Palestine Action Hunger Striker to Stand in May Elections

A Palestine Action-linked hunger striker who refused food for 49 days will stand as a candidate in May’s local council elections.

Amu Gib, who has been held on remand at HMS Bronzefield since July 2025, was chosen to represent the Islington Community Independents last month, Tribune magazine reported. 

David Renton, a barrister and member of the collective, wrote in the magazine: “I am so proud that Gib will have the opportunity to stand in the same constituency where they went to school and college. 

“Gaza is crucial to British politics – it is the cause of Labour’s turn to authoritarianism, including the proscription of Palestine Action, a policy which led directly to the unjust conditions which gave prisoners no choice but to strike.”

Gib has been held in prison since allegedly breaking into RAF Brize Norton, where activists reportedly caused £7m worth of damage to aircraft  they understood would go on to aid Israel’s ongoing genocide.

During their hunger strike, Gib lost so much weight that they were unable to walk. Al Jazeera reported that after requesting wheelchair access to medical appointments, officers refused to push Gib’s wheelchair and so they were unable to access critical care. 

The 30-year-old activist has also been subject to solitary confinement throughout their stay at HMS Bronzefield and had their visiting rights restricted, according to Prisoners for Palestine. 

When they applied to stand as a local councillor, Gib said: “Together we survived the pandemic, which showed us who we actually need in order to live. 

“It is not the royal family, the rich, the City of London, the bankers. It’s the farmers, binmen, nurses, cleaners, students, transport workers, and storytellers.”

Gib has promised that if elected, they would lobby for more housing, better schools and councils that represent constituents. 

Islington Independent councillor Ilkay Cinko-Oner said: “Imagine what it would mean if they won. A prisoner, a hunger striker, an activist for Palestine.”

Gib ended their hunger strike on 24 December. Four others ended their hunger strikes in January after the government said it would not award a £2bn contract to Israeli arms subsidiary Elbit Systems UK.