A significant political confrontation has erupted in the UK following allegations by Member of Parliament Zarah Sultana that Justice Secretary David Lammy deliberately misled the public regarding his knowledge of eight Palestinian solidarity activists on hunger strike in British prisons. The controversy stems from a recent encounter where Lammy claimed ignorance about the detainees’ cases, despite having received prior written communications.
The prisoners, all affiliated with the proscribed organization Palestine Action, have now endured up to 38 days without food in what has become the most substantial hunger strike since the 1981 Irish protest led by Bobby Sands. Their demands include immediate bail, unrestricted personal communications, and the removal of Palestine Action’s proscribed organization status.
Medical emergencies are escalating among the strikers, with five already hospitalized due to dangerously high ketone levels, severe weight loss exceeding 10kg in some cases, and critical organ function concerns. Families report inadequate medical oversight and communication failures from prison authorities, with several next-of-kin contacts allegedly altered without notification.
MP Sultana, who recently left the Labour Party to establish a new left-wing faction with Jeremy Corbyn, condemned both the government’s response and media silence surrounding the strike. She characterized the lack of coverage as deliberate avoidance of Britain’s complicity in the Gaza conflict, which motivates the prisoners’ protest.
The Ministry of Justice faces mounting criticism over its handling of the situation, particularly regarding protocol violations in prisoner healthcare and communication. Clinical guidelines mandate immediate medical assessment for hunger strikers, yet reports indicate delayed electrolyte provision and inconsistent monitoring, with one nurse allegedly refusing basic temperature checks.
As health conditions deteriorate rapidly across multiple facilities, concerns grow about potential fatalities. The protest has drawn political attention beyond Sultana, with Green Party representatives and Corbyn himself arranging prison visits, signaling increasing parliamentary scrutiny over the government’s treatment of detainees engaged in political protest.