Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of “disrespecting” the war dead by failing to wear his poppy when he produced a video on Islamophobia earlier this week.
It was noticed that Sir Keir wore the same suit and tie for the video as he had done when he gave a speech earlier on the Israel-Gaza crisis as he tried to deal with growing divisions in his party over demands for him to call for a ceasefire.
With leftwing and Muslim party members criticising his refusal to support a ceasefire, which would allow Hamas terrorists to regroup and rearm for more atrocities, he produced a video on Islamophobia awareness month in what some saw as a cynical attempt to make peace with Muslim communities over his Israel policy.
The concerns have come as anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian extremist protest groups have been planning “a million-person march” on Remembrance Day in a deliberate attempt to disrupt the day Britain remembers those who died in the World Wars defending freedom.
There are concerns privately expressed that while Sir Keir has refused to support the protests his failure to wear a poppy could be seen as “a greenlight” for those who want to cause chaos in London that weekend.
Labour have insisted that Sir Keir did not remove the poppy for the purposes of the video but have refused to comment on the reasons it was not present.
Among those questioning what Sir Keir was up to is former Brexit Party leader turned GB News host Nigel Farage.
He asked: “After making a speech at Chatham House, did Keir Starmer remove his poppy to film a video about Islamophobia?”
He told Express.co.uk: “It is interesting that Starmer also wore his glasses for that video unlike his speech and was clearly reading a text that he did not want to get wrong.”
Meanwhile, Dudley North Conservative MP Marco Longhi blasted the Labour leader for being “disrespectful.”
He said: “Sir Keir is disrespecting veterans and those who fought and paid with their lives for the freedoms he and all of us enjoy today.
“It also shows how he is quite prepared to give different messages to different groups of people.
“This is the person who wants to be our Prime Minister.”
Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson also queried the decision.
He said: “Wearing a poppy is a personal choice. If politicians chose not to then that’s entirely up to them. They must have their reasons.”
Sir Keir has faced civil war in his own party on the issue with London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Scottish leader Anas Sarwar all calling on Labour to back calls for a ceasefire.
Israel is currently attempting to take out Hamas positions in Gaza after the slaughter of 1,400 of their civilians including children on October 7.
Sir Keir has also refused to sack 16 shadow ministers who have rebelled against him on the issue including his Shadow Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
