Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Sir Keir Starmer is facing fierce cabinet pressure for the UK to follow France in pledging to recognise a Palestinian state, with senior Labour figures claiming the prime minister is blocking the move because he wants to stay close to the US.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that he will recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September piles pressure on Starmer, who has argued that the time is not yet right for Britain to take the same step.
One minister told the Financial Times on Thursday: “It’s very likely now that we will do the same thing. That is where we are heading.” A senior Labour official said: “The block on this is Keir himself as well as his senior advisers. They want to stay close to the US.”
Donald Trump’s administration has been putting pressure on US allies not to recognise a Palestinian state, arguing it would make it harder to find a solution to end Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
Steve Witkoff, the president’s special envoy for peace missions, on Thursday cut short international talks over a possible ceasefire in Gaza, accusing Hamas of “not acting in good faith”.
The French move comes amid mounting international horror at the humanitarian crisis caused by the 21-month war in the Palestinian territory. Macron’s pledge underscores Israel’s increasing diplomatic isolation and frustration among some of its allies at the prolonged conflict.
UK foreign secretary David Lammy this week accepted that Britain faced a big decision on the issue, telling MPs the UN General Assembly in September could be the moment when “the issue of recognition is raised once more”.
Labour supporters of an early move by Britain to recognise a Palestinian state say Lammy wants to move in concert with France, but claim that the obstacle is Starmer.
“A majority of the [Parliamentary Labour party] is desperate to act and strongly believe that David is also in favour,” said one senior Labour MP.
Health secretary Wes Streeting, justice secretary Shabana Mahmood, London mayor Sadiq Khan and the party’s Scottish leader Anas Sarwar are among those urging Starmer to move on the issue, according to senior Labour officials.
Streeting told MPs this week that he wished to see “an end to this war, but also the recognition of the state of Palestine while there is still a state of Palestine left to recognise”.
On Thursday evening Khan backed Macron’s move, saying: “With unimaginable suffering in Gaza and no end in sight, now is the time for our government to do the same.”
Labour’s manifesto commits the party to recognising a Palestinian state as a contribution to a two-state solution, but so far Starmer has refused to accept that the timing is right. “They say [the commitment] is a gesture,” said one minister.
Starmer on Thursday said on X that the “suffering and starvation unfolding in Gaza is unspeakable and indefensible” and said that the world was witnessing “a humanitarian catastrophe”.
The prime minister said he would hold a call with his German and French partners on Friday to discuss what could be done to end the war and find a lasting peace, but he suggested any recognition of a Palestinian state by Britain would not happen before a ceasefire in Gaza was secured.
He said: “We are clear that statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people. A ceasefire would put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution which guarantees peace and security for Palestinian and Israelis.”
Sir Ed Davey, Liberal Democrat leader, urged Starmer to “recognise the independent state of Palestine now and take the lead on securing a two-state solution and a lasting peace.
“The UK should be leading on this, not falling behind.”
