Heckled Hopes: Student Confronts Prime Minister Starmer Over Inaction on Gaza at Labour Conference

Protester accuses Starmer of ignoring Gaza crisis

Daniel Riley explains to Sky News his reasons for disrupting the prime minister's main address at the Labour Party gathering.

Political correspondent @NifS

Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at 7

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A student who interrupted Sir Keir Starmer's address at the Labour Party conference expressed to Sky News that the prime minister would do nothing to assist the people of Gaza during the clash with Israel.

Eighteen-year-old Daniel Riley from Jersey disrupted Sir Keir's address in Liverpool, voicing concerns about the "children of Gaza" before security escorted him out.

Sir Keir responded to the heckling with a sarcastic remark, stating, "This fellow must have gotten his pass from the 2019 conference," referring to the final yearly gathering under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.

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In his earlier remarks, the prime minister called for "calm and a reduction in tensions at the Lebanon-Israel border."

He reiterated: "I urge all involved to step away from the edge. I am calling once more for an immediate halt to hostilities in Gaza, the release of captives, and a renewed dedication to the two-state solution—an acknowledged Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israel."

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In a conversation with Sky News following the event, Mr. Riley, who became a party member in 2022 following Sir Keir's leadership takeover, mentioned that he hadn't intended to heckle but felt compelled to respond after hearing the prime minister's comments.

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"Listening to his speech on desiring a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon struck me as blatantly hypocritical, considering the ongoing shipment of British bombs and bullets currently being used there. The prime minister has the power to halt these actions immediately, yet he chooses not to," he stated.

"He desires an end to the situation, yet he refuses to take any action to halt it."

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Mr. Riley criticized Sir Keir and his team for their utter lack of response to the ongoing situation, describing it as "absolutely appalling." He demanded an immediate halt to all arms sales to Israel, rejecting mere superficial statements made to sympathetic audiences.

Earlier in the month, the administration declared a halt on certain military exports to Israel.

The student acknowledged that his conference pass had been canceled, but he was uncertain about being expelled from the gathering. Nonetheless, he commended the event's security measures, noting, "They needed to remove me swiftly, yet they were quite empathetic."

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