London, United Kingdom – Tim Flynn, a 71-year-old retired psychotherapist, has been a loyal Labour Party voter his entire life.

However, on July 4, he intends to express his disapproval of the party. He will cast his ballot in favor of the local Green Party candidate by marking an 'X' on the paper.

“There’s no way I can support Labour this time,” he stated. “It’s evident where [Labour leader Keir Starmer’s] allegiances lie, which are aligned with capitalism, imperialism, and backing Israel.

“If you don’t advocate for a ceasefire, you won't receive my vote.”

Flynn resides in the Vauxhall and Camberwell Green constituency in London, a stronghold for Labour. Nationally, Starmer is projected to emerge victorious in the general election with a substantial majority, ushering him into the role of Britain’s next prime minister after 14 years of Conservative governance.

However, his stance on the Gaza conflict has left many traditional Labour supporters, like Flynn, feeling disillusioned.

Memories of 2005 and the Iraq war

Pro-Palestine Britons who believe that neither Labour nor the Conservatives adequately represent their views have several main options. They can choose to abstain or spoil their ballot, support an independent candidate advocating for pro-Palestine policies, vote for the Liberal Democrats, or, like Flynn, show support for the Greens despite forecasts indicating they may receive less than 10 percent of the vote.

The Green Party asserts its backing for an immediate ceasefire – a desire shared by the majority of Britons – and calls for an end to arms sales to Israel. They also express intentions to escalate efforts for the release of Israeli captives from Gaza and support Spain’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

The Liberal Democrats have been urging for a ceasefire for months, demanding the release of captives and advocating for a roadmap towards a two-state solution.

A recent YouGov report suggested that Labour is losing some support in areas with a significant Muslim presence, particularly to the Greens, yet this trend is unlikely to impact the final election outcome.

Political scientist John Curtice mentioned, “It’s doubtful whether any Labour MP will lose their seat because those seats are relatively secure in the first place.”

However, British foreign policy has influenced voting patterns in prior elections. During the Iraq war in 2005, Labour faced substantial losses among areas with sizeable Muslim populations, although the party emerged victorious while the Liberal Democrats made modest gains.

They garnered support by opposing the Iraq war, attracting a significant portion of that vote. This relationship between some members of the Muslim community and their inclination to vote for Labour is not a new phenomenon.

‘Losing faith in the electoral system’

Amid the chants for a “free, free Palestine” at the London School of Economics protest, some students and demonstrators maintained their demands for the university to sever financial ties with Israel. The atmosphere grew tense momentarily when a bystander interjected with a slogan supportive of Israel.

Despite tensions, the demonstrators continued to voice their grievances, with one individual reciting Quranic verses and recounting tragic events in Gaza, such as the killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab.

These protests have also attracted attention to other global student-led campaigns supporting Palestine.

Sadia Sheeraz, a 24-year-old student at LSE, from a traditionally Labour-supporting family in Manchester, expressed her reluctance to vote for Labour in the upcoming election due to her diminishing faith in the electoral process. She contemplates whether she will cast her vote at all and leans towards supporting the Green Party if she does.

She criticizes the moral alignment between Labour and the Conservatives in the context of the Gaza conflict, stating disappointment with Starmer's inability to address the situation appropriately.

‘Hope he calls for a ceasefire’

A 20-year-old student at LSE, supporting the Green Party, emphasized the need for an immediate ceasefire in Palestine. She recounted her efforts to urge her MP to advocate for peace, expressing disappointment in the lack of action.

She retains hope that Starmer will make a stand for a ceasefire and halt arms sales to Israel, but acknowledges dwindling optimism. Many individuals from her generation and the Muslim community are shifting towards the Greens due to Starmer's stance on Israel's actions amidst the Gaza crisis.

With over four million Muslims in Britain, representing about 6.5 percent of the population, participating in weekly protests in solidarity with Gaza, the electoral impact of these sentiments remains a topic of interest.