Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to write to me about the war in Gaza, and for sharing your own views with me.
I have been campaigning for a two-state solution all my adult life, after first being awakened to the horrors and injustices of this conflict in the late 80s. I am committed to doing everything I can to push for strong action to bring this brutal conflict to a close, and continue to raise the issue regularly in parliament. I have met with the Foreign Secretary to discuss this issue with him personally, and have also raised it with repeatedly with Foreign Office Ministers and will continue to do so.
From the outset of this appalling conflict, my overriding priority has been pushing the government to do all it can to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, bring about an end to the bloodshed, and secure the release of the hostages. Since being elected last year, I have pushed for the UK to recognise a Palestinian state, to sanction violent settlers and far-right Israeli ministers, to suspend trade talks with Israel, and to ban arms sales that could be used in the conflict.
I have spoken in parliament many times, held countless meetings with ministers and Secretaries of State, and signed a number of letters with parliamentary colleagues pushing for tougher action. On a number of points, I believe I have been instrumental in securing tougher action from the government, including on the UK’s recognition of a Palestinian state; a long-standing injustice that I am proud this Labour government has finally overturned.
The UK’s recognition of Palestine has been made in concert with our allies in Canada, France, Australia, and a number of other European countries. That multilateral statement makes absolutely clear to Israel that the UK and our partners will not accept the abandonment of a two-state solution, which is the only plausible path to peace and justice for Israelis and Palestinians.
I am proud that as a result of sustained diplomatic action and the decision to recognise a Palestinian state, the Arab League of 22 Arab countries has – for the first time – explicitly condemned the October 7 attack and demanded the Hamas disarm and end its rule in Gaza – a major diplomatic breakthrough. I also believe the decision for so many countries to recognise a Palestinian state was instrumental in Israel’s decision to commit to a ceasefire after refusing to for so long.
The decision to recognise Palestine fulfils Labour’s manifesto commitment that we made to voters, when we said: “Palestinian statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people. It is not in the gift of any neighbour and is also essential to the long-term security of Israel. We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state as a contribution to a renewed peace process which results in a two-state solution with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.” The Prime Minister’s actions show that Labour stands as firmly behind those words now as we did last July.
I was hugely relieved when a ceasefire agreement was announced earlier this month, with Hamas having now released all the living hostages in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, while Israel has pulled back troops, halted its offensive, and increased the amount of aid being allowed into the strip.
However, I know the ceasefire remains fragile, with Israel having carried out airstrikes in recent days that killed more than 100 people, and accusations that Hamas is being slow to hand over the remains of deceased hostages, prolonging the trauma of hostage families who want to bury their loved ones. I also cannot begin to imagine the suffering of the tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza who may have already lost friends and family members and are now returning to the ruins of their homes and their lives.
I want to see the UK play the strongest possible role in maintaining peace, so I welcome the Prime Minister’s attendance at the signing of the Gaza Peace Plan in Egypt, where he also committed a further £20 million in UK aid to restoring water and hygiene services in Gaza, as part of our £116 million foreign aid contribution to Palestine this year.
I also strongly support the UK’s role in convening a summit of charities, businesses, and government in the UK to discuss crucial planning and coordination efforts for postwar Gaza, and the UK’s contribution of military personnel to the US-led civil-military coordination centre that is overseeing the progress of the ceasefire agreement and helping to coordinate humanitarian assistance.
The next phase of the ceasefire plan will see the disarmament of Hamas, the deployment of a ceasefire-monitoring mission, an international security force, and the implementation of transitional governance arrangements in Gaza. None of this will be easy, but I will continue to do all I can to support the government’s efforts to maintain peace in Gaza.
I know the strength of feeling in Thanet about the appalling human misery we have witnessed since the October 7 attack in 2023, and the sense of horror and hopelessness as this horrific war has claimed more and more lives and wrought so much devastation. I know the path to peace remains far from clear, but I am resolute in my belief that we must keep pushing not just for a ceasefire to hold, but for a path towards a two-state solution to emerge from the rubble of this desperate tragedy.
We owe it to the children being born today in Israel and Palestine to do everything we can to ensure that the cycle of violence, hatred, and fear does not become their inheritance too. We must see a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state in our lifetime, and I want to assure you that I will continue to do all I can to ensure the UK plays its role in finally bringing an end to this appalling conflict once and for all.
The final issue I want to address is one closer to home, and that is the sickening wave of antisemitism and Islamophobia that has swept Britain as the conflict in Gaza has unfolded. The appalling terror attack against the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester recently and growing instances of hate crimes committed against Muslims and Jews shows that we have a serious problem when it comes to growing hatred in our country.
I am deeply troubled to have received reports directly from constituents who have been the victim of antisemitism and Islamophobia in Thanet. That is completely unacceptable, and it is therefore essential that we all stand together in opposition to racism, intolerance, and prejudice in whatever form it comes.
At the outset of this crisis, Keir Starmer said in Parliament that “every MP has a duty to work in their constituency to say no to this hate and to ensure that every British Jew and every British Muslim knows they can live their life free from fear and free from discrimination here in their own country”.
That is a duty I take extremely seriously, and I would urge anyone who sees or experiences any incidents of either to tell me and tell the police so we can take the necessary action to root it out and ensure those responsible face the consequences of their actions.