A Home Office minister has rejected a request from former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for a meeting to discuss the worsening health of eight remand prisoners linked to the protest group Palestine Action who are currently on hunger strike.
Corbyn raised the issue during justice questions in the Commons, warning of deep concerns for the detainees, five of whom have already been taken to hospital. The activists, accused of offences connected to Palestine Action, are being held on remand, with some not due to face trial until 2027.
Recall the group began their hunger strike in October, demanding immediate bail and the lifting of the ban on Palestine Action. Two of the prisoners have now been refusing food for 45 days, prompting relatives to warn that their lives may be at risk if no action is taken.
Addressing ministers in the Commons, Corbyn urged the government to engage with the prisoners’ legal representatives and families to address concerns about access to medical care and their treatment, particularly when taken to hospital.
Responding, Home Office minister Jake Richards flatly dismissed the request. He said existing procedures were sufficient and insisted the situation was being properly managed.
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“The Ministry of Justice and the Prison Service have robust and proper guidance and procedures for when these scenarios arise,” Richards said. “I am satisfied that those procedures are being followed, and we will keep the matter under review.”
Around the same time, Corbyn published a letter on social media signed by more than 50 MPs and peers, calling on Foreign Secretary David Lammy to urgently meet with lawyers representing the hunger strikers.
“The government needs to wake up, take responsibility, and show some humanity before it is too late,” Corbyn said.
Families of the detainees have warned that the prolonged hunger strike could prove fatal if the standoff continues.
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