Senior Tory MPs Defy Kemi Badenioch To Call For A Palestinian State

Kemi Badenoch has been Tory leader for barely six months.Senior Conservative MPs have called on Keir Starmer to officially recognise a Palestinian state.The surprise move _ which puts them at odds with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch – comes amid Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza.The UK, France and Canada already urged Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to cease its renewed military offensive and lift its blockade on humanitarian aid entering the territory.They warned they would take “further concrete actions” unless he stopped the “intolerable” human suffering. Britain also halted trade negotiations with Israel.The Labour government – like its Tory predecessor – already supports a two-state solution to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict.But Starmer has stopped short of formally recognising Palestine as a state in its own right, despite pressure from dozens of Labour MPs and peers.Among the Tory MPs who have now echoed that call in a letter to the PM are former cabinet ministers Sir Jeremy Wright and Kit Malthouse.The other signatories are Father of the House Sir Edward Leigh, Sir Roger Gale, Mark Pritchard, Sir Desmond Swayne, Simon Hoare and Martin Vickers.They said the UK should “align itself with the growing international consensus” on Palestinian statehood.In an open letter, they told the prime minister: “This decision would be a substantive act of diplomacy and a statement of commitment to equality and peace.”They warned that “without meaningful action,” the hope for a two-state solution is “rapidly slipping away”.“Settlement expansion, the ongoing disproportionate destruction in Gaza and political deadlock, are making a viable two-state solution harder to achieve with each passing day,” the MPs said. “As you are already aware, many Israelis support a Palestinian state.”The opposition MPs also noted this should “not be seen through the prism of partisan or left/right politics”, but as a matter of international law.Recognising Palestine would not “reward extremism” of Hamas either, the MPs said, but show “violence and rejectionism” will not “shape the future”.They said Britain should acknowledge the Palestinian state at the upcoming Saudi-French summit at the UN on 17-20 June. Their words are at odds with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch who last month dubbed calls to recognise a Palestinian state “a dangerous idea” which would “do nothing other than reward terrorism”.Malthouse and Pritchard, who coordinated the letter, noted: “With an historic United Nations summit imminent, now is the time for the United Kingdom to show global leadership.“Recognising the State of Palestine is not just symbolic – it is a necessary step towards a just, lasting, and sustainable peace, for both Israelis and Palestinians.“We urge the government to act with other international allies and partners in recognising a Palestinian State.”Ministers have already faced similar pleas from inside and outside Labour, as party grandees say it would send an important message to Palestinians.Currently 160 countries recognise a Palestinian state.Israel launched a full-scale offensive into Gaza in October 2023 in response to the Hamas attack on Israeli soil where they killed 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage.After 19 months of war in the region, more than 50,000 Palestinians are estimated to have been killed and Gaza is in a humanitarian crisis.Related...Eurovision Organisers Confirm Spanish Broadcaster Was Spoken To Over Pro-Palestine MessageIn Case You Missed It, Pro-Palestine Protest With Up To 10,000 People Stood Near Downing Street This WeekWhy Are Pro-Palestine Students Protesting In The US?

Comments

Breaking news

AI-driven timetables improve reliability of Glasgow bus services

The Herald

Comments

Similar News

Medicare Penalties Would Change for 700,000 Seniors Under New Bill

Property Taxes Could Be Scrapped for Senior Citizens in Maine

Senior Met police officer who claimed six-figure salary for nearly five years despite refusing to take drugs test is finally sacked

Senior police officer who wrote the Met’s drugs strategy fired for second time after refusing to take drugs test

Soldier who lay dead in barracks for 3 weeks ‘degraded by senior officers who posted humiliating vids in WhatsApp group’

Senior pupils from primary school in West Lothian visit UK Parliament

'My boyfriend is 28 years my senior – people say I have daddy issues but it's true love'

Former close aide to King Charles and Princess Diana dies aged 91: Senior soldier who lasted less than a year as private secretary amid the collapse of royal couple's marriage

Senior Labdrador Shaking With Excitement Over Dunkin' Pup Cup Melts Hearts

Senior Dog Heartbroken Thinking He's Abandoned, Then Realizes the Truth

Less than one-third of senior council figures say Labour can be trusted as optimism about Keir Starmer's Government plunges in town halls

Map Shows States Where Seniors Are Most Vulnerable to Social Security Cuts

Senior royal aide reveals how King has managed since cancer diagnosis

New Tensions Between the White House and Israel, and a Surge of Homeless Seniors

Senior police raise concern over early prisoner release plans

Senior Dogs Enjoying Their 'Ball Chase' Together Melts Hearts

Keir Starmer under pressure as senior Labour MP demands two-child benefit limit be scrapped

North Korea arrests senior official over warship launch failure

Angel Cabrera Gets Back-to-Back Majors, Wins Senior PGA Championship

Man in court after homes of senior Daniel crime clan members and factory "firebombed"

Breaking news

AI-driven timetables improve reliability of Glasgow bus services

'This could be a movie': Mark Wahlberg pledges support for brothers rowing Pacific

Half a million more kids will be entitled to free school meals in massive expansion of the scheme

Wild moment OAP hurls her shopping at customers at Morrisons self-checkout as staff forced to break up vicious brawl

Missing woman last seen near Hyde Park three months ago spotted in London pub

Meghan Markle Shuts Down 'Fake Bump' Rumours With Throwback Video Of Her Dancing In Labour

Liz Truss Launches Furious Attack On Mel Stride As Tory Civil War Erupts

Walton Goggins And Aimee Lou Wood Are Not Happy This Scene Was Deleted From The White Lotus Finale

Jonathan Bailey Recalls Very Awkward Ariana Grande Moment While Shooting Wicked

Major breakthrough in battle for HIV cure ‘previously thought impossible’

Woman arrested after police find bodies of 37 dogs at Essex home

Wise latest to unveil plans to switch main listing from London to New York

Erin Patterson denies knowingly preparing death cap mushrooms in dehydrator she later dumped

Madeleine McCann search latest: Neighbour recalls ‘angry’ rows with suspect as third day begins in hunt for missing girl

Canada wildfires: How to keep yourself safe as smoke from deadly inferno reaches Europe

Ted Cruz leads senators in plan to designate June Pro-Life Month during Pride Month

Reform UK chairman calls Farage’s newest MP ‘dumb’ over burqa ban calls

Nintendo Switch 2 launch, after an 8 year wait, draws big lines

Italy’s Meloni greenlights controversial laws targeting protests, squatters and cannabis

New car market returns to growth

Grenade launchers and Nazi flag found as veterans arrested for Army base hammer robbery

Wild moment OAP hurls her shopping at customers at Morrisons self-checkout as staff forced to break up vicious brawl

Passengers injured on Ryanair flight after being thrown against the cabin roof as plane ‘flew into supercell storm’

Brit backpacker, 24, faces 20 years in jail after ‘mowing down dad-of-two on e-scooter following six-hour pub session’

Heartbreak as schoolgirl, 10, suddenly dies with tributes pouring in for ‘beautiful daughter

Tommy Robinson back in court for harassment – just nine days after he was released from prison

Now Pornhub ban spreads to EUROPE in row over under-18 access – and it includes two other major X-rated sites

Family of Cole Cooper share 'five painful weeks of hell' as search for missing teen continues

Full fibre broadband with gigabit-capable speeds coming to Hamilton

Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg tells Scots brothers rowing the Pacific their story 'could be a movie'

Teen charged over attempted murder on Dundee street

Members delighted with Ayr Model Boat Club's open day success

'Look who it isnae' - Still Game's iconic Boabby the Barman heads to Dumbarton for new stage show

Stagecoach's future in Dumfries and Galloway raised with First Minister

Castle Douglas support service puts pressure on the council over expansion plans

HMRC locks 100,000 accounts after scammers steal £47m in huge phishing attack

Women taking weight-loss jabs given contraception warning as pregnancies rise

Over 2,000 people from Lanarkshire languishing on NHS waiting list to see psychologist

Dumfries and Galloway salmon 'maternity hospital' gets power up from SP Energy Networks

Plans unveiled for renewable energy development between Gretna and Eastriggs

Boy, 15, charged over 'murder bid' after teen 'stabbed' on Glasgow street

Donald Trump bans citizens of 12 countries from entering US

Talks planned over Scottish Government backing for Galloway after national park plans ditched

Wigtown Book Festival encouraging more volunteers to get involved

Ryanair passengers 'injured' after plane makes emergency landing during 'supercell' storm

Tigers maul man to death in zoo horror and then play with his shoes

Energy costs 'an anchor on our ambition', CBI chief warns government

The notable countries omitted by Trump's travel ban - amid anger over 'moral disgrace'

'Over-designed and too expensive': Can George Street pedestrianisation be saved?

Scotland Office and Scottish Chambers of Commerce in ‘Brand Scotland’ mission deal

Shame on you, Labour. How can you still sell arms to Israel amidst all this horror?

The Herald cartoon on Edinburgh University

In 12 charts: The Herald Scottish Golf Survey

Lie of the land: Visitors outrank members among concerns in Scottish golf

Green activist urges Harvie and Greer to make way for ‘radical women’ at election

Sarwar accuses Swinney of ‘misinformation’ as he insists Labour can win by-election

Debt-ridden Edinburgh pushes for new and more public taxes