A Particular Moment In Time

And so was saved the skin of Lucy Powell. At Prime Minister's Questions, Kemi Badenoch never even mentioned it. She could have worked it in about the Winter Fuel Payment or whatever. But now no one is talking about it anymore. Powell survives to trumpet on.

Nor did anyone ask Keir Starmer why he had never even replied to a letter on 24 March, so nothing to do with the local elections whatever Patrick Christys may think, from seven MPs and six Peers, with five of the former and two of the latter Privy Counsellors, and, if it matters, only one of the 13 a Muslim. That letter, calling for immediate British recognition of Palestine, has been made public the day after an eighth MP stood up in the House of Commons and told it:

Israel is an important security, trade and democratic partner, but that does not give it a blank cheque. The fact is that 13,000 children have been killed and 25,000 have been injured, maimed or wounded—some of them have been orphaned. I have been in this House for 20 years, and for many years I have supported Israel—pretty much at all costs, quite frankly—but today I say that I got it wrong. I condemn Israel for what it is doing to the Palestinian people in Gaza and the west bank. I withdraw my support right now for the actions of Israel and what it is doing right now in Gaza. Of course the hostages should be released, of course Israel has a right to exist, and of course Israeli and Jewish people should have the right to live in peace, but so do the Palestinian people. I have said it before, and I will say it again: the life of a Palestinian child is as precious as the life of a Jewish child.

This is a particular moment in time. We have had lots of statements over the past 18 months. Not only is this not Parliament’s greatest hour, but I am really concerned that this is a moment in history on which people will look back and in which we have got it wrong as a country. Will the Minister stand up to our friends and allies in the United States and make a strong stand for humanity, for us to be on the right side of history and for having the moral courage to lead, not just to follow the United States, and to make a difference? That is why we are all elected here. Let us stand up for life. Let us stand up for all children, not just Jewish children.

Any Labour MP who said that would certainly lose the Whip, and probably be expelled from the Labour Party. But this was Mark Pritchard, like all of the 13 a Conservative. The knives may be out for Badenoch. But that should give no heart to Robert Jenrick.