Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom, has strongly criticised Prime Minister Keir Starmer for recognising Palestine as an independent state.
The prime minister announced the decision during the weekend, saying it was aimed at keeping the chances of peace alive in the Middle East and supporting the push for a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. He also linked the move to efforts to secure the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
Reacting on Sunday, Badenoch said the recognition of Palestinian statehood was a wrong step by the Labour government. She described the policy as a distraction from deeper domestic problems, accusing the administration of failing to address immigration, healthcare, and jobs. According to her, recognising Palestine would not improve the condition of hostages in Gaza nor reduce the suffering of civilians caught in the ongoing conflict.
She further claimed that the government’s decision could create long-term regrets for the United Kingdom. In her view, the move gave concessions without demanding accountability from Hamas and was taken to satisfy Labour’s political base rather than to solve the country’s challenges.
With the new policy, the United Kingdom has now joined over 140 United Nations member states that have already recognised Palestine or pledged to do so. Canada and Australia recently made similar announcements, while the issue of Palestinian sovereignty is set to take centre stage at the upcoming 80th session of the UN General Assembly.
The recognition marks a major shift in the UK’s foreign policy, one that continues to draw sharp divisions within the country’s political space.