On 20 October in a community hall in Abingdon-on-Thames, just outside Oxford, councillor Imogen Thomas stood up at an all-members Labour meeting to condemn the party’s position on the war in Gaza. She announced her solidarity with the Palestinians and resigned from the party. Four other councillors stood up and resigned with her. The group walked out, shouting “Free, Free Palestine” before unfurling a Palestinian flag for a photo outside. Those who remained proceeded to discuss the party’s policy on grass verges.
Six councillors who resigned that evening are planning to form the Oxford Socialist Independents, not to be confused with the Independent Group set up by two other Oxford Labour councillors who had resigned the week before. On 26 October Labour lost its majority on Oxford city council – for the first time since 2010 – after Barbara Coyne became the ninth councillor to resign. Across the country, 31 councillors have so far resigned in response to the party’s position on the conflict. Their rallying call is that Labour should demand a ceasefire. While discontent is spreading, nearly a third of the resignations have been in Oxford.
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