Pro-Palestine protesters demonstrate against supply of F-35 parts to Israel
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign organised the demonstration at the site in Havant, Hampshire, with protests also taking place at other manufacturers in Rochester, Kent, and Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
Protesters near the premises of Lockheed Martin UK in Havant (Ben Mitchell/PA)
Scores of people waving flags and holding banners and placards paraded from Havant town centre to the Lockheed Martin premises which had closed ahead of the protest taking place.
A speaker told the crowd: 'I am ashamed at the police today, they should be storming this building, this is a terrorist training camp, this is the sponsored UK terrorism and the police should be shutting it down.'
I feel compelled to do everything I can to stop this horror, especially as a Jew because all of us Jews have been told a load of lies about what Israel does Sarah Goldsmith-Pascoe
Protester Alan Elliot, 70, from Southampton, who served in the Army for 28 years held up a placard saying 'Veterans against genocide in Gaza'.
Alan Elliot, 70, from Southampton, takes part in the protest (Ben Mitchell/PA)
He told the PA news agency: 'I don't want to see babies, children and women being killed indiscriminately – this sends a message but always that message is ignored.
'The only way to stop these things is to stop the money.'
Writer and activist Sarah Goldsmith-Pascoe, 69, from Bournemouth, Dorset, said: 'I feel compelled to do everything I can to stop this horror, especially as a Jew because all of us Jews have been told a load of lies about what Israel does.
'This is genocide and large companies are doing nothing about it, I have nightmares.'
Protesters take part in a demonstration (Ben Mitchell/PA)
The Government halted 30 out of around 350 arms sales licences to Israel in September last year, for fear they may be used for war crimes.
MPs critical of Israel's actions have called on ministers to go further, and to halt all UK arms sales to the country.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said previously: 'Since day one, this Government has rigorously applied international law in relation to the war in Gaza.
'One of our first acts in Government was to suspend export licences that could be used by the Israeli Defence Forces in Gaza.
'We have successfully implemented the suspension decision and continue to refuse all relevant licence applications.
'We have suspended direct exports of F-35 parts for use by Israel, and we categorically do not export any bombs or ammunition which could be used in Gaza.
'We have also suspended negotiations on a free trade agreement, while supporting humanitarian efforts through the restoration of funding to UNRWA, and the commitment of over £230 million in assistance across the past two financial years.'
A Lockheed Martin spokeswoman said: 'We respect the right to peaceful protest, and we remain focused on supporting our customers to deliver strategic deterrence and security solutions.'
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Glasgow Times
an hour ago
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Ms Leadbeater this week appeared to remain confident her Bill will pass, acknowledging that while she expected 'some small movement in the middle', she did not 'anticipate that that majority would be heavily eroded'. All eyes will be on whether Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and senior colleagues continue their support for the Bill. Sir Keir indicated earlier this week that he had not changed his mind since voting yes last year, saying his 'position is long-standing and well-known'. Health Secretary Wes Streeting described Ms Leadbeater's work on the proposed legislation as 'extremely helpful', but confirmed in April that he still intended to vote against it. Ahead of the debate, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch urged her MPs to vote against the legislation, describing it as 'a bad Bill' despite being 'previously supportive of assisted suicide'. 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Wes Streeting (Ben Whitley/PA) Marie Curie welcomed the amendment, but warned that 'this will not on its own make the improvements needed to guarantee everyone is able to access the palliative care they need' and urged a palliative care strategy for England 'supported by a sustainable funding settlement – which puts palliative and end of life care at the heart of NHS priorities for the coming years'. Supporters and opponents of a change in the law gathered at Westminster early on Friday, holding placards saying 'Let us choose' and 'Don't make doctors killers'. Among the high-profile supporters were Dame Prue Leith, who said she is 'quietly confident' about the outcome of the vote, and Dame Esther Rantzen's daughter Rebecca Wilcox. Opposition campaigner and disability advocate George Fielding turned out to urge parliamentarians to vote no, saying: 'What MPs are deciding on is whether they want to give people assistance to die before they have assistance to live.' A YouGov poll of 2,003 adults in Great Britain, surveyed last month and published on Thursday, suggested public support for the Bill remains at 73% – unchanged from November. The proportion of people who feel assisted dying should be legal in principle has risen slightly, to 75% from 73% in November.
Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
Assisted dying Bill not now or never moment, says Cleverly ahead of crucial vote
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She pushed back on concerns raised about the Bill by some doctors and medical bodies, including the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych), noting: 'We have different views in this House and different people in different professions have different views.' Kemi Badenoch (Lucy North/PA) She noted that all the royal colleges have a neutral position on assisted dying. Some members of RCPsych also wrote recently to distance themselves from the college's criticism of the Bill and pledge their support for it. MPs have a free vote on the Bill, meaning they decide according to their conscience rather than along party lines – although voting is not mandatory and others present on Friday could formally abstain. Ms Leadbeater warned that choosing not to support the assisted dying Bill is 'not a neutral act', but rather 'a vote for the status quo'. Repeating her warning that the issue is unlikely to be broached again for a decade if her Bill fails, she told the Commons: 'It fills me with despair to think MPs could be here in another 10 years' time hearing the same stories.' But, leading opposition to the Bill, Conservative former minister Sir James said while this is 'an important moment', there will be 'plenty of opportunities' in future for the issue to be discussed. Sir James said: 'I disagree with her (Ms Leadbeater's) assessment that it is now or never, and it is this Bill or no Bill, and that to vote against this at third reading is a vote to maintain the status quo. 'None of those things are true. There will be plenty of opportunities.' The Bill would fall if 28 MPs switched directly from voting yes to no, but only if all other MPs voted the same way as in November, including those who abstained. 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STV News
3 hours ago
- STV News
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