Cross-party letter cites Britain’s ‘historic responsibility’ as France announces September recognition at UN
Sir Keir Starmer is facing unprecedented pressure to recognise a Palestinian state after 221 MPs signed a cross-party letter demanding immediate action, whilst French President Emmanuel Macron announced France would formally recognise Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
The letter, organised by Labour backbencher Sarah Champion, who chairs the International Development Committee, argues that British recognition would be “particularly powerful given its role as the author of the Balfour Declaration and the former Mandatory Power in Palestine”.
The scale of parliamentary support represents a significant escalation in pressure on the Prime Minister, coming just weeks after 59 Labour MPs privately urged Foreign Secretary David Lammy to take similar action.
“Since 1980 we have backed a two-state solution. Such a recognition would give that position substance as well as living up to a historic responsibility we have to the people under that Mandate,” the MPs wrote in their letter.
The timing could not be more challenging for Starmer, with Macron’s late-night announcement on X dramatically shifting the diplomatic landscape. France will become the first G7 nation and Western member of the UN Security Council to recognise Palestinian statehood.
I have decided that France will recognise the State of Palestine,” Macron wrote. “I will solemnly announce this at the United Nations General Assembly in September this year.”
The French president’s decision follows mounting international anger over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where images of starving Palestinians have shocked Western audiences. Macron called the situation “unspeakable and indefensible” and said peace was “the only way to meet the legitimate aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians”.
Labour MPs now say the government’s position of waiting for the “right moment” is increasingly untenable. “They had said they wanted to be in lockstep with allies, but this means that position won’t hold,” one Labour MP told reporters.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle defended the government’s stance on Sky News this morning, insisting that whilst Britain desires Palestinian statehood, immediate priorities must focus on alleviating suffering in Gaza.
“We want Palestinian statehood. We desire it, and we want to make sure the circumstances can exist where that kind of long-term political solution can have the space to evolve,” Kyle said. “But right now, today, we’ve got to focus on what will ease the suffering.”
The pressure intensified after Number 10 released a statement late last night calling the situation in Gaza “unspeakable and indefensible,” describing a “human catastrophe” that has “reached new depths”. An emergency call between Starmer, Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is scheduled for today.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Macron’s announcement, stating: “Such a move rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became. A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel.
The Palestinian Authority welcomed France’s decision, with Hussein Al Sheikh, the PLO’s vice president, expressing “thanks and appreciation” to Macron. Hamas also hailed the announcement as a “positive step” and urged all countries to follow France’s lead.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly rejected Macron’s plan, calling it a “reckless decision” that “only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. The American response highlights the growing divide between European and US positions on Palestinian recognition.
More than 140 of the 193 UN member states already recognise Palestine, including Spain, Ireland and Norway, which announced their recognition earlier this year. The UK, along with the US, Germany, and most Western European nations, has not yet taken this step.
Sarah Champion, who organised the MPs’ letter, has been increasingly vocal about Britain’s response to the Gaza crisis. Speaking to Channel 4 News this week, she argued that “symbolism is actually quite important” and recognition would demonstrate Britain’s commitment to actively working for lasting peace.
“If we genuinely believe in a two-state solution and if we believe that there is a way to get there, it cannot be negotiated by the occupied with the occupier,” Champion said. “For us saying yes, we do recognise Palestine, it’s saying to Israel that we are standing by Palestine.”
The cross-party nature of the letter adds further weight to the campaign. Earlier this year, seven Conservative MPs and six House of Lords peers broke ranks with their party to call for immediate recognition, describing it as “an opportunity for Britain to show leadership, to be on the right side of history”.
Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Emily Thornberry has also weighed in, with her committee warning that the UK “cannot continue to wait for the perfect time” as “there will never be a perfect time” whilst illegal settlements continue to expand.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan joined the chorus this week, arguing there “can be no two-state solution if there is no viable state left to call Palestine”. His intervention adds to the growing list of senior Labour figures publicly challenging the government’s position.
The Foreign Office maintains its commitment to recognising a Palestinian state but insists this should happen when it will have “the most impact in support of a peace process”. Officials continue to provide humanitarian aid and work closely with the Palestinian Authority.
However, with France leading the way and a conference on the two-state solution scheduled with Saudi Arabia in September, the pressure for Britain to act is intensifying. A senior French official confirmed to CNN that France expects other nations to follow: “I’ve had other colleagues on the phone and I’m sure that we won’t be the only ones recognising Palestine in September.”
The parliamentary rebellion represents Starmer’s biggest foreign policy challenge since taking office. With 221 MPs now publicly demanding action and France breaking ranks among G7 nations, the Prime Minister faces difficult choices about Britain’s Middle East policy.
A Downing Street spokesperson confirmed their position on Palestinian statehood “remains unchanged”, but with growing domestic pressure and shifting international dynamics, that stance appears increasingly isolated.
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Image Credit:
Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosts Council of Nations and Regions – Photo by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street, licensed under CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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