Starmer making same mistakes as Thatcher over hunger strikers |
At this time of writing, four Palestine Action-affiliated remand prisoners remain on hunger strike in English prisons.
On Tuesday, two– Qessar Zuhrah and Amu Gib – paused their fast because of their worsening health. They say they will resume in the new year.
Those still on hunger strike are Kamran Ahmed (46 days), Heba Muraisi (53 days), Teuta Hoxha (47 days), and Lewie Chiaramello, a diabetic refusing food every other day, now on 19 days.
They are all into the danger zone (Martin Hurson died on day 46) where they are likely to cause permanent damage to their health.
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Brian Feeney: Starmer making same mistakes as Thatcher over hunger strikers
You could write the script the British government is following, because it is exactly the same as the one Thatcher’s government followed in 1981.
First, they try to minimise publicity, which they have done very successfully – you may not even be aware of the hunger strike.
Then they try to claim there is nothing political about the hunger strikers’ action, which is clearly untrue.
The prisons minister, Lord Timpson, whose expertise lies in the successful shoe repair and key cutting business he ran, issued this idiotic statement:........