Dua Lipa, Massive Attack, Gary Lineker, Primal Scream and Benedict Cumberbatch lead more than 300 figures urging Keir Starmer to “end UK complicity” in Gaza 

Famous faces including Dua Lipa, Primal Scream and Benedict Cumberbatch are among the hundreds of people urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to “end UK complicity” in Gaza.

The requests were put forward in an open letter to the PM, led by refugee charity Choose Love. As highlighted by Sky News, it demands all UK arms sales to Israel are immediately suspended, that there is immediate humanitarian access for experienced aid agencies, and that the government commit to seeking a ceasefire for “the children of Gaza”.

“We urge you to take immediate action to end the UK’s complicity in the horrors in Gaza,” it reads. It also outlines that children in Gaza are starving, while adequate medicine and food “sit just minutes away” – a reference to the 11-week blockade of supplies to Gaza by Israel, which was lifted last week.

Famous figures from the music world to have signed the letter include Dua Lipa, Primal Scream, Massive Attack, Paloma Faith and Annie Lennox. Names from the world of television and film include director Danny Boyle, Game Of Thrones star Lena Headey, Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Riz Ahmed, Maxine Peake, Tilda Swinton, Dermot O’Leary, Gary Lineker, Laura Whitmore and more.

Elsewhere, artist Tracey Emin has signed, as have model Lily Cole, activist Munroe Bergdorf and Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos.

Another section of the open letter states that 71,000 children under the age of four are “acutely malnourished”, and they “cry until they can’t cry anymore – until hunger takes even their voices”. It also says they face bombs falling on them, “violence stamped with UK inaction – flown with parts shipped from British factories to Israel” (via Sky).

“You can’t call it ‘intolerable’, yet do nothing,” it says directly to Starmer. “The world is watching and history will not forget. The children of Gaza cannot wait another minute. Prime minister, what will you choose? Complicity in war crimes, or the courage to act?”

Last September, the UK suspended 30 arms licences from roughly 350 involved in items that go to Israel, and last week saw the Labour PM join leaders in France and Canada in warning Israel of “concrete action” if it continues to expand military operations in Gaza. Around that same time, he said that the suffering of the Palestinian people, especially children, was “intolerable”.

This is far from the first time that famous faces have used their platform to speak out against the conflict in Gaza. Last week, for example, Brian Eno urged Microsoft to cut ties with Israel and pledged to donate his fee from the Windows 95 chime he composed for them to aid Palestine.

He was also part of a cohort of artists who signed an open letter to Field Day, urging it to distance itself from global investment firm KKR.

One of the most vocal artists voicing support for the people in Gaza are Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap, who divided opinion after their set at Coachella saw them voice their support for a free Palestine and lead the crowd in a provocative anti-Margaret Thatcher chant.

Their politically-charged actions while on stage in the UK have also found them in hot water, with member Mo Chara being charged by the police on terror charges.

Tom Morello, Brian Eno, Pulp, Fontaines D.C. and more signed an open letter to protect freedom of expression following the Kneecap controversy. Massive Attack, who themselves have boycotted performing in Israel since 1999, also supported the band by saying: “Kneecap are not the story. Gaza is the story. Genocide is the story.”

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