Councillors in Banbury argue over government approach to Palestine

Anger spilled over at the full meeting of Cherwell District Council last night (Monday) when the Green Party leader, Cllr Ian Middleton asked Labour councillors to hold the Government to account over its decisions over the genocide in Gaza.

In a motion brought to the meeting, the Labour group wanted to highlight increasing religious hate crime in the Banbury area.

The Labour motion asked the council to confirm its 'commitment to challenging discrimination, racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia and other forms of hatred and prejudice... in Cherwell'.

Trouble brewed during the debate that followed.

Mr Middleton demanded the Labour group explain the Labour government's action, allowing the supply of fighter jet parts to Israel and its lack of challenge of genocide in Gaza.

He said people protesting peacefully in solidarity with Palestinians and opposing genocide were still being arrested and imprisoned.

Mr Middleton echoed accusations of human rights groups, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Israeli group B'Tselem, that Israel has a policy of 'institutional racism' against Palestinians in the form of apartheid.

He asked why the Labour government continued to allow the supply of arms to a regime UNICEF had held responsible for the highest number of child amputees in the world and if, in the context of their motion opposing racism, the Cherwell Labour group would challenge its government on continued support for the Israeli regime.

The Labour group did not respond to Mr Middleton’s questions.

The motion was passed following a named vote where all councillors voted in favour apart from Reform UK members who voted against.

Following the meeting Labour group leader Cllr Rebecca Biegel said: "While Cllr Middleton is free to raise questions or his express views on government policy, it was disappointing that he chose to spend more time doing this last night than addressing the main point of the motion.

"Cllr (Dom) Vaitkus presented evidence of rising religious hate crime in our district and the urgent need for Cherwell District Council to reaffirm its commitment to challenge discrimination and stand up for local minority communities across Cherwell.

"Cllr Middleton could have reflected on his party’s recent conference motion and how this may fuel anti-semitism and so further add to religious hatred that is perpetrated against Jewish, Muslim, Black and minority communities in our district.

"The residents of Cherwell District are not immune to global events but Councillor Middleton would do better to concentrate on what he and other Cherwell councillors can practically do to support and protect our diverse community.

"I’m pleased that the majority of Cherwell Councillors, including Councillor Middleton, voted to pass this motion."

The Labour motion also called on the council to ‘affirm the value of meaningful engagement with Jewish, Muslim, Black and other minority communities in Cherwell, recognising the importance of their experiences and perspectives in strengthening community cohesion’ and to

‘encourage members to continue promoting respectful and inclusive participation in civic life and to challenge discrimination and hatred whenever it occurs’.