Kathrine Frich
Starmer quickly corrected himself.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer made an embarrassing gaffe during a speech at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.
Sausages or Hostages?
While addressing the ongoing Middle East crisis, Starmer mistakenly called for the return of “Israeli sausages” held by Hamas, when he meant to refer to hostages.
The blunder occurred just before Starmer was set to attend the United Nations General Assembly, where he planned to push for a ceasefire.
Starmer quickly corrected himself, continuing his speech with a call for calm and de-escalation in the region.
“I once again urge restraint and de-escalation at the border between Lebanon and Israel,” he said. “We call again for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the return of the sausages—hostages—and a renewed commitment to the two-state solution, with a recognized Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israel.”
Moderate Stance on Gaza Conflict
Since taking office, Starmer’s government has experienced tense relations with Israel, particularly after Britain halted some arms exports to Gaza and withdrew its objections to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant request against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Starmer has focused on eliminating antisemitism within the Labour Party, a long-standing issue that has troubled the party’s reputation.
However, his moderate stance on Israel and the Gaza conflict has drawn criticism from some members of the Labour left, who feel his approach does not go far enough in supporting Palestinian rights.
