Local council election results signal the Labour Party stands to lose out on Muslim votes at the next general election over its stance on the war in Gaza.

The party suffered a shock defeat in Oldham, Greater Manchester, last night, losing control of the local council to Independent candidates. It performed most poorly in wards with large Muslim populations.

The loss has been attributed to Sir Keir Starmer’s initial refusal to back calls for a ceasefire in Gaza within the first few weeks of the war. Comments made by the Labour leader on LBC radio in October where he appeared to back Israel shutting off power and water in Gaza featured on opposition leaflets circulated during the campaign, pushing the issue front and centre of voters’ minds.

Following the broadcast, Sir Keir addressed the furore, insisting he had only been supporting Israel’s right to self-defence.

In an article for the BBC, Sir John Curtice, widely considered to be the UK’s pre-eminent pollster, noted there were signs that Labour may have suffered somewhat “in places where many people identify as Muslim” and this was “most likely a reflection of their discontent with Labour’s stance on the war in Gaza”.

He added: “On average, the party’s support is down by eight points since last year in wards where more than 10 per cent of people identify as Muslim.”

Labour's national campaign coordinator Pat McFadden acknowledged the crisis in Gaza did get raised by voters on the doorstep but said that “specific, very local factors” in Oldham had affected the outcome there.

He told BBC Breakfast: "I do think that's been a factor in some places, I don't think there's any point in denying that. It does get raised, and I understand why people have strong feelings about that."

But, he added: "In addition to the Middle East issue which you mentioned there are specific very local factors in Oldham which have knocked it out of line with the Labour gains we've been seeing in local elections.”