Women and girls in Gaza can’t wait any longer

Letters to the editor: our readers share their views. Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

If the UK is serious about helping women and children in Gaza it will endorse an immediate ceasefire and an end to the illegal blockade (EPA/Mohammed Saber)

The UK’s announcement of funding for women and girls in Gaza may seem positive, but in reality, it barely addresses the terrible symptoms of a more significant crisis.

The UK likes to see itself as a champion for women and girls on the global stage. But in Gaza, what women and girls most desperately need – alongside significantly increased aid – is an immediate ceasefire and an end to the illegal blockade, something the UK still refuses to endorse.

There are currently some 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza. A baby is born every 10 minutes, often in tents surrounded by rubble. Many new mothers desperately need specialist aftercare, which they cannot access. Because of trauma caused by incessant Israeli bombardment, miscarriages and stillbirths are common.

The UK should call for an immediate ceasefire, suspend arms transfers to Israel, support international justice processes, and ensure the 17-year-long blockade amounting to collective punishment is lifted.

Women and girls in Gaza can’t wait any longer.

Chiara Capraro

Gender Justice Director – Amnesty International UK

*The Sands national helpline provides support for anyone affected by the death of a baby. You can call 0808 164 3332 free of charge, or email helpline@sands.org.uk

A patriarchal pattern

As Lord Ashcroft angles for Angela Rayner to be investigated by police over the purchase of her council house, I wonder if we’re seeing a very obvious pattern here.

Nicola Sturgeon had police tents erected in her front garden, as though it was the scene of a mass murder, following an investigation into SNP financial irregularities.

An anomaly in the thousands (if not the billions) frittered away by this Tory administration on, for example, unsafe PPE. No tents on the lawn for Boris Johnson who lied his way through politics and partied while people died. And a nice shield of secrecy for the dozens of male MPs being investigated for sexual misconduct. Barely a slap on the wrist for the repeated racism of Lee Anderson.

Surely, it cannot be misogyny in politics?

Amanda Baker

Edinburgh

No place in politics

Lee Anderson has stirred a can of worms which are slithering out all over the place. Why, oh why, do arrogant bigots bother becoming MPs?

You would think that each party would aim to root out these unwelcome, disruptive interlopers. They do nothing but bring the party into disrepute and deflect our government from governing.

Or could it be, that perhaps the ethos of the Tory party is precisely as Anderson portrays?

I believe, given the party’s history and continued comments made by various MPs, there is a real possibility that the Tory party is Islamophobic.

In The Independent recently, Richard Tice is quoted as saying Anderson’s “sentiments are supported by millions of citizens”.

Well, not this one. He and the Reform party are mistaken to assume that many people believe Anderson’s ill-judged, prejudiced remarks are in any way representative of their views. There is no place in British politics for such a gross, outdated and destructive attitude to Britain’s multicultural population.

The sooner he and his warped-minded friends are out of politics the better for everyone. Rishi Sunak ought to take note and show his backbone.

Keith Poole

Basingstoke

Anderson seems to delight in sowing division

Lee Anderson seems to be demonising people for no reason but his own political ends. The reality is that with Anderson being paid £100,000 per year by right-wing propaganda channel GB News, he will undoubtedly delight in stirring divisions in society.

People are not born racist – they learn and imitate this poison from those around them, especially social media tropes. People like Anderson seem to have no instinct for legislation to deal with actual issues of the day, so they appear to prefer to be vile and brutish to those they select for the firing line.

Collin Rossini

Essex

A lesson needs to be learnt

So, Rishi Sunak says he is proof that Britain isn’t racist. Yet this minimises the problem and dodges the true issue of institutional Islamophobia.

But the fact of the matter is that from Sayeeda Warsi to Lee Anderson, from Suella Braverman to Rehman Chishti, and from Kemi Badenoch to Paul Scully, the Tories are split on the issue of Islamophobia from top to bottom.

Only a long period in opposition will teach them the lesson of culture politics and race equality that they should have learnt so long ago.

Geoffrey Brooking

Hampshire