Political Opinion: MP Column - The two-state solution has never been under greater threat. That’s why Labour is acting
“Britain must stand for something.”
These were the words of Andy Burnham about the situation in the Middle East which matters deeply to people in Luton North. It remains one of the top issues people write to me about – and I share that deep concern about the violence, and blatant disregard for Palestinian life and international law alike.
It’s why, back in November 2023, I resigned from the Labour front bench to vote for an immediate ceasefire. Since then, with a new Prime Minister in Number 10, the Labour party has accepted that it was wrong not to act sooner.
That’s why I was in the House of Commons to support the new Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband as he laid out what we can all see – that there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians happening in the West Bank, perpetrated by settler terrorists under the Israeli government’s E1 settlement plan.
He also accepted the findings of the International Court of Justice that the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territory in the West Bank and in Gaza is illegal, and said the UK should respond strongly to this ongoing breach of international law.
Settlements in the West Bank matter to those who care about a future for Palestine because they critically undermine a two-state solution. They occupy Palestinian land, cut off connectivity, and have led to a huge rise in settler violence and attacks on Palestinian infrastructure.
That’s why the government will ban trade with Israeli settlements, introduce a “double lock” on arms sales that could be used in the illegal occupation, and introduce further sanctions on settlers.
It is a major move to show the Israeli government that enough is enough: there are consequences for repeatedly and brazenly violating international law.
This trade ban comes alongside other measures, like recognition of the State of Palestine, withdrawal of arms licenses, sanctions on ministers, suspension of trade talks, restoring funds to UNWRA, supporting international courts, providing medical care to Palestinian children and more. As former Co-Chair of Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East, I'm proud to have campaigned for these measures.
The only sustainable path to peace in the Middle East is a two-state solution with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.
In Luton, this matters to people because human life and rights matter. And as the new Prime Minister said, we “will not stand by as the horrific suffering continues to grow and the prospect of a two-state solution - the best hope for peace and stability in the region - comes under attack.”
As always, if you live in Luton North please do share your views by getting in touch on [email protected].