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Hello and welcome to political thinking a conversation with rather than a newsy interrogation of

someone who shapes our political thinking about what shapes

theirs. The crisis in the Middle East is being felt deeply here at home,

dividing communities, families, and in particular the Labour Party.

Kirstama has stood up for Israel's right to defend itself when a growing number

in his party want him to stand up to Israel and to tell them to

stop bombing Gaza.

Advising the Labour leader as his election campaign coordinator and backroom fixer is a man who's been described as the most

powerful labor politician that most have never heard of.

He's Pat McFadden, a veteran of Tony Blair's Downing Street, who has, as a result, almost always

seen it all before.

Pat McFadden, welcome to political thinking, joining us from your office in your Wolverhampton constituency.

Good to see you.

Good to be here.

Thank you.

We're all watching horrors abroad, but also deepening divisions at home.

I just wonder how concerned you are about those divisions.

Well people have strong feelings about this issue.

Anyone watching this will have just been horrified by what took place on October the 7th a few weeks ago in that mass killing

of Israeli civilians and understanding not just the anger but the fear and

trauma that that will have resulted in in Israel. And then, of course, once it happened,

...