Starmer admits Labour ‘didn’t win all the seats we wanted’ but vows to ‘fight to win back votes’ as Muslim support falls

4 May 2024, 11:12 | Updated: 4 May 2024, 13:26

By Kieran Kelly

@kellyjourno

Keir Starmer has said Labour will "fight to win back votes" as support falls for the party in areas with a high Muslim population.

Asked by LBC's reporter in Mansfield how Labour will reconnect with Muslim communities, the Labour leader said: “The first thing to say is we’ve had a fantastic set of results across the country.”

He went on: “There are some places where we haven’t got all the votes that we wanted and of course, it’s our job to turn that around and win those votes. I am determined to that we will do so.

“But overall, this is the last stop before the general election.”

Pressed on the specific question of reconnecting with Muslim communities, Sir Keir said: “Wherever we haven’t got the votes where we’d have like to have got, we will fight to get those back.

“But I don’t think that takes away from the overall picture for all the elections that we had.”

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Read More: Labour hails local election wins but Sunak says public will 'stick with' Tories at general election despite poor results

Labour won key councils in Redditch, Thurrock, Hartlepool, and Rushmore, as the Tories lost control of ten councils and more than 400 councillors.

The local election results are widely seen as a major triumph for the Labour Party ahead of the upcoming election.

However, there is concern over the potential 'collapse' of the Labour Party's Muslim vote.

Analysis suggests that areas with a Muslim population above 20% saw Labour lose around 18 per cent of their vote share, leading to the loss of some councils, including Oldham in Greater Manchester.

Keir Starmer joins Nick Ferrari at Breakfast | Watch Again

Support for Labour in Muslim communities has been dropping due to Sir Keir's position on the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari in October, Sir Keir told the presenter that Israel 'has the right' to withhold power and water from Gaza.

Speaking to Nick Ferrari from the Labour Party conference in October, Sir Keir told LBC: “Hamas’ actions are terrorism and Israel has the right to defend herself.

“Israel has the right to do everything it can to get those hostages back safe and sound. Hamas bears responsibility,” he added.

He said the world has “obviously” witnessed terrorist acts carried out by Hamas.He also said “Israel has the right” to withhold power and water from Palestinian civilians.

“Obviously, everything should be done within international law," he added.

“I’d call on all responsible states to call this out for what it is in utterly condemning these actions from Hamas,” he added.