Ed Miliband was challenged by two pro-Palestinian activists while dining at a Pizza Express in Liverpool, where Labour’s conference was taking place. They called on him to describe Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide and to lift the ban on Palestine Action; Miliband said he would speak with them but noted they had interrupted a constituency dinner. The confrontation took place amid demonstrations and arrests near the conference.

Defend Our Juries, which organised the protest, said more than 150 people had been arrested after a 16-hour demonstration in which participants displayed support for the banned group. The decision on Palestine Action’s proscription rests with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, not Miliband. In a conference speech, Miliband said Labour recognised the plight of Palestinians and cited planned measures against illegal Israeli settlements, including banning imports from them and disrupting related British financial, construction and service links; the article also reports that a 94-year-old human rights barrister was among those arrested.