelling for Muslim vote will be on full display. Its a safe seat so Steve will carry on mopping up funds from Lobbyists to get into Keir’s good book.
3. Sarah Jones MP- the happy lady’s focus is suddenly turned to local issue as to avoid any debate on the issue. None of my email were answered about her stance on the Ceasefire. Opportune time to be convalescing from her promises to represent all natives in her CR0. Push over to the new land across the valley, or rather the railway line but your silence in fear of attracting the wrath of Sir Keir and possible cabinet position is so transparent.
This is the state of our Democracy folks. Outside Lobbyists / special interests will prevail and crush local sentiment.
Hate to see our elected, and unelected, leaders being persuaded to take sides in a foreign policy.
I entirely agree with you. Steve Reed must not receive foreign money from Pro-Israeli lobbyists to amplify their agenda that calls for genocide.
Trevor Chinn is not foreign, he is a British Lobbyist. He only represents the interest of Israel. The investment made in Kier Starmer was only a few 100,000s if not millions. Let the man have his return on investment. The dividend yield equates to PRO-ISRAELI interest. This means NO ceasefire. What is wrong with this? He invested, he got his investment delivering. . . .
He is trying to be the new Lord Levy – look how he held Blair’s balls in office and the ‘God told me’ to invade Iraq moment. So what if 5,000 ppl Children died in some distant land. We need to sell arms and keep 200 jobs in our arms factories. War is good for economy. Besides, we need to keep Israel on side and please USA.
. . . . and there are these buffoons thinking they can meet Steve Reed who is knee deep in Chinn’s pocket.
Mate – he is already taking sides by not even listening. He is a just a styler and not calling for a ceasefire when so many in Croydon are demanding it. My best friend’s family was bombed in Gaza so he is now suffering from PTSD. Should i be nursing him or studying 4 my fcking mocks???? need not to happen with so much killing and our MP is still pimping 4 Israel. WTF – does he know care about Muslims? it was all alright when it was white in Ukrainian he went out on his ways to help Ukrainian families and even placing a Ukrainian flag on his social media. Why didn’t u say it was foreign then?
Steve is a just a closet racist and hates the Muslims!
We need to stand Independent MPs
Better to do a grass-root awareness campaign about Steve Reed’s position. No one is immune from a safe seat majority any longer. A swing is possible unless a deselection takes place.
Surely this should have been better coordinated. Judging by Croydon’s standards this was a large turnout to hand over the protest letter. Steve Reed’s constituency office opened for just 10 hours a week? This is atrocious and judging by the office lease, I cannot imagine how he can justify the costs. This airbnb style public surgery should be closed permanently instead. The contempt for his constituents is patently transparent.
I do not trust Steve Reed to meet the representatives of the community. This charlatan will continue with his Houdini act. Every excuse will be tendered with the last minute reschedules if an appointment is indeed granted to the bearded chap. Steve is too busy lobbying for Bodger’s selection for East Croydon constituency. An odd 11,000 innocent victims of Israeli brutality, including 5,000 dead children are hardly going to grab his attention.
The Minister for Policing (Palestinians) is also on the same boat. Chris, our esteemed South Croydon MP is nowhere to be seen. The community congregation may pay him a visit too. We need to stop the killing and call for a ceasefire. This, from a Jew whose family suffered the same brutality in WW2 and was previously a resident of Rosh HaNikra Kibbutz, Israel.
I could not remain a silent spectator, especially in view of some of the comments.
On behalf of the Croydon Women Network, I am writing to express our grave concern by the muted response of our elected MPs. The militarised response by Israel resulting in so many innocent deaths ought to be a concern for any decent human being. If a narcissist decides to enter Mayday hospital, kills 1,400, holds 200 patients hostage, is it justifiable to bomb the entire hospital/London Road? cut off electricity / water? Should the innocent patients and other NHS staff members be killed too? This basic analogy is what is going on in Gaza.
Taken together, our MP’s inaction in response to the ongoing Genocide represent a grave threat to our democratic participation. If we are to move forward as a society, our representatives in Parliament must listen to our concerns, not curtail them based on selective politics. I hope your delivered letter may yield the desired outcome.
Thank you.
Thank you for putting forth our concerns. Our Local Resident Association was thinking of doing the same. There are too many innocent lives lost. Our MP must listen to the residents. We will be organising an awareness event shortly. How do we get in touch with you Ansari?
Thank you for your kind remarks. I can be reached on anwar.ansari@thecfm.org.uk.
I will never vote Labour again.
This man has f*cked me up so much by his treatment of Muslims in Croydon. I am now gonna get involved in politics.
Make way 4 us young Pengs and watch how we roll now. How many members do I need to get his arse out of Croydon?
Steve Reed can get in the bin. All the integrity of a second hand car salesman. In fact, I’d rather vote for a second hand car salesman than I would for a bootlicking political careerist like Reed. Roll on May so the good people of Croydon can boot him out!
Free Palestine!
“After Labour won back control of Lambeth Council in 2006, Reed was appointed the council’s leader. During his tenure, Lambeth was twice rated as London’s worst-run borough, with a one-star rating in the Audit Commission’s annual inspection in 2006, before being given the same title again in 2012, when Reed left the job for a parliamentary seat”
We must call for a ceasefire IMMEDIATELY.
Today is the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht. New York Times, November 1938 Headline: “Nazis Smash, Loot, and Burn Jewish Shops and Temples Until Goebbels Calls Halt”. It is ironic that the victims are now the perpetrators.
Steve Reed doesn’t give two hoots about meeting Muslims leaders of his constituency. This arrogant man is too busy even to comment on taking away the homeless tents. It is appalling the way he treats his voters with no respect for his constituents. Why did he not attend a single meeting with his constituents on the ceasefire? He was overtly visible when it came to promoting the Ukrainian cause in Croydon. Just wondering if this is to do with a particular religion or the brown/black people. . . .
We need Ceasefire now. Stop the genocide.
Steve was probably expecting the real Father Christmas!
the sight of a bunch of serious fellas must have scared the crap out of him
THE IRISH STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PALESTINIANS. STOP THE WAR, BRING BACK JC, SAVE OUR PUBS, LONG LIVE THE KING, PEACE 2 ALL.
Why is my MP for Croydon Steve Reed not talking to the people who have elected him to represent us in Parliament?
If there is Crimes against Humanity and the people in Croydon want Reed to voice their opinion in Parliament is that not the least an MP should do?
Steve Reed does not even answer his office phone when I have rang his office 6 times in the last week
What are you paid to do Mr Reed???
He’s paid to look after the interests of the Pro Israeli Lobby .
Cease fire NOW
Do the moral thing.
Stop the GENOCIDE
British muslims have EVERY right to expect the same level of integrity as ANY other community here in the UK. It is very telling that these elected Councillors and MP’s take the votes of these communities in a show of inclusivity, pretending to serve and represent them, yet behave in this appalling and disgusting manner. when it really matters. Not only is this disingenuous but it completely shows their lack of integrity also.
All community members have a right to be heard AND answered and it is totally disgusting that these MP’s suddenly grow cloth ears and abandon this community like cowards. Where is their duty to represent and serve when it matters most? They should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves with their lack of accountability.
We are all aware that the UK government has unequivacally supported the ‘war’ on Palestine, on an innocent and already suffering nation, oppressed and without an army to defend itself. There are currently 11,000 plus civillian deaths (not including those unaccounted for under the rubble) and 10,000 plus civillian casualties. Silent on the cruel, inhumane and illegal bombing of hospitals, schools, places of worship and refugee camps, silent on the limbs being blown off children, we know the Tory government has been complicit in this indescribable genocide. What is worse however, is that the Opposition Party led by a Human Rights Lawyer the ex Legal Executive of ‘Liberty’, is no better. It is obvious his cronies are all following a blind donkey leadership system and cannot even give answers to serious questions in ‘Opposition’.
This whole episode of ignoring the questions from the mosque leaders, who look to reassure their congregations and communities, further exposes how pathetic and terrible these elected members are. They do not deserve their seats.
On a general note, we must recognise that the UK government AND the Labour party has now lost ALL credibility when it comes to them preaching to other nations about human rights and international law.
They have totally lost that right.
Furthermore, instead of commenting on foreign relations and support for Zionist states who support apartheid in the Middle East, their time is best served in going back to basics and learning how to engage with their own communities first; communities who are part of the national public, the majority of whom are opposed to this terrible genocide.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen such a united comments section on the Internet!
Thank you Croydon Inside for covering this. Thank you to Dr Anwar for taking the time out and visiting Steve’s office. I was planning to attend along with the delegation but the lack of timely childcare arrangement prevented this. It was inappropriate that a delegation representing over 8,000 congregants in Croydon’s 22 Mosques could not be afforded the respect, nor an audience by Steve Reed MP. I left a message for Steve Reed’s office to solicit a meeting well in advance. There was no call back nor an acknowledgement. This is not a democracy.
I am not content that Steve Reed can make time to see the lobbyists or make himself available for other trivial matters. On something as important as this, the views of our community are censored. It is profoundly worrying that we cannot exercise our basic democratic rights. On a positive note, Steve Reed’s conduct has galvanised a previously disparate group and unified support of us working mothers. Our women whatapp group has now grown to 228 ladies and we will pronounce our solemn condemnation of Steve Reed behaviour to the wider public in Norbury, Thornton Heath and Streatham. This behaviour cannot go on when our MP is more worried about his promotion and serving the Israeli lobbyists. The troubled ladies will exercise their political activism and our representatives must be afforded the dignity they deserve. This means listening to our collective concerns and meeting the local Mosque leaders. Should we organise a local march outside Steve’s office to get our voices heard? food for thought!
The recent revelations regarding your reluctance, along with Keir Starmer, Sarah Jones, and others, to call for a ceasefire in Gaza are deeply troubling to your constituents.
The Croydon Federation of Mosques’ letter raises a straightforward question: why do you and your colleagues refuse to acknowledge the gravity of the situation, with thousands of innocent lives lost, including numerous children?
As members of the Croydon community, we demand transparency and accountability. It’s disheartening that calls for a ceasefire have fallen on deaf ears. Your constituents deserve more than silence; we deserve to know where our representatives stand on this humanitarian crisis.
I implore you to reconsider your position and engage in open dialogue with the community. The time for action and accountability is now.
Well said
I have family members in Croydon who highlighted their concerns. What I told them is this. There is no point in meeting their MP and asking them for a Ceasefire since the British establishment, the main political parties are in unison (just like Iraq War) and a puppet of the USA. I bet my last $ (or £) that as soon as Biden calls for a ceasefire, Starmer will declare the same within 15 mins, followed by Richi (not Rishi) within 30 mins. The ‘ambitious’ MPs, especially who are holding shadow positions will do the same and come out of the woodwork to declare their ‘Peace’ postulation.
The trouble with British appeasement to the US is this. Unlike the US, the British will suffer the downside. After Iraq/Libya/Syria/Afghanistan, millions of displaced headed for Europe. Britain absorbed a few hundred thousand. After Ukraine, who saw the spike in gas prices and as a result who shouldered the record mortgage payments? It was certainly not the USA (apart from Fed’s rate hikes).
Recent history has repeatedly shown that Britain’s Neocon support always ends up in a disaster. Unlike the Americans who have a buoyant economy and can withstand wars, Britain is virtually bankrupt and cannot continue with futile adventures. This undermines Britain’s moral sovereignty and further weakens its institutional appeal in overseas trading markets. Then there is the small matter of Human Rights, Freedom and Democracy – a little hypocritical on our leaders’ part to be advocating for such when clearly when it comes to Israel, all eyes are shut. Anyone who speaks out is immediately trolled and personal assassination takes place.
The discrediting goes on until the person or organisations are stopped from raising any voice against the illegal occupation or settler violence in the west bank.
The moral conscience of few is now trickling into a political tsunami as witnessed by the weekly demonstrations calling for a ceasefire. I further reassert that the Politicians are sowing the seed for community incohesiveness and creating strategic liabilities for their communities.
Sorry for going off the topic but I felt it was important to highlight why Steve Reed refuses to engage with the Mosque leaders.
Commenting on the recent revelations about your reluctance, alongside Keir Starmer, Sarah Jones, and others, to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. The silence from key figures in our community is deafening, especially in the face of the escalating human cost.
The Croydon Federation of Mosques’ letter straightforwardly questions why you and your colleagues remain indifferent to the staggering loss of life, with over 10,328 Palestinians, including 4,237 children, killed. As constituents, we are distressed by the apparent disregard for the severity of this humanitarian crisis.
It is essential that you address this matter urgently, providing a clear stance on the ongoing situation. The numbers speak for themselves, and your constituents deserve to know where you stand on the urgent need for a
ceasefire and a resolution to this devastating conflict.
Dear Sir,
The Israeli military assault on Gaza continues, with indiscriminate bombardment that has killed over 12,000 people, destroyed thousands of homes, and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. The trauma of our own suffering in Jaffna is a stark reminder.
The tightening of Israel’s siege of Gaza – cutting off supplies of food, medicine, fuel and aid – represents collective punishment of all 2.2 million people living in Gaza, around half of whom are children. The current Israeli order for more than 1 million people to leave northern Gaza is causing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Hospitals have been ordered to empty and families have been bombed as they follow the order to flee. Food, water and medical supplies are running out.
Croydon’s Tamil community is demanding an immediate ceasefire to prioritise the preservation of human life. Israel immediately ends its complete siege of Gaza and ensures that humanitarian aid safely reaches people in need in accordance with humanitarian principles. Israel must allow safe and unimpeded entry of fuel, water, food, and other humanitarian necessities into Gaza. Our honourable MP must pay heed.
Yours faithfully,
Dr. A. Wijayasinghe
CROYDON TAMIL MUSLIM WELFARE ASSOCIATION
Brigstock Road, Thornton Heath, Croydon
We need Ceasefire NOW Steve Reed???
Even Macron of France has now called for a ceasefire and he said there’s ‘no justification’ for Israel’s bombardments. When will you tell Sir Starmzy to do the rite thing.
At the time of writing this comment, Israel has cut-off the electricity supply to Al-Shifa hospital(the largest hospital in Gaza), where babies are on incubators, patients are in ICU and medical staff with no food supply or water are waiting for their death. If any person in authority has some kind of “humanity” left, he will call out for a ceasefire!
Steve Reed:
We the British doctors in the NHS find your lack of engagement with humanity quite startling.
PEOPLE ARE DYING. Civilians in Palestine are dying.
Do you now know this or turning a blind eye to this inconvenient truth?
What are you doing about this? This is meant to be a civilised and fair country, however I feel I live in a barbaric country.
You have no humanity if you an see ANY lives lost and do nothing. Your silence is profound.
When did you lose your humanity?
Children are dying and genocide is being done and you are quiet.
You lost your care and you cannot come back from this. Here you can see all the comments and you stubbornly stick to your misplaced principles about Israel.
You will not offend Jews if you a
It doesn’t matter anymore , Have a backbone, please find your humanity, as over 11,000 children and innocent are screaming out for you to do the right thing.
The question is.. do you know what the right thing is anymore?
Just checked this story after returning from the “hate” march and saw the comments. Why did Steve not reach out to local mosques and community leaders to check their pulse. Every elected official is running to the closest synagogue in fear of not showing enough support to Jews/Israel. Yet, when it comes to Muslims, they are treated like society’s turd, floating on populist gutter. The comments have really unmasked Steve Reed and he should be ashamed of his behavior. Not a very good move Steve to be pissing off a lot of angry ppl. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you and No I don’t mean Mr. Chinn either. I meant your voters who gave you the mandate.
I normally do not write or comment but on this occasion, I have to speak up. Steve Reed’s position is fast becoming untenable simply on account of his stubborn reluctance to engage with his electorate.
What’s the point of having a representative to a legislative body when our perspective is grossly violated. There is a commotion in our community and we should rightly be able to register our concerns. The inertia from Steve is baffling. I realise the need to balance the Party line with populist views but on this occasion, the overwhelming members of the public in Croydon are calling for a ceasefire and against the killing of innocents.
Ask me, every other customer is hyper sensitive when they visit my shop on London Road in Norbury. Only yesterday, after Friday prayers, the Somali community organised an emergency meeting in Gleneagle Road to call for a ceasefire. This meeting was attended by various interfaith groups, including a few Jews. So it is not just a minority community but most decent peace loving people who wish to see their MP call for a ceasefire.
Dr Ansari, please include my mosque, the South London Islamic Centre on Mitcham Road in your initiative and email the committee on info@slicmosque.org.
I read earlier comments and wish to substantiate further on some of the points raised.
Steve Reed’s lack of integrity and impunity is the mark of a rotten political system that we find ourselves in. Understanding the need to accept and engage with a spectrum of opinions is a bedrock of a healthy, pluralistic democracy. Very noble endeavour Dr Anwar but you’re barking up the wrong disingenuous tree.
I am frustrated at the opportune callousness of Steve’s office, not to oblige Muslim community members and discuss Palestinian Pogrom. I think he is overcompensating for being labelled as an anti-Semite after himself labelling the businessman Richard Desmond as a puppet-master. He immediately back-peddled and is now a pro-Zionist patron of Labour Friends of Israel. It is not in his interest to be seen to be listening to your community’s concerns. I may be presumptive here but a full cabinet position is more tantalising backed by the Zionist lobby.
Our foreign policy is tantamount to surrender to the USA. US foreign Policy is dictated by big PAC spending donors such as AIPAC/ZOA/NRA who openly boast of having XXX congressmen in their pockets. The pillar of the USA legislature tasked with Foreign Policy is entirely controlled by the Zionists and Military–Industrial Complex. They compliment each other, therefore an emergency bill of $14b was passed in US congress to arm Israel to the teeth in recent weeks. US taxpayer money is directly contributing to the genocide of Palestinians.
Britain is fully self-approving in this Genocide by virtuously supplying key military components to Israeli IDF on compassionate grounds – all via UK Aid budget. So British taxpayers are subsidising this war too against the wishes of the wider public.
Our taxpayer money could have been spent better in building schools / hospitals here in the UK, instead of destroying them in Gaza and causing further human suffering. The US is far too removed geographically from the war theatre and will not suffer the same refugees or energy fluctuation consequences.
Once the USA declares ceasefire, the mosque leaders will be invited or rather the MPs will visit your divine sanctuaries and the photo shoots will be instantly uploaded to their social media accounts. These will be cyber paraded to validate their diversity quota.
There is no moral high ground. Just toeing the party line to safeguard their coveted positions. This is why our democracy is in shambles when MPs refuse to listen to their constituents. Preserving their standing within the Party is a prime priority instead of having the courage to speak up internally in calling for a Ceasefire. The government narrative is detached from reality when visuals of the dead and innocents are broadcasted.
The public is then distracted by characters such as Suella Braverman (an ardent Zionist) who takes away the spotlight from the actual war crimes that Israel is committing. The focus turns to other matters vis-à-vis hate marches or homeless tents – nice distraction. This is the usual modus operandi and how deviating from the party line (speaking out against Israel) are suppressed. By cunningly conflating peaceful protests that are calling for Ceasefire with such colourful moniker as ‘Hate march’ is a deliberate tactic to shape the public discourse.
I also agree entirely that the Politicians are sowing the seed for community disharmony by using deliberate inflammatory language that will have strategic consequences for our communities. These politicians will be a relic of history by then and couldn’t care less other than winning their seat in the next general election or the next promotion. We will pick up the pieces, just like we did when Tony Newman, Simon Hall, Paul Scott & Co bankrupted the council and we saw record rises in our council tax and dismembering of key frontline services – any accountability? No Instead we have the leftover clique in the shape of Bonner-Henson pushing for Bodmer’s selection to retain quasi-control and maintain Reed’s hegemony.
It gives me no pleasure in spending my Sunday afternoon commenting on this article. For the record, The Royal British Legion had fully endorsed the Peace March for Palestine that my family and friends attended.
Thank you Inside Croydon for this article. You have earned my respect for community journalism and impelled me to part with my comment.
I woke up this morning to the news that every single patient in the ICU unit in Ash-Shifa Hospital in Gaza has died due to an outage of electricity and oxygen. How utterly devastating and totally avoidable if MPs like you had voted for a ceasefire. Shame on you.
Where is Sarah Jones MP on this? I am waiting for a response that I emailed 2 weeks ago. My daughter at Ark Oval Academy will be delivering 4 letters from her and her year 9 class mates to her to request for a call to ceasefire. Next time you plan to visit one of these Croydon MPs, please do let us know in advance. A few mothers and their kids would like to go and tell them what for. What do we need to do to get our voices heard? As a nurse in NHS and GMB member, I am also disappointed that my union is not too vocal on calling for a ceasefire. We need to stop the killing now. Do the right thing and call for a ceasefire now.
Steve Reed – Unless you have visual impairment, I am sure you are watching the death toll is mounting hourly and Palestinians in Gaza are facing a humanitarian catastrophe with the worst likely yet to come. You must act now to save Palestinian lives. If you have an iota of humanity and compassion then you would call for a ceasefire. Therefore. . . . .
I condemn the inhuman and illegal attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians and the holding of civilian hostages.
I condemn Israel’s retaliatory attacks, using the force of its powerful military indiscriminately against the trapped Palestinian civilian population.
I condemn the collective punishment by Israel of the civilian population of Gaza. This is forbidden under international law.
I condemn the indiscriminate heavy bombardment of the Gaza Strip, and the cutting off of energy, food, medical and water supplies which amplifies the daily suffering of a trapped population that has already endured extreme hardship through years of Israeli blockade.
I condemn deliberately targeting civilians, carrying out disproportionate attacks, and indiscriminate attacks which kill or injure civilians are war crimes.
The root causes of the repeated cycles of violence must be addressed as a matter of urgency. This requires upholding international law and ending Israel’s 16-year-long illegal blockade on Gaza, and all other aspects of Israel’s system of apartheid imposed on all Palestinians.
The number of casualties is rising as the violence continues, and it is once again civilians paying the price for the failure to end the occupation and the cycle of violence it facilitates.
The international community has failed to hold Israel to account for its decades-long violations of international law. The cycle of violence must stop, Israel’s illegal occupation must end, and the rights of all people must be respected.
Steve, the Zionist sponsorship is not worth it. It has clearly bought your silence and loyalty over your constituents. I wish we still had Keith Hill or Malcolm Wicks with us. Both were always available to hear our point of view. You are acting like an absentee landlord and I urge you to reform your behaviour. Break rank and please speak up.
One tweet for the Palestinian suffering or a call for CEASEFIRE?
It’s disheartening to witness the evident disconnect between the community and Steve Reed. The lack of responsiveness and perceived negligence on critical matters raises legitimate concerns about effective representation. The call for a ceasefire and questions about accountability strike at the core of citizens’ expectations from their elected officials. In times of international conflict, the need for transparent communication and genuine engagement becomes even more crucial. It’s a reminder of the delicate balance politicians must navigate to uphold both global and local responsibilities. Constructive dialogue and proactive measures are essential to rebuild trust and ensure that the community’s concerns are genuinely heard and addressed.
This whole situation with Steve Reed is beyond infuriating. It’s mind-boggling that a supposed representative can turn a blind eye to the desperate pleas for accountability and a ceasefire. The sheer arrogance and disregard for constituents are sickening. How can someone elected to serve just blatantly ignore the pressing issues that matter to the very people who put them in power?
Steve Reed’s silence on vital matters and apparent indifference to the community’s concerns is a slap in the face. It’s a betrayal of trust and an insult to the very essence of democracy. The demand for a ceasefire is not a mere suggestion; it’s a cry for humanity in the face of a crisis. And yet, Reed seems content with staying silent and avoiding any form of responsibility.
The anger resonating from these comments is entirely justified. The community deserves better – it deserves a representative who acts with urgency, empathy, and a genuine commitment to the well-being of those they are supposed to serve. Reed’s behavior is nothing short of infuriating, and the people of Croydon have every right to express their frustration and demand better from someone who claims to represent them.
It’s a simple enough question.
“Members would be keen to understand why you feel that the killing of 10,328 Palestinians, including 4,237 children, can be justified as part of Israel’s self-defence.”
Please update and re-deliver your letter to Steve Reed as the Gaza death toll reached 11,240, including 4,630 children as of 13.11.2023!
A THOUSAND PLUS more killed since you attended Steve’s office last week. Still no CEASEFIRE? it is a SHAME on Labour and Steve Reed!
Shout to all the fams who stood up for Palestinians. . .
It’s all about the Benjamin$ baby. . .
Now, what y’all want to do
Want to be ballers, callers, brawlers
or up Labour Zionists crawlers
Reed nobody’s hero, but I want to be heard
On your Inside Croydon, that’s my word
Swimming with money bags with they own condominiums
Nine to Five, who drive genocidal millenniums
I’m with Mo’ sippers, watched by gold diggers
Rocking bombs on Palestinians with gold zippers
Lost your touch we kept ours,
Enormous dream, for my team
So while you sleep I’m a scheme
We see through, that’s why nobody never going to believe you
You should do what AIPAC do, stack chips like Tony Chinn do
Don’t let the innocent Palestinians intrigue you
Because worshipping Benjys will only please you
Nuff Respect 4 PALESTINE
STEVE REED DO DA RITE TING
DJ in the hood
Dr Ansari, I sincerely respect your perspective and I am committed to supporting it. However, I’d like to question your stance and how would visiting Steve Reed office change anything or would genuinely benefit the people in Palestine. I harbor reservations, as I doubt the likelihood of UK openly opposing Israel or even Labour MPs calling for a ceasefire. History has shown that any Member of Parliament daring to express their opposition to Israel will face severe consequences, potentially jeopardising their parliamentary career. It raises important questions about the practical impact your position might have on addressing the concerns in Gaza. I dont think that Steve Reed or Sarah Jones will suddenly change their positions and will withstand all pressure from their constituents. They will only call for a pause when given green light by Starmer. The leadership of Labour will only call for a pause once they are given the signal from their rich donors. This is the first time after Blair that trade unions are sidelined. New Neo-Labour wants to count on big donors and not union contributions that come with conditions. We are living in dangerous times where our democracy is totally hijacked by a few rich donors. You are fighting a losing battle.
The parliamentary vote to ascertain if Labour MPs call for a full ceasefire is tomorrow!
Sarah Jones MP is unlikely to vote for a ceasefire. A quick peek in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests revealed some interesting findings. Sarah Jones was recipient of the following:
Name of donor: The Antisemitism Policy Trust
Address of donor: BM 5369, London WC1N 3XX
Estimate of the probable value (or amount of any donation): Flight and travel costs (£1,410) and accommodation and food (£1,350); total value £2,760
Destination of visit: Washington and New York
Dates of visit: 7-12 December 2022
Purpose of visit: Delegation of MPs with the APPG Against Antisemitism for meetings with Members of Congress, Senators, Jewish groups, civil society and officials regarding countering antisemitism.
(Registered 28 December 2022)
Name of donor: The Antisemitism Policy Trust
Address of donor: BM 5369, London WC1N 3XX
Estimate of the probable value (or amount of any donation): Eurostar (£393), taxis (£5), accommodation (£591) and ground costs (£50), total value £1,039
Destination of visit: Brussels
Dates of visit: 26-28 June 2023
Purpose of visit: Delegation of MPs with the APPG Against Antisemitism to visit Brussels for a conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Taskforce to Combat Antisemitism Online.
(Registered 30 June 2023)
The CEO of The Antisemitism Policy Trust, Danny Stone is prolific in defending Israel on twitter as of late. He has been retweeting propaganda from such questionable right wing sources as Visegrád 24. Visegrád 24 Twitter account pretends to be a news agency, but just repackages material with a Pro-Zionist spin from questionable funding sources. Sarah Jones MP is also the vice-chair of The APPG Against Antisemitism (I wholly appreciate her contribution to such a worthy cause). There could be a plausible reason as to why there is reticence on part of Sarah Jones MP in highlighting the plight of Palestinians. I am sure her “educational trips” educated her well insofar as not being potentially labelled as an Anti-Semite by virtue of NOT speaking out against the Israeli war crimes. Has she not learnt anything from the Holocaust or the Genocide of Jews? Is it not true that Israel is committing war crimes by bombing innocent children, shutting down power to hospitals, denying basic human rights, indulging in collective punishment in Gaza’s ghetto? Has she not paid attention to UN repeated pleas for humanitarian ceasefire. You can simultaneously denounce Anti-semitsm and be a critic of the Israeli Apartheid regime (for the record Sarah Jones MP).
Your readers deserve to know as to why despite carrying a sizable pro-ceasefire vote bank, Sarah Jones MP deems fit to go on overseas “educational” trips yet cannot make time for local constituents to be educated on the Israeli apartheid regime and the current genocide.