The leaders of Oldham's political parties have come together to call on the Prime Minister to work towards a ceasefire in the Middle East.

On Tuesday (November 14), Oldham Council shared a joint statement on the Gaza conflict, written by the Mayor of Oldham, Cllr Zahid Chauhan, on behalf of the leaders of each party in the borough.

The leaders who signed off on the statement include:

  • Cllr Arooj Shah, Labour
  • Cllr Graham Sheldon, Conservatives,
  • Cllr Howard Sykes, Liberal Democrats
  • Cllr Brian  Hobin, Failsworth Independent Party
  • Cllr Marc Hince, Independent Group

The statement, written to the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, reads as follows: "People across the borough have shared their feelings of sadness and helplessness as they see the impact the war in Gaza continues to have on innocent people across Palestine and Israel.

"That is why I, and the leaders of Oldham's political parties, are calling on the government to ensure working for a ceasefire is a top priority.

"We urge you to work with other international leaders to bring an end to the conflict as soon as possible and to make sure those who need humanitarian aid can access it."

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This comes after the Mayor wrote to the Prime Minister earlier this month calling on him to use his power to work towards a solution between Israel and Palestine.

In the letter written on November 2, Cllr Chauhan wrote: "Dear Prime Minister,

"As the First Citizen of Oldham, I write to share with you the thoughts and concerns of the residents of this borough about the ongoing humanitarian impact of the conflict in Palestine and Israel.

"People across the borough have shared their feelings of sadness and helplessness as they see the impact the war in Gaza continues to have on innocent people across Palestine and Israel.

"In the spirit of humanity and compassion I am asking you, as our Prime Minister, to do everything in your power to work towards a long-term peaceful solution to this ongoing conflict, to increase the amount of humanitarian aid available to all those affected and to request a ceasefire to safeguard the lives of innocent civilians being caught up in this conflict."