Lammy’s failures over the hunger strikers for Palestine
JVL Introduction
It took something even to get an ambulance sent to Qesser Zuhrah, 20, who was on her 46th day of hunger strike inside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey. Zarah Sultana MP joined a protest outside the prison in the early hours.
Zuhrah is one of eight hunger strikers who are being held on remand. She is one of the Filton 24, ten of whom have already been held in prison for more than a year without trial after breaking in to an Israeli weapons factory in Bristol. While the trial has begun for six of those being prosecuted, most are set to be imprisoned for more than two years before trial for alleged criminal damage …which is well over the pre-trial legal custody time limit of six months. The defendants insist that they meet the legal conditions for bail.
Meanwhile, as reported in the Guardian article we reproduce below, David Lammy, the UK’s so called Justice Secretary has so far refused to meet with lawyers for, or family members of, those detained. Last week, even the speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, said it was “totally unacceptable” that Lammy had failed to reply to a request from the Labour MP, John McDonnell, for a meeting with MPs to discuss the hunger strikers. Jeremy Corbyn’s request (15.12.25) that there be a meeting was met with a curt “No” from justice minister Jake Richards and then shameful “laughter …from some MPs in the chamber.
Below the Guardian article is a statement from Global Jews for Palestine, with links to actions we can all take in support of the hunger strikers and against the broader clampdown on protest for Palestine.
LL
This article was originally published by The Guardian on Tue 16 Dec 2025. Read the original here.
Palestine Action-linked hunger strikers ‘may die without Lammy’s intervention’
Justice secretary criticised for refusing to meet lawyers who say health of their jailed clients is ‘rapidly deteriorating’
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Lammy’s hands are already so steeped in blood. He is vile. A liar. Not competent for the job he has.
Solidarity with the brave, principled hunger strikers.
We deserve better ‘leaders’.
Other cases reported by coroner’s courts and the UK media raise serious doubts about the quality of health care at this prison. It doesn’t seem to be a safe or humane environment for ANY individual whose health is fragile.
One heavily pregnant woman repeatedly buzzed for help – not given – while in labour in her cell at HMP Bronzefield. The prison and the officers concerned would have known how close this woman was to giving birth – and how dangerous it was to ignore her.
The baby died and the mother was in a state of collapse when she was eventually checked on (the next morning). All prisons are required to move prisoners in labour into hospital care ASAP because the serious risks of harm to mothers and their babies if the births are within the prison environment are well-known.
Another prisoner who died around the same time frame had complex medical needs and was similarly left unattended for far too long. Her calls for help were not responded to. She was denied the specialist clinical care needed for the correct treatment and care of her varied health conditions.
Any prisoner (whether on remand or convicted) whose health is already at significant risk because of malnutrition should be transferred to hospital for as long as is necessary to undo the damage malnutrition has caused. “Disciplinary” considerations are irrelevant. So are politicians’ wishes not to be embarrassed.