Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Fires Ministerial Aide Paul Bristow Fired Over Gaza Ceasefire Letter

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Prime Minister Rishi Runak has fired aide Paul Bristow after he submitted a letter to Sunak advocating for a ceasefire.

Downing Street commented that Bristow, elected MP for Peterborough, was “asked to leave his post in government following comments that were not consistent with the principles of collective responsibility.”

Britsow, serving as parliamentary private secretary (PPS) for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, sent a letter to the Prime Minister on Thursday. In it he advocated for a “permanent” halt to the ongoing clashes between Israel and Hamas. The move came shortly after the Prime Minister’s decision to option a temporary pause in the hostilities to facilitate the delivery of more aid to Gaza. However, the Prime Minister had not demanded a full ceasefire.

Bristow emphasised the toll of the conflict in his letter, stating: “Thousands have been killed and more than one million now displaced. It is difficult to understand how this makes Israel more secure or indeed makes anything better.”

While he acknowledged and appreciated Mr. Sunak’s previous week’s suggestion for “specific pauses” in the conflict, Bristow further argued: “A permanent ceasefire would save lives and allow for a continued flow of humanitarian aid to reach the people who need it the most.”

“Access to water, electricity, and fuel is vital for the Palestinian people,” he continued. “My constituents and I would be grateful for your comments on the actions our Government is taking to ensure that people in Gaza do not face collective punishment for the crimes of Hamas.”