October 7 – one year on

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A few days ago, on the anniversary of the pogrom that took place on October 7th last year, Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East, of which I am an Executive member, published this statement. It reflects my personal thoughts too.

One year on from the horrific Hamas attacks of October 7th, we are reminded of the shocking images that we all awoke to that morning. We continue to condemn the attacks now as we did then. It is unjustifiable that the hostages taken a year ago are still being cruelly detained. They should be released immediately and without preconditions.

Today is about marking the anniversary of loss and trauma for so many innocent civilians, and our thoughts are with those who feel pain, fear or loss on this difficult day. It is also about common humanity and decency, including a reminder that human rights and international law apply beyond boundaries, ethnicity, political conviction or religion.

October 7th is a date that will be seared into our minds for years to come. Not only for the awful events of the day itself but also the chain of events we have seen since. Over 1,200 Israelis killed, over 42,000 Palestinians killed, and now over 2,000 Lebanese killed.

The region is teetering on the brink of an abyss. This cannot continue. We need the hostages released, an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, de-escalation and stability in the West Bank, and an irreversible pathway to a peaceful political settlement for the region, including Palestinian statehood in line with international law. That is the only way forward.

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Richard Burden

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I was Labour Member of Parliament for Birmingham Northfield between 1992 and 2019 and a former Shadow Transport Minister. I now chair Healthwatch in Birmingham and Solihull, and the West Midlands Board of Remembering Srebrenica. I also work as a public affairs consultant. I am an effective community advocate and stakeholder alliance builder with a passion for human rights. I am a trustee of the Balfour Project charity and of Citizens Advice Birmingham, and a former Chair of Medical Aid for Palestinians.

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You can reach me by email at richard@richardburden.com or use the form on the Contact page to send me a message.