In a significant shift in UK foreign policy, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to recognise a Palestinian state by the end of September, following an off-the-cuff remark from US President Donald Trump. Trump, speaking in Scotland, said he would not take a position on the matter, allowing Starmer to move forward without US opposition.
The decision came after an emergency cabinet meeting, with Foreign Secretary David Lammy telling a UN conference that “Britain bears a special burden of responsibility” in the region. The new policy, largely drafted by National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, will see the UK recognise Palestine unless Israel meets conditions including a ceasefire in Gaza and a revived two-state solution.
Senior government sources indicated that recognition is now almost inevitable, given the unlikelihood of Israel meeting the conditions within the next six to eight weeks. The move follows mounting domestic and international pressure, with over 200 MPs signing a letter backing recognition, and France announcing its own intention to recognise a Palestinian state in September.
Ministers stressed that recognition was a Labour manifesto commitment, but the timing was accelerated by the horrific scenes of starvation in Gaza caused by Israel’s blockade. Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the Commons he supported recognising “the state of Palestine while there is a state of Palestine left to recognise”.
The shift also reflects a growing realisation inside government that the two-state solution is at risk of being buried for good by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The UK’s move aligns with France and Saudi Arabia, who are co-hosting a UN conference on Palestinian statehood in late July.
