‘Is it appropriate?’ Rachel Reeves squirms over David Lammy cosying up to Palestine chief

Rachel Reeves was put on the spot this morning over David Lammy being due to speak at a Labour conference fringe event alongside a Palestinian diplomat who said the attack by Hamas on Israel was “coming their way”.

Husam Zomlot, the head of the Palestinian Mission to the UK, is scheduled to appear with the shadow foreign secretary at a Labour Friends of Palestine reception tonight.

The shadow chancellor was grilled by Sky News host Kay Burley over whether Mr Lammy was still expected to share a platform with Mr Zomlot.

Ms Reeves said: “I’m very upset about those remarks. Israel, and the attacks on civilians, the festival goers, the children who have been taken hostage, it is completely unacceptable.

“And Keir, David, myself, the whole of the Labour Party stand by the people of Israel at this moment.”