Keir Starmer will meet Israeli president Isaac Herzog as MPs express grave concern' at the visit UK politics live

"A senior executive at TikTok helped write the Labour manifesto while still working at the Chinese-owned technology company, he has said. James Lyons, who left his post as Keir Starmer's director strategic communications last week, wrote on LinkedIn that he was asked last year to help write the party's election pledges while he was still working for the social media platform. Kiran Stacey has the story here."

"Keir Starmer is today holding talks with Isaac Herzog, president of Israel, in Downing Street. The visit was highly contentious even before Israel bombed Qatar in a targeted strike aimed at Hamas officials. More than 60 parliamentarians, including Labour MPs, SNP MPs, Greens and independents, have signed a letter to Starmer expressing grave concern at the visit because, even though the presidency in Israel is largely a ceremonial post, Herzog's past comments and actions have been cited as support for the case."

"President Herzog has been complicit while the Israeli government has engaged in an ongoing genocide in Gaza. Everyone involved should be arrested, charged for war crimes and face justice. Welcoming a potential war criminal to the UK is another demonstration of how this Labour government is implicated in the ongoing genocide in Gaza. It also serves as a brutal insult to those mourning the thousands of innocent lives lost and to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians facing ongoing violence and hunger."

James Lyons assisted with the Labour manifesto while still employed by TikTok and left his post as Keir Starmer's director of strategic communications last week. He was asked last year to help develop the party's election pledges while still working for the social media platform. Keir Starmer is holding talks with Israeli president Isaac Herzog at Downing Street, a visit that provoked cross-party concern. More than 60 parliamentarians signed a letter expressing grave concern about the meeting, citing Herzog's past comments and actions. Green leader Zack Polanski called for Herzog's arrest, alleging complicity in genocide and warning that failing to detain him could breach the Geneva Convention.

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