(AFP) Gaza is a long way from the picturesque foothills of the Yorkshire Dales but the issue could swing UK general election races in northern England, with many local Muslims angry at Labour’s stance.
While Labour is expected to win a thumping national majority on July 4, leader Keir Starmer’s refusal to back an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza has caused a split with once-loyal Muslim supporters.
That rift could influence the result in marginal seats that have a sizeable Muslim population, such as Keighley and Ilkley in Yorkshire.
Around four in five UK Muslims voted Labour in 2019, reinforcing the historic links that were forged after the mass migration of workers from Pakistan in the 1950s and 1960s.
