Sir Keir Starmer has been offered a place on Donald Trump's proposed Gaza 'peace board', which is being formed as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The Prime Minister was asked to join by a senior member of the Trump administration, and is expected to accept, though a formal invitation has not yet been received.
The board is intended to temporarily oversee the running of Gaza and manage its reconstruction. It will be chaired by Trump himself and composed of world leaders, with US media reports suggesting the membership could be announced as early as this week.
Tony Blair was initially expected to be on the board, but was quietly dropped after objections from some Middle Eastern nations, who view him with scepticism over his role in the 2003 Iraq war. Instead, Blair is expected to join a separate executive board alongside Trump's advisers, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
Speaking on Air Force One, Trump said the board would consist of 'the most important leaders of the most important nations'. In the Commons, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed UK support for the ceasefire plan but stressed the need for humanitarian aid and the decommissioning of Hamas weapons.
Starmer has defended his international engagements, telling Labour MPs that being 'in the room' for such negotiations is vital for the domestic economy and security.
