On a rainy afternoon in London, outside the imposing gates of Downing Street, a crowd gathers, their pots and pans clanging in a somber rhythm. The metallic clatter is not a celebration but a haunting tribute to the tens of thousands of Palestinians who have perished in Gaza, many while queuing for scarce food supplies amid Israel’s relentless blockade. The demonstration, captured in a poignant photograph by Wiktor Szymanowicz on July 25, 2025, is one of countless protests that have erupted across the United Kingdom over the past two years. These gatherings, fueled by moral outrage and a demand for justice, are no longer just expressions of solidarity with a distant conflict—they are reshaping the very fabric of British politics.
Israel’s war in Gaza, now in its third year, has transcended its origins as a foreign policy issue to become a seismic force in British domestic politics. The conflict, which has claimed the lives of nearly 67,200 Palestinians—predominantly women and children—and wounded close to 170,000, according to Palestinian authorities and verified by the United Nations, has ignited a firestorm of activism and political realignment in the UK. A UN independent commission of inquiry concluded in September 2025 that Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute genocide, a finding that has amplified global condemnation and intensified domestic pressure on the British government. The blockade and siege, which have triggered a famine killing over 450 Palestinians, including 150 children, have further galvanized public sentiment.
This article explores how the Gaza crisis has become a catalyst for political transformation in Britain, cutting across party lines, empowering grassroots movements, and challenging the traditional dominance of Labour and the Conservatives. From the rise of independent candidates to the growing influence of far-right parties and the fragmentation of the left, the war in Gaza is redrawing Britain’s political map in ways that could define the next decade.
A Catalyst for Change: The Political Awakening
For Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour Party leader and a lifelong advocate for Palestinian rights, the Gaza crisis has been a transformative force in British politics. Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Corbyn described the situation as “a massive effect on British politics in a way that nobody would have predicted five or ten years ago.” His words carry the weight of decades spent campaigning for Palestinian statehood, often on the fringes of mainstream politics. Today, however, the issue has moved from the margins to the center of public discourse.
Corbyn points to the general election of July 2024 as a pivotal moment. Both Labour, under Keir Starmer, and the Conservative Party failed to unequivocally call for a ceasefire in Gaza when the conflict escalated, a decision that alienated significant portions of their voter bases. “It shaped the election results last year because of the failure of Labour and the Tories to effectively call for a ceasefire when they could, and they should have done,” Corbyn said. This misstep, he argues, cost both parties dearly, as voters turned to independent candidates and smaller parties to express their frustration.
The public’s response has been nothing short of extraordinary. Over the past two years, Corbyn estimates that more than 2 million people have participated in protests across the UK, from small community vigils to massive national marches. On October 11, 2025, another major demonstration is planned, expected to draw thousands to London in support of Palestinian rights. These protests are not merely symbolic; they represent a burgeoning political force that is challenging the status quo. “We’ve now had 30 national protests,” Corbyn noted. “It’s become a sort of political force of their own.”
The moral outrage over Gaza extends beyond Britain’s borders, influencing political movements across Europe. “The injustice to the Palestinian people and the horrors of the genocide and the killing have actually become a catalyst for political change—not just in Britain, but in France, in Germany, and Italy,” Corbyn said. He highlighted a general strike in Italy in support of Palestinian workers as evidence of this transnational solidarity. “Would that have happened five years ago? Would it have happened ten years ago?” he asked, underscoring the unprecedented nature of the moment.
Complicity and Collapse: The Labour Government’s Crisis
The Labour government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has faced mounting criticism for its response to the Gaza crisis. For many, Labour’s reluctance to take a strong stance against Israel’s actions has been a betrayal of its progressive roots. Humza Yousaf, Scotland’s former First Minister and a prominent voice in British politics, has been particularly scathing in his assessment. “I think the UK government’s response has been pathetic when it comes to Gaza,” Yousaf told Anadolu. “I think the UK government has been complicit in the genocide in Gaza. They’ve supplied arms to Israel. The RAF have done spy flights over Gaza to give intelligence to the Government of Israel. They’ve trained Israeli soldiers—the British—so they are steeped in complicity.”
Yousaf’s accusations are rooted in documented actions by the British government. The UK has continued to export arms to Israel, despite growing calls from human rights organizations to halt such sales. Reports of Royal Air Force surveillance flights over Gaza, providing intelligence to Israel, have further fueled accusations of complicity. These policies have not only strained Labour’s relationship with its traditional voter base but also exposed deep divisions within the party itself.
The political fallout has been significant. Polls conducted in early October 2025 show Labour trailing behind the far-right Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage, whose populist rhetoric has gained traction amid widespread disillusionment with the establishment. Starmer’s approval ratings have plummeted to historic lows, making him one of the least popular prime ministers in recent memory. His appeals for voters to unite against the far right have fallen flat, as public anger over Gaza continues to grow.
Yousaf warns that Labour’s collapse could have unintended consequences. “Will that change the political makeup? Will it change the government? I’m not sure,” he said. “But I certainly know that the UK Labour Party—the support for the UK Labour Party—is collapsing entirely.” His concern is that the vacuum left by Labour’s decline could be filled by Reform UK, a party with a history of anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric. “My worry is that if that collapses, Reform will come to become the next party of government, and they are, of course, driven by a man who has made statements against Muslims for many, many years,” Yousaf added.
Fragmentation on the Left: A Missed Opportunity?
The Gaza crisis has not only exposed Labour’s vulnerabilities but also highlighted the fragmentation of Britain’s left-wing movements. Jeremy Corbyn, now an independent MP after being expelled from Labour, has joined forces with other progressive figures, such as MP Zarah Sultana, to form a new political movement. However, this initiative has struggled to gain traction, hampered by infighting and a lack of cohesion. Yousaf was blunt in his assessment: “It seems Your Party has collapsed before it’s even launched. The problem with so many parties on the left is they cannot stop fighting each other, and there’s a much bigger problem to tackle that we have to come together—and that is the rise of the far right.”
This fragmentation is a source of frustration for activists who see the Gaza crisis as an opportunity to unite the left around a shared cause. The moral clarity of the issue—Israel’s actions in Gaza have been widely condemned as violations of international law—has the potential to galvanize a broad coalition of progressives, from anti-war activists to human rights advocates. Yet, as Yousaf noted, internal divisions risk undermining this potential.
John Rees, national officer of the Stop the War Coalition, believes that the coming months could be a turning point. “I think whatever happens in the coming few weeks, I think we need to stand back and think what’s going to happen at next May’s set of elections,” he said. The local elections scheduled for May 2026 will be a critical test for both Labour and the emerging left-wing movements. Rees predicts that public anger with the Starmer government will intensify, creating an opening for alternative political forces.
“Millions of people will go to the polls. They will be very angry with the government, and they won’t want to vote for Keir Starmer,” Rees continued. “They will be distressed at the far-right chauvinism of Farage and indeed of the current Tory party, and they will be looking for an alternative.” He points to the success of independent candidates in the 2024 general election as evidence of this shift. Despite limited resources and organization, five independent MPs were elected, many on platforms explicitly supporting Palestinian rights. “Even if it’s weaker than we would want it to be, even if it’s more argumentative than we would want it to be, it will be more successful at the next set of elections than it was when a relatively unorganized group of people stood in all sorts of different campaigns,” Rees said.
The Broader European Context
The political reverberations of the Gaza crisis are not confined to Britain. Across Europe, the conflict has sparked similar movements, challenging governments and reshaping political landscapes. In France, protests against Israel’s actions have drawn tens of thousands, with left-wing parties like La France Insoumise gaining support among younger voters disillusioned with President Emmanuel Macron’s equivocal stance. In Germany, the government’s steadfast support for Israel has clashed with growing public sympathy for Palestinians, particularly among immigrant communities and progressive activists. Italy, as Corbyn noted, saw an unprecedented general strike in support of Palestinian workers—a rare display of labor solidarity with an international cause.
These movements share a common thread: a rejection of Western governments’ complicity in Israel’s actions and a demand for accountability. The Gaza crisis has become a litmus test for political integrity, exposing the contradictions of leaders who champion human rights while supporting or tolerating policies that enable mass suffering. In Britain, this tension is particularly acute, given the country’s historical role in the creation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the Balfour Declaration of 1917.
The British government’s continued arms sales to Israel, valued at hundreds of millions of pounds annually, have become a focal point for critics. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have called for an immediate suspension of these exports, citing evidence that British-made weapons have been used in violations of international humanitarian law. The RAF’s surveillance flights over Gaza, first reported in 2024, have further inflamed public opinion, with activists accusing the government of directly aiding Israel’s military campaign.
The Grassroots Surge: A New Political Force
At the heart of this political upheaval is a grassroots movement that has grown in scale and sophistication over the past two years. The protests, which have drawn millions to the streets, are not just spontaneous outbursts of anger but carefully organized campaigns that have sustained momentum despite government efforts to restrict public demonstrations. In 2024, the UK introduced new public order laws that critics argue were designed to suppress pro-Palestinian protests, including restrictions on marches and the use of public spaces. Yet, these measures have only deepened public resolve.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), one of the leading organizers of these protests, has reported a surge in membership and donations since the war began. Local branches of the PSC have sprung up in towns and cities across the UK, from Bristol to Birmingham to Glasgow. These groups have not only mobilized protests but also engaged in direct action, such as boycotts of companies with ties to Israel and campaigns to pressure local councils to divest from Israeli-linked investments.
The movement’s diversity is one of its strengths. It includes students, trade unionists, faith groups, and ethnic minorities, united by a shared commitment to justice. Muslim communities, in particular, have played a central role, with mosques and community centers serving as hubs for organizing and education. This has led to accusations from some right-wing commentators that the protests are driven by “Islamist” agendas, a claim that activists dismiss as a tactic to delegitimize their cause.
The impact of this grassroots surge is already visible in electoral outcomes. In the 2024 general election, independent candidates running on pro-Palestinian platforms won seats in constituencies with significant Muslim populations, such as Blackburn and Dewsbury. These victories, though small in number, sent a powerful message to the political establishment: voters are willing to break with traditional party loyalties over the Gaza issue.
The Far-Right Threat
As Labour’s support erodes and the left struggles to unify, the far-right Reform UK party has capitalized on the political vacuum. Led by Nigel Farage, a polarizing figure known for his anti-immigrant rhetoric and Euroskepticism, Reform UK has surged in the polls, overtaking Labour in some surveys. Farage’s ability to tap into public discontent, particularly among working-class voters disillusioned with both Labour and the Conservatives, has made him a formidable force.
The rise of Reform UK is particularly concerning for activists like Yousaf, who see parallels with the far-right movements gaining ground across Europe. In France, Marine Le Pen’s National Rally has made significant gains, while in Germany, the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) has capitalized on anti-immigrant sentiment. The Gaza crisis, while not directly tied to these movements, has created a broader climate of polarization that far-right parties have exploited.
Farage’s rhetoric, which often frames Muslim communities as a threat to British values, has resonated with a segment of the electorate wary of the growing visibility of pro-Palestinian activism. This has led to a dangerous conflation of support for Palestine with extremism, a narrative that risks further marginalizing Muslim and minority communities.
Looking Ahead: The 2026 Local Elections
As the Gaza crisis continues to dominate headlines, all eyes are on the local elections scheduled for May 2026. These elections will be a crucial barometer of public sentiment and a test of whether the political shifts sparked by the war can translate into lasting change. For Labour, the stakes are high. A poor performance could further weaken Starmer’s leadership and embolden his critics within the party. For the left, the challenge is to overcome internal divisions and present a united front capable of challenging both Labour and the far right.
Rees remains cautiously optimistic. “The anger with the Keir Starmer government will be much greater than any of the rows in your party, the anger over Palestine will be much greater than any of the arguments in the new party,” he said. He believes that the grassroots momentum built over the past two years can be harnessed to create a viable alternative, even if it takes time to coalesce.
Corbyn, too, sees the potential for a new political alignment. “Gaza has had a massive effect on British politics,” he reiterated. “It’s created a space for people to come together, to demand justice, and to challenge the complicity of their governments.” Whether this space can be filled by a cohesive movement remains an open question, but the urgency of the moment is undeniable.
Conclusion: A Moment of Reckoning
The war in Gaza, now stretching into its third year, has done more than expose the horrors of conflict—it has revealed the fault lines in British politics. From the streets of London to the polling stations of Scotland, the crisis has galvanized a generation of activists, fractured traditional party loyalties, and given rise to new political possibilities. Yet, it has also deepened divisions, fueling the rise of far-right forces and exposing the fragility of the progressive left.
As Britain approaches the 2026 local elections, the Gaza issue will continue to loom large, shaping debates, mobilizing voters, and challenging leaders to confront their moral and political responsibilities. For now, the pots and pans outside Downing Street serve as a reminder: the cries for justice in Gaza are echoing far beyond its borders, reshaping the political landscape in ways that will resonate for years to come.
