Sir Keir Starmer has indicated he will not agree to recognise a unilateral Palestine as a state, as a civil war over the issue threatens to erupt in his party.
As tensions mount in the Middle East with the ongoing blockade of Gaza by Israel and the region on the brink of all-out war between Israel and Iran, Sir Keir made it clear that the UK government will not budge.
The prime minister said: “Our position on recognition of Palestine as part of the process hasn’t changed for us. I hold very strongly to the belief that the only long-term solution to the conflict in the Middle East is a two-state solution. However hard that may seem at the moment in the current circumstances, that is the only way to peace. So that continues to be our position.”
His comments came as the Trades Union Congress (TUC) – Labour’s biggest financial backers – issued a joint statement with their Canadian and French counterparts calling on the UK government to change its position.
It makes three demands, including recognising Palestine’s statehood. They are calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire; and the government to ensure the Israeli government meets its obligations under international humanitarian law.
They said: “We urge our governments to formally recognise the State of Palestine now and to stand firm in their opposition to the atrocities committed in Gaza and in the West Bank.
“We welcome the recent joint statement by our heads of state calling for an immediate halt to Israel’s assault in Gaza and for unimpeded access to humanitarian aid.
“These are critical first steps toward alleviating the suffering of civilians caught in the conflict.
“Our governments rightly acknowledged that permanent forced displacement is a breach of international humanitarian law, and we welcome their opposition to settlement expansion and the recognition that it is illegal and undermines the viability of a Palestinian state. However, words must be matched by action.
“As members of the G7, doing so would send a powerful signal —particularly in the lead-up to the UN conference co-chaired by France in mid-June.
“The time for decisive action is now. The need for justice, peace, and recognition has never been more urgent.”
The text seen by The Independent comes as Sir Keir is in Canada meeting new PM Mark Carney for trade talks before attending the G7 summit where the Middle East crisis will be top of the agenda.
It follows pressure from a number of senior Labour figures – including Commons foreign affairs chair Dame Emily Thornbury – for the UK to follow the example of Ireland, Spain and Norway last year to officially recognise Palestine as a state.
Added pressure on the issue has even come from the Tories with a group of Conservative MPs signing a letter by former minister Kit Malthouse demanding Palestine be recognised as a state. The Green Party and SNP have also long supported the policy.
