Battersea MP Martin Linton is pressing the Prime Minister for an independent investigation into the Gaza conflict.

In the House of Commons last Wednesday Mr Linton, who is also chairman of Labour Friends of Palestine & the Middle East, asked for a UN inquiry into allegations of war crimes during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza.

In February, the Labour MP was part of a cross-party alliance from the UK that visited homes in Israel and Palestine after the three-week conflict that killed 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis.

The Prime Minister refused to endorse a full UN investigation and instead referred to an inquiry by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF).

Mr Linton said: “I’m disappointed . . . in this country we insist quite rightly on independent investigation of complaints against the police, so surely we can’t expect Palestinians to be satisfied with an inquiry conducted by the IDF into the conduct of their own soldiers?”

“Given the total inadequacy of past IDF investigations into their own behaviour, we have to insist - and persuade the Americans to insist - on an inquiry backed by the UN Security Council with powers to require co-operation and impose sanctions for non-co-operation.”

• What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.