Over 300 UK Public Figures Urge Starmer to Suspend Arms Sales to Israel Amid Gaza Crisis

Over 300 public figures, including actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Gary Lineker, Dua Lipa, and others, have signed an open letter urging UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to suspend all arms sales to Israel amid the ongoing Gaza conflict. The letter, organized by the refugee charity Choose Love, demands immediate humanitarian access for aid agencies and calls on the UK government to broker an immediate and permanent ceasefire to protect the children of Gaza. Signatories highlight the UK's complicity in the violence through arms sales and emphasize the urgent need for action beyond words, especially given the catastrophic humanitarian situation and malnutrition among Gaza's children. While the UK government has suspended some arms export licenses, activists demand a total ban, including on parts for F-35 jets, which the government has resisted due to global supply chain constraints. Starmer has condemned the expansion of military operations in Gaza and described the situation as intolerable, but activists and signatories insist more concrete steps are necessary to end the suffering and UK involvement. The letter reflects widespread concern about the humanitarian crisis and the role of UK policies in the conflict.