Starmer rejects calls for Palestinian statehood as Trump flies to the UK
Sir Keir Starmer has rejected calls from MPs to immediately recognise a Palestinian state, as US President Donald Trump arrived in the UK amid the continued desperate situation in Gaza.
Some 221 MPs have signed a letter urging the British Government to recognise the state of Palestine at a meeting of the UN next week.
The UK would follow in the footsteps of France if it did, though Mr Trump claimed French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement was “not going to change anything” ahead of flying to the UK on Friday.
Two-state solution
Sarah Champion, a senior Labour MP who co-ordinated the cross-party letter, said recognition “would send a powerful symbolic message that we support the rights of the Palestinian people”.
While the PM said he was “unequivocal” about wanting to see a Palestinian state, he insisted this needed to be part of a “wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis”.
The UK and its allies must work together to broker a peace, he added, likening the effort to the coalition of the willing to support Ukraine.
Sir Keir is expected to meet Mr Trump on Monday, as the US president stays in Scotland ahead of a full state visit later this year.
On Friday evening, amid mounting global anger over the starving population in Gaza, the Prime Minister also suggested the UK will play a role in dropping aid into Gaza by air.
He welcomed that Israel said it would allow aid to be delivered by parachute to alleviate starvation in Gaza.
‘Too late’
The Prime Minister said the step had “come far too late”, but he insisted the UK will “do everything we can to get aid in via this route”.
Britain is already working alongside Jordan to get aid onto planes, the PM signalled, also adding that children from Gaza in need of specialist medical care will be evacuated to the UK for treatment.
In a video statement released on Friday, Sir Keir made plain his desire for a ceasefire.
He said: “I know the British people are sickened by what is happening. The images of starvation and desperation are utterly horrifying.
“The denial of aid to children and babies is completely unjustifiable, just as the continued captivity of hostages is completely unjustifiable.”
Meanwhile, in a statement released alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and France’s Mr Macron, the Prime Minister urged Israel to stop restricting the flow of aid into Gaza.
A call between the three leaders was expected on Friday, but has been postponed until the weekend.
US-led peace talks in Qatar were cut short on Thursday, with Washington’s special envoy Steve Witkoff accusing Hamas of a “lack of desire to reach a ceasefire”.
The deal under discussion is expected to include a 60-day ceasefire, and aid supplies would be ramped up as negotiations on a lasting truce took place.
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Totally useless PM.
Far too late…he said it himself, ‘why’ will be asked at his trial, all being well…
Perhaps the Israeli Government should reconfigure their F-35s as they seem to have pilots who are very good at dropping payloads into civilian areas.
Would be hard for them to reconfigure those planes from evil to good.
Such a weak man in many ways, refusing to do the obviously correct thing – just incase it annoys the sex offending orange felon who was besties with Jeffrey Epstein, or the criminal rogue regime running Israel.
Starmer consistently refuses to have a backbone unless it’s a completely over the top stamping down on peaceful protests calling for an end to genocide, or cherrypicking which of his few left wing MPs to bully.
A succinct summary of Starmer’s character and behaviour. Why he is crawling to Trump is beyond me. Trump never sticks to any deal he makes and he has a completely distorted world view, taking advice from a range of unqualified idiots.
Not sure he knows that what he does now means no term 2. But far better to fail getting term 2 being a decent PM than caving to a convicted felon and abuser who looks to be about to give someone a pardon who did terrible things to children.
Pathetic Starmer. He is terrified of having a different view to Trump. This is a PM who has no capabilities of leading whatsoever but will follow others whatever they think if they have power. Labour should replace him with someone who at least believes in something.
“While he said he was “unequivocal” about wanting to see a Palestinian state…”
Can I suggest Starmer gets himself an English dictionary and checks up the meaning of “unequivocal”.
Page 124 of the 2024 Labour election Manifesto states their commitment to establish “a viable and sovereign Palestinian state” and states “Palestinian statehood is the inalienable right”. Starmer and his lemmings of Labour MPs in Wales are dishonest and cowardly.