Activists in Louth calling for peace in Palestine have sent an open letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, calling for arms sales to Israel to be halted.

The letter also urges Mr Burnham to immediately suspend the UK’s trade agreement with Israel amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

The activists belong to a group which has come together in Louth town centre for almost 140 consecutive Friday lunchtimes in a vigil, campaigning for an end to the conflict.

The letter welcomes Mr Burnham's initial moves, apologising for the Labour government’s initial stance on Israel’s military action in Gaza and banning goods manufactured in illegal Israeli settlements.

One of the many vigils that have been held by activists in Louth town centre on Friday lunchtimes, calling for peace in Palestine.

placeholder image — One of the many vigils that have been held by activists in Louth town centre on Friday lunchtimes, calling for peace in Palestine.

However, the group insists his measures have not gone far enough and calls for more effective action.

The letter reads: “The government must immediately reverse the outrageous ban on Palestine Action as a ‘terrorist organisation’.

"It should also promptly name Israel’s destruction of Gaza clearly as genocide and a war crime.

"The government should stress that it will no longer obstruct the genocide charges brought to the International Court of Justice by South Africa against Israel.

"It must also condemn US attempts to undermine international courts for holding Israel accountable for its war crimes and US sanctions on United Nations rapporteur Francesca Albanese.”

In addition, the letter calls on the government to oppose President Trump’s “obscene proposal to hand over a completely destroyed Gaza (devoid of any Palestinians) to real-estate development”.

Richard Keeble, spokesperson for the Louth group, said he hoped the PM would see and respond to the letter, which has been distributed via various social media platforms “to inspire discussions and action on Gaza”.