For immediate release:

LOCAL MSP BACKS CALLS FOR GAZA CEASEFIRE

Rutherglen’s MSP has added her voice to the growing calls for a ceasefire in Gaza to allow a humanitarian corridor to open.

Clare Haughey MSP has joined the likes of the First Minister, the SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, the United Nations’ Secretary General, António Guterres, the President of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and over a quarter of Labour MP’s who are urging parties involved in the conflict to agree to a ceasefire.

More than 8,000 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis are reported to have been killed since Hamas’ terrorist attack on October 7.

The charity, Save the Children, has estimated that the number of children reported killed in Gaza over the past three weeks has surpassed the annual number of children killed in armed conflict globally in each of the past three years.

A YouGov poll shows 76% of the British public support a ceasefire.

So far, the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the leader of the Labour Party Sir Keir Starmer have refused to call for a ceasefire. Rutherglen MP Michael Shanks has rejected calls for a ceasefire too.

Commenting, Ms Haughey said:

“The scenes in the Middle East over the past couple of weeks have been devastating and horrifying.

“My inbox has been overwhelmed by constituents who are outraged at both Hamas and the Israeli authorities. In almost all of the emails I’ve received, there are three repeated calls from Rutherglen and Cambuslang residents: the safe release of all hostages held by Hamas; the implementation of a humanitarian corridor to be created to allow food, fuel, water and medical supplies into Gaza; and an immediate ceasefire.

“I am fully supportive of these asks.

“A humanitarian pause rather than a full ceasefire, as advocated by the Prime Minister and Sir Keir Starmer, will only temporarily stop the killing of children – over 3,000 have already reportedly been killed in Gaza.

“People expect politicians to stand up for their views and show moral responsibility – that can only be done by calling for a ceasefire. Anything less would be an acceptance that thousands more civilians, including children, will be killed.”

ENDS