UK prime minister Keir Starmer
UK prime minister Keir Starmer delivers his speech at the UK Labour Party annual conference in Liverpool, UK, on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. Image Credit: Bloomberg

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s plea for peace in the Middle East went badly awry when he inadvertently called for the return of the “sausages” from Gaza in a speech at his Labour Party’s annual conference.

While the premier quickly corrected himself, footage of the awkward mistake quickly circulated on social media, detracting from his more serious message seeking to defuse tensions and asking all parties “to pull back from the brink.”

“I call again for restraint and de-escalation on the border between Lebanon and Israel,” Starmer said. “I call again for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. The return of the sausages. The hostages. And a re-commitment to the two-state solution, a recognized Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israel.”

Starmer went on to say he would take that message to the United Nations General Assembly this week. He’s due to leave the Labour conference to fly to New York for the summit later on Tuesday.

Hamas is still holding more than 100 hostages - including five Britons - almost a year after its terrorist attack on Israel sparked the current conflict.