British PM faces political crossfire as Gaza, Palestine recognition dominate agenda

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to convene a cabinet meeting next week to address the intensifying political and diplomatic pressure surrounding the Gaza crisis and the question of Palestinian statehood, a government source confirmed.

The meeting—scheduled during Parliament’s summer recess, which runs until September 1—is likely to focus on the growing demands from within the Labour Party for the UK to formally recognise a Palestinian state, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Starmer has thus far reiterated the long-standing British position: that recognition of a Palestinian state should come as part of a negotiated two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. His comments on July 25, reaffirming this policy, were met with disappointment by numerous Labour MPs and party activists who have called for swifter recognition, similar to recent moves by several European nations.

France’s President Emmanuel Macron announced on July 24 that Paris would move forward with recognising Palestinian statehood—a declaration that drew condemnation from both Israel and the United States. France joins Spain, Norway, and Ireland, who made similar declarations in 2024. In response, more than 220 British MPs, predominantly from Labour and representing nearly a third of the House of Commons, issued a joint letter urging Starmer to take decisive action.

The UK government has historically stated it would recognise Palestinian statehood "when the time is right," though it has not defined a timeline or explicit criteria. Starmer’s cautious approach is further complicated by the broader geopolitical context and the traditionally close alignment of UK foreign policy with Washington.

Adding to the diplomatic complexity is the presence of US President Donald Trump in Scotland, with whom Starmer has reportedly developed cordial relations. The UK has typically refrained from foreign policy decisions that could be seen as diverging from the US position.

Meanwhile, Israel continues to face growing international criticism over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza—a crisis that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government continues to dismiss as politically motivated.

By Vafa Guliyeva