LONDON, 13 Dec. - (ANA) - Calls are mounting for British Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy to act as eight Palestine Action prisoners continue a prolonged hunger strike while being held on remand.

 

MPs say the situation has become urgent, with several of the prisoners already hospitalised and others now more than 38 days without food.

 

The group began their strike on 20 October in protest at their treatment in custody and what they say are unfair trial conditions, including extended pre-trial detention and lack of access to key case documents.

 

Green Party MP, Ellie Chowns, told The New Arab, "I remain deeply concerned for the wellbeing of the eight hunger strikers who took action in solidarity with Palestine."

 

"The basic rights and safety of all those in the prison system always must be protected," she continued.

 

Your Party MP Zarah Sultana told The New Arab that "lives are now at immediate risk" and urged Lammy to grant the prisoners immediate bail.

 

"He cannot pretend to be ignorant of what is happening, and he will be fully culpable for the consequences of continued inaction," she said.

 

The prisoners, who face charges linked to pro-Palestine actions, are demanding fair trials and full disclosure of materials such as any communications between British and Israeli officials, UK police, the Attorney General and Elbit Systems regarding the policing of pro-Palestine activism.

 

They are also seeking release on bail after more than six months in custody.

 

Tensions escalated in the UK House of Commons on Wednesday when Labour MP John McDonnell said he had repeatedly requested a meeting with Lammy about the hunger strikers but received no response from the Justice Secretary's office.

 

“This is a matter of urgency and I would have expected at least the courtesy of some response, even if he’s not willing to meet us,” McDonnell said.

 

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle criticised the lack of engagement, calling it “totally unacceptable.” He added: “I cannot make a meeting happen but I do expect people’s correspondence to be dealt with quickly and effectively.”

 

McDonnell is the primary sponsor of an early day motion raising "extreme concern" that the prisoners felt they had no other option to protest their conditions.

 

McDonnell's motion was co-sponsored by Ellie Chowns, who says, "Myself and fellow Green Party Parliamentarians are pressing the government to ensure they are not denied clinical monitoring or hospital access, to instigate an urgent review of the remand and bail decisions in these cases, and to confirm that counter-terror powers are not being misapplied to protest activity."

 

The motion has attracted 40 signatures, including Jeremy Corbyn, Diane Abbott and Adnan Hussein. Early-day motions allow MPs, typically backbenchers, to draw attention to a particular cause or campaign.

 

Several of the hunger strikers are part of the "Filton 24", arrested in August 2024 for allegedly damaging weapons at an Israeli arms factory. Six are currently on trial, while others await hearings.

 

The remaining hunger strikers were arrested after allegedly entering RAF Brize Norton in June and spray-painting two RAF Voyager aircraft, facing charges including criminal damage and conspiracy to enter a prohibited site.

 

They were charged with criminal damage and conspiracy to enter a prohibited place for purposes prejudicial to the safety or interests of the UK.

 

Five strikers have been hospitalised due to severe health complications.

 

Hunger strikes have precedent in the UK, most notably the 1981 Irish Republican protest in which ten prisoners died. In that case, the prisoners were members of Irish Republican groups attempting to reintroduce special "political" status for Republican prisoners. One man died after 46 days without food.

 

Some of the pro-Palestinian hunger strikers have not eaten for 38 days.

 

Fancesca Nadin, spokesperson for Prisoners for Palestine, said, "We are now in an urgent situation, the hunger strikers are in a grave condition and so we continue to ask David Lammy to meet with us to discuss these demands and give justice to the prisoners. He is the only person in the position to do so." - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/13 December 2025 - - -