PRO-PALESTINIAN candidates challenging Labour secured superstar backing at a Stand up for Palestine concert in London on Friday evening.

Former Pink Floyd singer and bassist Roger Waters, celebrated singer-songwriter Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens) and top rapper Lowkey shared the bill with leading independent candidates.

Those they were supporting included Andrew Feinstein, who is challenging Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in the Holborn & St Pancras constituency where the concert was held.

Also on the stage were Leanne Mohamad, opposing Wes Streeting in Ilford North and Tanushka Marah challenging Peter Kyle in Hove & Portslade.

Mr Waters called for support for Mr Feinstein. “Choose truth, love and empathy and vote for Andrew Feinstein,” he said. “To prevent that genocide enabler Keir Starmer from becoming prime minister would be an immense benefit to the people of England and the whole of mankind.”

He performed his Pink Floyd classic Wish You Were Here, originally written for his late bandmate and childhood friend Syd Barrett, but on this occasion dedicated to the people of Palestine.

Ms Mohamed said she was standing because the two main parties “were two sides of the same rusty coin” and that the movement against them was “diverse, pluralistic and unstoppable.”

“The power of the people united is greater than that of the people in power,” the young British-Palestinian candidate told the packed and enthusiastic crowd in St Pancras New Church.

Mr Feinstein reminded the audience of the words of Nelson Mandela that “our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinian people” and added: “Those of us inside this room represent a future of justice and equality for every single human being on this planet.”

Ms Marah, also British-Palestinian, linked domestic and foreign policy by reminding the gathering that “children are being starved inside this country because of austerity” and that they are being “starved in Gaza, in Yemen and elsewhere due to racism in this country in bare-naked form.”

Yusuf/Cat Stevens dedicated his set, which included his 1970 hit Wild World, to the children of Gaza. “They do not deserve this,” he said.

Lowkey delivered a powerful set with songs highlighting not just the crisis in Gaza but the Grenfell fire and other ruling-class abuses.