Jeremy Corbyn MP has spoken at a public meeting in Preston, repeating the call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The former Leader of the Labour Party addressed a large crowd at Preston Muslim Girls High School in Deepdale on Saturday (6 January).

The meeting, which was organised by Stop The War and Children of the Ghetto, also included speeches from Ghassan Ghaben from Gaza, Ian Hodson, President of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, John Rees, national officer of Stop the War and presenter on Islam Channel, and Dr Emilee Rauschenberger and her daughter, who were living in Gaza when the latest conflict began.

Addressing the crowd, Mr Corbyn talked about the role of the arms trade in conflicts around the world.

He said: “It’s very minimal to demand a ceasefire at the present time. It’s also important to understand how we take the campaign forwards. Wars don’t come from nowhere. Wars come from aggression, they come from demands for natural resources.

“They also come from the pressure of the arms industry in selling weapons to Israel, to Saudi Arabia, and to many other countries, which are then used to kill and oppress people. We have to stand up to the global interests of the arms trade, who use these wars as a testing ground for the latest drone, the latest bomb, the latest horrible weapon. It’s about dealing with the issue of how we end these wars.”

Talking about the campaign to support Palestine, Mr Corbyn said: “Our strength is in our ability to make our voices heard. We’re in a relatively privileged position; we can meet, we can agitate, we can organise.

“The next demonstration on Saturday 13 January in London is part of a global call for action. We want everybody out on the streets making as much noise and presence as possible to get justice for the Palestinian people and ensure there is a ceasefire.

“We need to demand politicians call for a ceasefire and I’m pleased that your council has already called for it. We need every council in the country to be calling for a ceasefire.”

Read more: Preston City Council votes to back immediate ceasefire in Gaza conflict

Mr Corbyn went on to say he believes people are waking up to the issues that face the planet.

“Poverty, injustice, inequality, environment disaster and climate change – not one of those issues will ever be solved by a war. The bombing and destruction of Gaza is not going to solve any of the problems of any of the people in the region whatsoever. It will only beget the next war, the next refugee flow, the next terrorism, the next problems. There has to be peace.

“You start with a ceasefire. You develop the ceasefire into a proper process of peace. But you recognise the origins of the issue: the occupation, the enforced refugee flows of 1948, and the disgraceful way the Palestinian people have been treated, including children being put in military prison.

“So, it’s up to us, it’s in our own hands to get the message across. A demand of our government and every other government in the world, you force a ceasefire now by ceasing the arms trade. You allow people to campaign for sanctions against Israel.

“Let’s be proud of the unity of our movement. Let’s also be proud of the organisations and people in Israel that oppose the occupation and those who refuse to serve in the Israeli army because they’re not prepared to take part in the bombing of Gaza.

“We bring people together because we’re determined to stand by the people of Palestine. That’s the message tonight here in Preston and next Saturday across the whole of the world.”

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