Angela Rayner has been filmed promising that Labour will do everything in its power to end the suffering in Gaza, as the party tries to win back the Muslim vote.
In a video circulating on social media, the deputy Labour leader could be seen pleading for the support of voters who may be frustrated with the party’s stance on the war with Israel.
The issue has proved extremely divisive for Labour, with evidence that Muslim voters have started deserting the party in protest at what is seen by some as a soft-touch approach to the conflict.
In the footage, which is believed to have been filmed in Ms Rayner’s Ashton-under-Lyne constituency, the deputy Labour leader said she would resign as an MP if it could bring about a ceasefire.
She then admitted to having no power to stop the fighting at the moment, adding that Labour’s influence would be “limited” if it got into office.
Addressing a room of people, Ms Rayner said: “I know that people are angry about what’s happening in the Middle East… If me resigning as an MP now would bring a ceasefire, I would do it. I would do it. If I could affect change…”
But she said this is not “in my gift” owing to a “failure of the international community”.
’Labour will recognise Palestine’
The remarks were first reported by the political blog Guido Fawkes, which said it obtained the leaked tape from a meeting in Ashton-under-Lyne.
Claiming she worked “day and night” to get three British doctors out of Rafah and that she is now trying to get aid into the enclave, Ms Rayner said: “I promise you, the Labour Party, including myself, is doing everything we can, because nobody wants to see what’s happening.
“And only last week, the Labour Party were supporting the ICC, the Conservatives didn’t support the ICC, so with this general election on that issue, we can’t affect anything when we’re not in government.
“And I’ll be honest with you, if Labour get into government, we are limited. I will be honest. I’m not going to promise you… because Biden, who’s the US, who has way more influence, has only got limited influence in that.
“And Qatar, Saudi Arabia, all of these people, we are all working to stop what’s happening at the moment, we want to see that. So I promise you, that’s what we want to see.”
She also said Labour would recognise Palestine as a state if it were elected.
“If Labour get into power, we will recognise Palestine. I will push not only to recognise… there is nothing to recognise at the moment, sadly, it’s decimated,” she said.
“We have to rebuild Palestine, we have to rebuild Gaza, that takes more than just recognising it.”
Labour has previously said it will work towards recognising Palestine as a state if it wins power, after Spain, Ireland and Norway announced a decision to change its diplomatic status.
David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, said it would be “preferable” if British recognition was part of a two-state solution bringing peace to the Middle East.
Analysis by The Telegraph has found Labour’s support plummeted at the local elections in areas with a high Muslim population, including Oldham in Greater Manchester, where the party lost control of the council in a shock defeat.
In the West Midlands mayoral race, where Labour’s Richard Parker beat incumbent Andy Street by a wafer-thin margin, Akhmed Yakoob, an independent backed by George Galloway, syphoned off nearly 70,000 votes.
Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, addressed the issue after the result, stressing that he was determined to win back the trust of those who had snubbed his party as a result of his approach to the Gaza war.
But pressed repeatedly on what concrete pledges he would make, he has remained non-committal.