Stop the War coalition Newsletter 09/05/25
Posted: 12th May 2025
Newsletter – 09/05/25
The platitudes of ‘never again’ heard around VE Day celebrations only underlie the gross hypocrisy of our political elites. Starmer used his VE Day speech to commit to the ‘largest sustained increase since the Cold War’ for defence spending and failed to acknowledge the genocide happening in front of our eyes.
But the unity is fracturing and support for Israel’s genocide crumbling. Both in the media, with the Financial Times editorial calling out ‘The west’s shameful silence on Gaza’, and in parliament.
Back-bench Tories and longtime supporters of Israel are saying ‘enough is enough’, while 36 members of the Board of Deputies of British Jews have denounced Israel’s unilateral breach of the ceasefire.
These divisions are both due to the horrors taking place in Gaza with the deliberate starvation and massacre of millions, and the impact of our mass movement. As Andrew Murray said this week, ‘Keir Starmer’s backing for Netanyahu is under increasing pressure’ and it is up to us to widen and deepen these fissures, to redouble our efforts and force the government to change course.
Thursday’s emergency protest at the BBC saw hundreds on the streets at a moment’s notice. We now need to ensure next Saturday is as big as possible.
Organise now get leafleting (contact the office for leaflets), book coaches, arrange travel, put on street stalls make sure everyone knows about 17 May Nakba march.
Expose Labour’s complicity. Join us on the streets.
A damning report published this week by the Palestinian Youth Movement, Progressive International and Workers for a Free Palestine revealed the extent of UK arms sales to Israel and the complicity of our government in the genocide.
The report found evidence that UK-Israel shipments of military goods, munitions and arms or arms parts has continued throughout Israel’s war on the Palestinians. Shipments of aircraft parts remained unchanged despite the official ban on direct F-35 component exports last September.
David Lammy’s suggestions in the House of Commons that UK exports to Israel are predominantly helmets and goggles and do not constitute arms or ammunition is a lie.
The report concludes ‘By the government’s own admission, this would put the government at ‘clear risk’ of enabling Israel’s violations of international law and therefore violating UK obligations under international law,’ and that ‘ministers have misled the public and parliament’.
They must not be allowed to get away with this. Join us on Saturday 17 May to make opposition to the government’s role in the horror of our age loud and clear.
Next week, on 15 May, is the Nakba Workplace Day of Action. Actions can be big or small. Use the report exposing UK arms sales to Israel in your unions and workplaces to help explain how complicit our government is in Israel’s genocide.
Actions can include wearing a Palestine badge to work, holding a lunchtime meeting or raising money for Gaza. Build for Saturday’s demo – more ideas of actions here and let us know so we can help publicise.
Defend the Right to Protest
Our rights are under attack. The policing of our demonstrations has been increasingly restrictive and the arrests and questioning of leading activists are unprecedented.
As part of our Defend the Right to Protest campaign, we will be demonstrating outside Scotland Yard, demanding our right to protest is protected and that the police drop their charges against peaceful Palestine protesters, including two leaders of the movement, Chris Nineham and Ben Jamal.
Join us - Wednesday 21 May, 6.30pm Scotland Yard, SW1A 2JL.
And if you haven’t already added your name to our letter writing campaign directed at the head of the Met Police, Sir Mark Rowley, then please do so today.
Get in touch with the office for copies of the postcards 5 Questions for Mark Rowley to hand out on stalls and at meetings.
No to Austerity – No to War
Welfare not Warfare
Let’s make the No More Austerity march and rally as big as possible. Do what you can to build it - petitions, street stalls, TU resolutions. The arguments cannot be more stark and the stakes could not be higher.
Join the Welfare not Warfare anti-war bloc on 7 June.
Shape of a Pocket
Ways of Seeing: War and Peace
Shape of a Pocket is a bi-annual event celebrating the world of John Berger. The next Shape of a Pocket is on Sunday 11 May, 4 – 6.30pm, Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Highgate London N6 4BD. All proceeds will go to StW.
There’s a fantastic line up of speakers, film, artists, musicians and performers including Amir Amirani with extracts of his 2003 film We Are Many, Anne Aylor reading from her novel on the Spanish Civil War, Sally Davies and Martina Schwarz vocals and accordion, Peter Kennard on Berger and art, poetry from Gilles Madan and Kevin Omosele, and an extract from Richard Bradbury’s new play Regarding Shelley.
Use code: WAYSOFSEEING! for a £5 reduction. Tickets here. All proceeds will go to StW.
This week’s anti-war briefing
