Labour MP Jess Phillips admits she could LOSE her Birmingham seat if a pro
Ex-Labour frontbencher Jess Phillips has warned she is at risk of losing her seat at the next election over the fighting in Gaza.
The former shadow domestic violence minister admitted that a concerted campaign by a pro-Palestinian independent could defeat her in her Birmingham Yardley constituency.
Ms Phillips, who quit the Labour frontbench in November over the party's refusal to back a total ceasefire in Gaza, spoke on ITV's Peston days after the local elections, which included choosing a new mayor in the West Midlands.
It saw Labour's Richard Parker pip Tory Andy Street, but independent Akhmed Yakoob, who ran a pro-Palestinian campaign, came third after taking 69,621 votes, almost 12 per cent of those cast.
The Lamborghini-driving criminal lawyer was endorsed by Workers' Party of Britain leader George Galloway. He now intends to stand in Birmingham's Ladywood constituency, which is held by Labour MP Shabana Mahmood.
Asked about what a similar swing to a pro-Palestinian candidate in her seat would mean, Ms Phillips said: 'I would lose my seat. It's [the war in Gaza] undoubtedly an issue in my constituency, undoubtedly one I speak to my constituents about all the time - I did throughout the mayoral race.
'It's a massive issue, make no bones about it.'
The former shadow domestic violence minister admitted that a concerted campaign by a pro-Palestinian independent could defeat her in her Birmingham Yardley constituency.
Independent Akhmed Yakoob, who ran a pro-Palestinian campaign, came third in the West Midlands mayoral election after taking 69,621 votes, almost 12 per cent of those cast.
The Lamborghini-driving criminal lawyer was endorsed by Workers' Party of Britain leader George Galloway. He now intends to stand in Birmingham's Ladywood constituency, which is held by Labour MP Shabana Mahmood.
Ms Phillips was one of 10 frontbenchers who broke ranks with their party leader and disregarded a three-line whip he had imposed on a vote about Gaza.
The Labour leader saw vast swathes of his parliamentary party ignore his orders and vote in favour of an SNP-led demand for an 'immediate ceasefire' in the Middle East.
Ms Phillips also used her appearance on Peston to say her new Labour colleagueNatalie Elphicke needs to 'show some contrition' for her previous comments about the victims of her husband's sexual assaults.
Ms Elphicke quit the Conservatives just moments before Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, hitting out at Rishi Sunak's 'tired and chaotic government' and accusing the Prime Minister of failing to deliver on his promise to 'stop the boats'.
But her debut as a Labour MP has not been welcomed by all of her new colleagues, with some raising concerns about her views and comments she made after her former husband and predecessor as MP for Dover Charlie Elphicke was convicted in 2020 of sexually assaulting two women and sentenced to two years in prison.
Ms Elphicke ended the marriage after his conviction but supported his unsuccessful appeal, saying Mr Elphicke had been 'attractive, and attracted to women' and 'an easy target for dirty politics and false allegations'.
'I think she needs to explain it, and there is some apologising to be done to victims of those crimes who at the moment perceive her as somebody who thinks, I think she made some comment about he's an attractive man and he's attracted to women and making out like these were vexatious claims,' Ms Phillips said.
'It's very painful because that's the way that victims experience the criminal justice system. Look, I'm all for forgiveness like I say, but not without contrition.'
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