An Open Letter to Chorley Borough Council

Second Open Letter on Gaza, 30 January 2024

Dear Cllrs. Bradley and Gee,

On behalf of our members I would like to welcome the statement from the Labour group of Councillors that calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza (23rd January 2024). Your letter provides some useful clarity on the Labour group’s support for community organisations campaigning on and providing solidarity to Gaza. We look forward to working with you on that matter.

However, we have yet to see a statement from Chorley Borough Council calling for an immediate ceasefire. Whilst the support of the Labour group is to be welcomed, the Council is the democratic and representative body of the people of Chorley and we would call on the Council to discuss this matter with immediacy.

Furthermore, the Labour statement does not make it clear that what we are witnessing in Gaza is genocide. The recent ICJ ruling on the South African case brought against the state of Israel makes it clear that the ICJ is concerned that the massacre currently taking place in Gaza is genocide. Indeed, the ruling preliminary ruling states clearly that the “state of Israel has breached and continues to breach its obligations under the Genocide Convention.” We would expect both the Labour group and the Council to reflect this in their public statements.

While you are right to say that we, in Chorley, can have a limited ability to impact the situation on the ground, it is also very true that our public solidarity can be important to those currently living under the shadow of genocide in Gaza. Just as South Africans took heart from international solidarity in the struggle against apartheid there, Palestinians can take heart that people around the world recognise the crime being perpetrated against them and did all they could, however little, to prevent it. We look forward to working with you to express this solidarity and working to prevent genocide.

Solidarity,

Andy Cunningham

Secretary, Chorley Trades Union Council

A Response from the majority Labour group on Chorley Borough Council, 23 January 2024

Further to your e-mail below we note the concerns raised by your members and we respond on behalf of Chorley Labour Group of Councillors as the Group discussed both your e-mail and the wider issues at our Group meeting held on 22/1/24.

Firstly, we have attached an e-mail sent to Muslim Community representatives in Chorley following meetings before Christmas and this position which has now been endorsed and expanded by the wider Labour Group probably answers a number of your members requests and concerns.

• The Labour Group is therefore happy to publish a statement stating the following:

• That we are appalled by the scale of death, destruction and suffering in Gaza as we were equally appalled by the actions of Hamas in their attacks of 7th October 2023.

• We note that whilst Israel has a right to defend itself it must abide by international law.

• Given the huge loss of life and suffering of innocent civilians, we believe the military action needs to stop immediately and we need to have a ceasefire in order to facilitate negotiations for the return of hostages, allow aid to be accessed where it is needed and set out a framework for negotiations for a peaceful solution.

• The current violence and history of conflict underpins the real and urgent need for renewed efforts for a permanent peace settlement based on a two-state solution, an end to settler violence and illegal settlement in the West Bank, in line with previous UN resolutions and the statement by Kier Starmer on 22nd December 2023 which you can read here https://labour.org.uk/updates/press-releases/keir-starmer-statement-on-un-security-council-approving-a-resolution-on-gaza/

• The UK Labour Party should continue to promote this message amongst political leaders and support efforts amongst the international community to end the current conflict and focus on a permanent peace settlement.

• The Leader of the Council will write to both Rishi Sunak and Kier Starmer to state the position of our Group and encourage the adoption of the above as UK government policy.

• We will maintain liaison with our MP Sir Lindsay Hoyle via the Council Leader to ensure he continues to be aware of the above position and also write to Katherine Fletcher MP whose constituency covers part of Chorley to also make the points to her and request similar support.

To address some of your other points:

• We would be happy to propose and seek to ensure that Chorley Council supports solidarity with the people of Gaza in a similar manner to that which as you highlight, was undertaken for those impacted by the war in Ukraine.

• In response to the Ukrainian situation the Council supported community groups who sought to supply aid to Ukraine. The Council has not directly organised aid or provided funding. We have also not had any similar requests to date from groups regarding Gaza, although I believe there is some similar activity taking place within our communities.

• The Council has already liaised with action groups to co-ordinate demonstrations and action in the borough aimed at publicising the plight of the innocent civilians in Gaza.

I trust that the above is in line with what you request within your letter, and we will endeavour to continue to both engage and fully understand the views of all Chorley residents with regards to the terrible current situation, even though as we have previously highlighted, Chorley has a somewhat limited ability to obtain significant impact given our remoteness from events on the ground.

Regards

Alistair                                                                                                      Danny

Cllr Alistair Bradley                                                         &  Cllr Danny Gee

Executive Leader Chorley Council          Chair of Chorley Labour Group of Cllrs