Keir Starmer gets standing ovation from Labour Party after branding Hamas 'terrorists'

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer received a standing ovation after condemning Hamas's series of attacks in Israel.

Speaking at the Labour Party conference, Starmer said he was “shocked and appalled" by the Islamist group's onslaught, which has seen defenceless civilians gunned down while others were taken hostage.

Delivering his speech on Tuesday, he said: “I utterly condemn the senseless murder of men, women and children – including British citizens – in cold blood by the terrorists of Hamas,” Sir Keir said.

“This party believes in the two-state solution – a Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israel. But this action by Hamas does nothing for Palestinians and Israel must always have the right to defend her people.

“And conference, these events, the war in Ukraine, they show precisely the test of our era. The world is becoming a more volatile place.”

The Labour leader's unequivocal stance on Hamas, who govern the Gaza Strip and are considered a proscribed terrorist organisation by the UK government, will be seen by many as a clear departure from the days of his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn, who recently refused to condemn the militant group.

Starmer's language also echoes that of prime minister Rishi Sunak, who said earlier this week: “Hamas and the people who support Hamas are fully responsible for this appalling act of terror."

Starmer, whose speech was focused on creating a flourishing green energy industry and a plan to build 1.5 million new homes, received several standing ovations during his speech and plenty of praise from across the board.

He managed to keep his cool despite a rocky start, which saw a protester storming the stage in Liverpool, shouting "true democracy is citizen led" and throwing glitter on the leader's jacket. Police later confirmed a 28-year-old man from Surrey had been arrested.

Read our live coverage below to see how the day unfolded