AN ex-Labour MP has quit the party after 50 years accusing Sir Keir Starmer of condoning war crimes in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

The former Socialist Campaign Group chair Lynne Jones said the party leader’s claims that Israel has a right to cut off power and water to more than two million Palestinians living on the Gaza Strip left her at “the end of my tether.”

Ms Jones, who represented Birmingham Selly Oak until 2010, told the BBC: “He was condoning war crimes on the part of the Israeli government.

“He’s a human rights lawyer and he knows that collective punishment is not allowed under international law.”

Councillors up and down the country have resigned in outrage after Sir Keir told LBC Radio: “I think that Israel does have that right, it is an ongoing situation, obviously everything should be done within international law.”

The Labour leader has since claimed his comments were to explain he was speaking about Israel's right to defend itself, not to cut off power and water, and that Israel should respond within international law.

Today shadow international development minister Lisa Nandy said she understood the backlash from Muslim Labour members over his comments.

But she repeatedly declined to say whether she believes Israel has broken international law and maintained that Labour could not apologise “for holding a position that we’ve never held.”

TV broadcaster Fahima Mohamed has meanwhile raised thousands of pounds in an online fundraiser for the International Criminal Court to investigate Sir Keir’s comments over Israel.

She said: “It is my hope that the International Criminal Court will open an investigation into Israeli war crimes, and those that have sought to enable them through words and actions, such as Keir Starmer MP, be investigated for their complicity.”

On Friday, six Oxford City councillors became the latest to quit the party following Sir Keir’s comments on October 11.

They said in a statement: “At a time when it’s been crucial to call for an immediate ceasefire and a de-escalation, and to insist Israel abides by international law, Keir Starmer and the shadow foreign secretary have instead endorsed collective punishment, blockade, siege and mass civilian casualties.

“As Starmer has said ‘Israel has that right’ to continue deadly attacks on Gazans. This is complicity in war crimes.”

Labour has been contacted for comment.