Starmer convenes Cabinet for urgent meeting on Gaza
The Prime Minister is focusing on securing aid for those on the ground and a 'sustainable route' to a two-state solution, Downing Street has said, and emphasised that the UK recognising Palestine was a matter of 'when, not if'.
Sir Keir has started working with France and Germany on a process to 'bring about a lasting peace' in the Middle East and shared the plans with US President Donald Trump when they met in Scotland on Monday.
He is expected to share details with Arab states and other key allies in the coming days.
The Cabinet meeting, which some ministers are attending in person and others virtually, comes after Parliament broke for its summer recess last week.
Pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside Downing Street as the meeting took place.
Four people wearing white headdresses posed solemnly above what appeared to be a model shrouded corpse and crowd of people gathered banging pans with spoons, many of them wearing keffiyehs and carrying Palestinian flags.
A metres-long banner was held in front of the black gates in Whitehall reading 'genocide in Gaza' and 'death from famine and disease'.
Speaking on Tuesday morning, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said he would not 'pre-empt' the meeting, but added it was 'right' to 'assess what Britain can do' to ease the situation in Gaza.
Pro-Palestine protesters take part in a demonstration outside the gates of Downing Street ahead of the Cabinet meeting (James Manning/PA)
He also said the Palestinian people should be 'rewarded for what they've been through' and given the tools 'to move them towards the kind of peace, stability and dignity that every citizen in every country is owed'.
Amid international alarm over starvation in Gaza, Israel announced at the weekend that it would suspend fighting in three areas for 10 hours a day and open secure routes for aid delivery.
The UK confirmed it was taking part in airdrops of aid into the territory.
Aid agencies have welcomed the new measures but said they were not enough to counter the rising hunger in the Palestinian territory.
Sir Keir said that the British public is 'revolted' at the scenes of desperation in Gaza as he appeared alongside Mr Trump at his Turnberry golf course on Monday.
The US president hinted at sticking points in US-led negotiations over a peace deal, saying Palestinian militant group Hamas had become 'very difficult to deal with' in recent weeks.
He suggested this was because they held only a small remaining number of Israeli hostages.
Sir Keir's official spokesman said on Monday: 'This week, the Prime Minister is focused on a pathway to peace to ensure immediate relief for those on the ground, and a sustainable route to a two-state solution.
'We are clear that the recognition of the Palestinian state is a matter of when, not if, but it must be one of the steps on the path to a two-state solution as part of a wider plan that delivers lasting security for both Palestinians and Israelis.'
Sir Keir has likened the plan he is working on with France and Germany to the coalition of the willing, the international effort to support Ukraine towards a lasting peace.
Humanitarian aid is airdropped to Palestinians over central Gaza as seen from Khan Younis (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)
His spokesman said the plan would build 'on the collaboration to date that paves the way to a long-term solution on security in the region'.
Sir Keir is meanwhile facing calls from a growing number of MPs to recognise a Palestinian state immediately.
More than 250 cross-party MPs have now signed a letter calling for ministers to take the step, up from 221 on Friday.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds on Monday dismissed the idea that there is a split at the top of Government over when to recognise a Palestinian state, saying 'we all want it to happen'.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting is among those to have signalled a desire for hastened action, calling for recognition 'while there's still a state of Palestine left to recognise', while Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the Government wants to recognise a Palestinian state 'in contribution to a peace process'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
11 minutes ago
- The Independent
We're prepared if protests turn violent, police say ahead of string of anti-migrant demonstrations
Police chiefs have warned they are ready to 'mobilise significant and specialist resources' if unrest breaks out at a string of anti-migrant protests planned at hotels housing asylum seekers. The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) is working with forces across the country and monitoring intelligence in preparation for a fresh wave of protests on Friday, with demonstrations planned at up to 14 hotels across the country. It comes as the Metropolitan Police is also expected to come under pressure on Saturday when a National March for Palestine is planned in the capital. A separate pro-Palestine Action rally could result in mass arrests with 500 people expected to hold signs saying 'I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action' in defiance of anti-terror laws. Anti-migrant protesters are expected to return to The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, on Friday, where violence erupted last month after an Ethiopian refugee was charged with sexual assault for allegedly attempting to kiss a 14-year-old girl. Demonstrators are also set to return to the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf, where a group wearing face masks and carrying smoke bombs made a 'concerted effort' to break in last weekend. Other anti-migrant demonstrations are planned at hotels in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Leeds and Norwich, among others, in what is being billed as UK-wide protests to 'abolish the asylum system'. Organisers have said the events will be 'locally led peaceful protests ' with no masks and no alcohol in posters shared widely on social media. Ahead of the widespread action, Chief Constable BJ Harrington, chair of the NPCC Operations Coordination Committee, said: 'We have robust and well-tested proactive plans in place, with the ability to mobilise significant and specialist resources, if necessary. "Public order response officers will be supported by investigation teams who will gather evidence and ensure those responsible for any acts of criminality, should they occur, are identified and held to account. 'Policing is not anti-protest, we are anti-crime and we will continue to work with local communities to ensure that they are safe and serious disruption is prevented.' The Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, has warned that another summer of unrest places forces and officers under strain. 'Public order duties often mean long shifts, cancelled leave, missed family time and real risk,' a spokesman added. 'That takes its toll. This isn't just about numbers; it's about resilience, wellbeing, and a system under strain.' It comes ahead of the possibility of yet more mass arrests in London on Saturday, after the Met vowed to continue its crackdown on those showing support for Palestine Action. Campaign group Defend Our Juries has said more than 500 people are ready to be arrested by holding placards supporting the banned direct-action group in Parliament Square. They have warned their demonstrations will continue until a legal challenge over its proscription as a terror group is heard at the High Court in November. At least 221 people have been arrested across the country under terror laws for supporting Palestine Action since it was banned in July, with ten people charged so far. Despite plans for a large-scale demonstration with the 'intention of placing a strain on the police and the wider criminal justice system', a spokesperson for the Met said they are prepared for 'any eventuality' and anyone showing support for the group should expect to be arrested. Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for Prevent and Pursue at Counter Terrorism Policing, said that they have 'robust plans' in place to respond to activity in support of Palestine Action. 'At this time, it remains illegal to be a member of or encourage support for the group Palestine Action,' she added. 'This legislation is specific to that group and does not interfere with the right to protest in support of the Palestinian cause. 'Operational plans are in place to ensure this right can be preserved over the coming days with protests expected in several major cities, including London.' Despite pressures on prison capacity, a Ministry of Justice spokesman insisted the system is prepared to 'act quickly' if more cells are needed. Officials will not hesitate to use contingency measures if they are faced with a sudden influx to the prison estate, The Independent understands. This could include activating Operation Early Dawn, which allows defendants to be held in police cells until prison beds become available. 'The swift and coordinated response to last year's unrest shows the criminal justice system is prepared to act quickly if needed to maintain stability and keep the public safe,' the spokesperson added.
The Independent
11 minutes ago
- The Independent
Gaza latest: Netanyahu says he wants Israel to take control of entire enclave as Cabinet meeting begins
Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel intends to 'take control' of Gaza in a significant expansion of the war effort. In an interview with FOX News, the Israeli Prime Minister said that he wished to pass responsibility for governing the enclave to Arab forces, without providing further details. 'We don't want to govern it. We don't want to be there as a governing body,' he added. Any move to fully occupy Gaza is likely to trigger fierce opposition internationally and from many in Israel, including the families of hostages held by Hamas. His comments came as he prepared to meet with the Israeli Security Cabinet on Thursday evening to discuss a possible expansion of military operations in the Strip. An Israeli official told the Associated Press that the Cabinet is expected to hold a lengthy debate and approve an expanded military plan to conquer all or parts of Gaza that are not yet under Israeli control.
The Independent
11 minutes ago
- The Independent
Trump's planned 100% computer chip tariff sparks confusion among businesses and trading partners
President Donald Trump 's plans for 100% tariffs on computer chips that aren't made in the U.S. are stoking confusion among businesses and trading partners — boosting stocks for leading semiconductor companies while leaving smaller producers scrambling to understand the implications. The U.S. imports a relatively small number of chips because most of the foreign-made chips in a device — from an iPhone to a car — were already assembled into a product, or part of a product, before it landed in the country. "The real question everybody in the industry is asking is whether there will be a component tariff, where the chips in a device would require some sort of separate tariff calculation,' said Martin Chorzempa, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Trump said Wednesday that companies that "made a commitment to build" in the U.S. would be spared the import tax, even if they are not yet producing those chips in American factories. 'We'll be putting a tariff of approximately 100% on chips and semiconductors,' Trump said in the Oval Office while meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook. 'But if you're building in the United States of America, there's no charge.' Wall Street investors interpreted that as good news not just for U.S. companies like AMD, Intel and Nvidia, but also for the biggest Asian chipmakers like Samsung and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company that have been working to build U.S. factories. But it left greater uncertainty for smaller chipmakers in Europe and Asia that have little exposure to the AI boom but still make semiconductors inserted into essential products like cars or washing machines. These producers "probably aren't large enough to get on the map for an exemption and quite probably wouldn't have the kind of excess capital and margins to be able to add investment at a large scale into the United States,' Chorzempa said. The announcement came more than three months after Trump temporarily exempted most electronics from his administration's most onerous tariffs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a shortage of computer chips increased the price of autos and contributed to higher inflation. Chorzempa said chip tariffs could again raise prices by hundreds of dollars per vehicle if the semiconductors inside a car are not exempt. 'There's a chip that allows you to open and close the window," Chorzempa said. "There's a chip that is running the entertainment system. There is a chip that's kind of running all the electronics. There are chips, especially in EVs, that are doing power management, all that kind of stuff.' Much of the investment into building U.S. chip factories began with the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act that President Joe Biden signed into law in 2022, providing more than $50 billion to support new computer chip plants, fund research and train workers for the industry. Trump has vocally opposed those financial incentives and taken a different approach, betting that the threat of dramatically higher chip costs would force most companies to open factories domestically, despite the risk that tariffs could squeeze corporate profits and push up prices for electronics.
