Who will be left to tell the story, if Gaza's last journalists die?
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The National
an hour ago
- The National
How David Lammy went from human rights lawyer to genocide apologist
You would be forgiven for thinking that I'm quoting a frustrated political commentator – someone who has witnessed the deconstruction of international law by the Labour Government over the last year, and who is exasperated by their inertia. You'd be wrong. These are the words of Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, as he addressed the Bingham Centre for International Law in July 2023. During this speech, he said: 'There should be no power beyond or above the law. The law applies equally to all people.' READ MORE: Palestine Action gets green light for ban challenge He lamented that too many international crimes go unpunished, that too many dictators escape justice, and promised "wholeheartedly" to strengthen protections for humanitarian access and put the UK at the forefront of international legal debates. Well, he's certainly put the UK at the forefront of debates on international law. At best, because of his continued apology for Israel's war crimes. At worst, because of his active role in enabling these crimes. How does a human rights lawyer go from 'standing up for human rights and challenging impunity' to 'I am a steadfast supporter of Israel's security' after the state with which he so steadfastly stands has been accused of genocide, has murdered over 60,000 humans, and has gaslit many into thinking that it is the calling out of these atrocities which is the crime. Is he playing a geopolitical long game? The deep pockets of the Israeli lobby? Genuine callousness? As I write this, we have seen the bloodiest day in Gaza in 20 months. And yet, nothing from the UK Labour Government to suggest that this is a Cabinet which has 'international law fundamentally in its DNA', as Lammy once stated. When lawyers talk broadly about the UK breaching their obligations under international humanitarian law, they are usually referring to Geneva Conventions Common Article 1. This states that all High Contracting Parties undertake to respect and ensure respect for the convention in all circumstances. This means that states must act to prevent breaches of international law in every situation of armed conflict. However, the UK – along with two others – interprets this as meaning that they only have an obligation to uphold international humanitarian law when breaches occur in their own territory. The other states are Israel and the US. As well as Common Article 1, the ICJ confirmed that all states must act to prevent a genocide as soon as they are aware of a serious risk – mirroring the Genocide Convention – and reiterated by credible findings of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. However, during the Al-Haq case, Labour confirmed that the reason that they are not acting to prevent a genocide is because they have found no credible evidence to suggest a genocide is ongoing. The Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits transferring a population within occupied territory and Article 59 demands that occupying states allow unimpeded humanitarian aid for all civilians, while Additional Protocol I prohibits the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare. Yet, repeatedly Labour MPs and the UK Government have excused Israel's siege and failed to prevent the mass forced displacement of Palestinians. The latest announcement to airdrop aid into Gaza is simply a self-congratulatory distraction. READ MORE: SNP to press ahead with Palestine recognition vote The UK should have immediately and unequivocally suspended all Israeli trade arrangements, as they are prohibited from assisting situations created by breaches of international law, as per the ICJ and the ILC Articles on State Responsibility. Instead, Lammy and the Labour Government have sent a trade envoy to Israel, brag about their crucial trade partnerships, and still support Israel militarily. All of these obligations apply to the UK Labour Government. All of them are being breached. In January 2024, Lammy said that '…the rule of law requires compliance by the state with its obligations in international law, just as in national law. Labour agrees.' However, in July 2025, when speaking of Israel – a state accused of genocide –Lammy said he 'treasures the many connections between our peoples'. Despite their legal obligations and public and parliamentary outrage, the UK Labour Government could not be further from the vision that Lammy established in 2023. When Lammy gave his speech, there were echoes of Tony Benn's anti-war speech from 1998. Lammy ended his address by quoting the Preamble of the Charter of the United Nations, as Benn had. Lammy spoke of the responsibility of governments to make the right decisions to protect people, as Benn had. He warned against the mistakes that led to the Second World War, as Benn had. He praised the legacy of Britain in pursuing the international rules-based order in the 1940s, mirroring Benn's calls for continued progression towards peace. Lammy's transition from Benn-to-barely-able-to-muster-up-a-sentence-without 'Israel's right to defend herself' is not just due to the grip of the Israeli lobby, but can be likened to a child who hasn't done their homework and is hoping that the teacher doesn't ask them a question in class. As though if his tone drips with enough condescension people will be distracted from the words coming out of his mouth. Lammy has spent a year trying to convince us that the mass atrocities being committed against Palestinian civilians is normal. He has gone from forging a 'foreign policy underpinned by a fundamental belief in the rule of law' to facing claims that he is perpetuating Israeli war crimes. David Lammy has reduced himself from an eminent human rights lawyer to a genocide apologist. The support for Israel's genocide will be this Labour Government's legacy, just as the illegal Iraq war was the legacy of the 1997 Labour government. David Lammy will always be the Foreign Secretary who forgot about international law because he was too busy trying to sound clever. The Foreign Secretary that condemned the Palestinian people to genocide because he liked the sound of a speech more than he liked the idea of implementing it. Lara Bird-Leakey is a senior policy researcher for foreign affairs in Westminster for the SNP group
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Donald Trump insists he's reached 'excellent' tariff deals - but won't give any details
Donald Trump has signed orders for new tariffs to go into effect in seven days on a wide range of US trading partners, including Mexico, Japan, Taiwan and Australia Donald Trump insists he has set "excellent" new tariffs on a range of trading partners - but didn't give any details on these. The US President today stressed his trade agenda will maintain the global economy and sturdiness of alliances his nation has built up over decades. The White House announced agreements with various nations and blocs ahead of the president's self-imposed Friday deadline. The tariffs are being implemented at a later date in order for the rates schedule to be harmonised. Speaking last night, Mr Trump said: "We have made a few deals today that are excellent deals for the country." However, the world leader did not go into any detail on these, such as the nations involved and his senior administration officials also declined to offer more information when asked by reporters. It comes after Mr Trump recently reignited his feud with Sadiq Khan in front of Keir Starmer, with a savage jibe at the London Mayor. The Mirror understands some tariffs have been lowered, and it is thought these include the original 50% threat to Lesotho. It is believed the African nation's goods will now be taxed at 15%. Our understanding is Taiwan will have tariffs set at 20%, and Pakistan at 19%. Israel, Iceland, Norway, Fiji, Ghana, Guyana and Ecuador are among the countries with imported goods taxed at 15%. Switzerland would be tariffed at 39%, it is thought. However, Mr Trump, the former businessman, would not be drawn on commenting on exact arrangements for specific nations. But he did confess: "We haven't spoken to Canada today," in a pertinent reference following a fresh jibe at Mark Carney's nation earlier this week. The US leader had said it would be "very hard" to make a trade deal with Canada after the country became the latest nation to recognise a Palestinian state. He had posted on social media: "Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them. Oh' Canada!!!" Yet, Mr Trump had announced a 50% tariff on goods from Brazil, but the order was only 10% as the other 40% were part of a separate measure approved by Mr Trump on Wednesday. One of his first significant moves as president was to impose tariffs on goods from both Mexico and Canada earlier this year. US Census Bureau figures show that the U.S. ran a $171.5 billion trade deficit with Mexico last year.
Scotsman
11 hours ago
- Scotsman
Why silence over Gaza, even in Scotland, risks complicity in war crimes
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The situation in Gaza has never been a distant conflict; it is a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in real time, and it demands a political response that goes beyond words of concern. As the death toll rises, the calls for action from my constituents grow louder and more urgent. Every day, I receive messages not only expressing anguish over the suffering of Palestinians, who are being deliberately starved, displaced, and killed while trying to access food and water, but also demanding that their elected representatives act. They are not only grieving; they are writing letters and calling for accountability at every level of government. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As a Muslim MSP, I feel the emotional toll of this crisis both personally and publicly. At Friday prayers, in mosques, at community events and constituency surgeries, I am approached with grief, frustration, and a deep sense of urgency. Many are deeply shaken by what they are witnessing and feel abandoned by institutions they once trusted to stand for justice. People want reassurance that their voices are not being drowned out by political hesitation. READ MORE: Why Palestinians in Gaza are protesting with photos of Israeli children killed by Hamas Scores of people carry sacks of flour through the ruins of northern Gaza. UN-backed food security experts have warned the 'worst-case scenario of famine' is playing out in the area (Picture: Bashar Taleb) | AFP via Getty Images Providing arms and diplomatic cover Some argue that Gaza should not be a focus for British politicians. However, decisions made in Westminster, regarding arms exports, foreign policy, and trade, have global implications. We provide arms and diplomatic cover; we are not a neutral party. People in Scotland understand this. They expect those in public office to act with transparency and a firm commitment to human rights. Silence, in this context, is not a neutral stance. It risks complicity in war crimes. The systematic brutality we are witnessing in Gaza and the West Bank is not collateral damage; it is the deliberate dismantling of a people's right to exist. Entire families are being wiped out in minutes. Hospitals, schools, and places of worship have been bombed. Journalists and aid workers are allegedly being targeted and some have been killed. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The horror unfolding at humanitarian aid points is especially shocking. Civilians, many of them children, have been killed while queuing for food and water. What should be safe zones for relief have become death traps. These are not isolated incidents. The ongoing violence fits a broader pattern that many human rights observers now warn may amount to ethnic cleansing, or even genocide under international law. Such actions cannot go unanswered. There must be accountability. British citizens have also been among the victims. Three UK aid workers were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a World Central Kitchen convoy in April 2024. More recently, Israeli tank fire struck the Holy Family Church in Gaza, killing civilians who were sheltering inside. People rush to join a queue at a charity kitchen in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip | AFP via Getty Images Condemning but enabling atrocities That is why I have consistently worked with MPs and fellow MSPs to amplify concerns about Gaza. I welcomed the UK Government's decision to suspend trade talks with Israel and to impose sanctions on the most extreme members of Prime Minister Netanyahu's government. These measures are steps in the right direction, but they are far from sufficient. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Last week, the UK joined 27 other countries in condemning Israel's 'inhumane killing' of civilians seeking aid. Yet, despite suspending some export licences in September 2024, the UK has continued to authorise military exports, including munitions, vehicle and aircraft parts, and maintains diplomatic support in international arenas. You cannot claim to condemn atrocities while enabling the means to carry them out. Here in Scotland, we must also question how our own institutions may be complicit. I recently met with members of Campaign Against Arms Trade Edinburgh, which raised serious concerns about public subsidies being directed through Scottish Enterprise to arms manufacturers, including companies whose components may be used in weapons linked to war crimes. While not all funding is directly tied to weapons, the ethical implications are undeniable. Taxpayer money should never support, even indirectly, actions that risk violating international law. Public funds must align with Scotland's commitment to peace, dignity, and justice. Yasmine, a 22-year-old Palestinian mother, holds her malnourished two-month-old daughter Teen as they wait for treatment at the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip | AFP via Getty Images Standing Together In that same spirit of accountability and solidarity, I've also been in conversation with Standing Together, a movement of Jewish and Palestinian citizens in Israel working jointly for peace and equality. In a deeply polarised and dangerous environment, these activists are showing extraordinary courage. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They risk their personal safety to stand against settler violence, challenge discriminatory policies, and protest against the actions of the Israeli government. Their message is simple but powerful: that peace is only possible when it is built on mutual recognition and shared humanity. Supporting movements like Standing Together is not only a way to protest against violence and promote peace in the face of the horrific situation unfolding in the region, it is also essential to tackling antisemitism and Islamophobia. This is not about political allegiance. It is about basic human dignity; the right of every person, regardless of where they are born, to live free from fear, violence, and oppression. The scale of suffering in Gaza has moved far beyond the bounds of political debate. Calls for a ceasefire are no longer enough. There must be immediate international action to stop the violence, protect civilians, and hold those responsible to account. In light of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's recent announcement, I welcome the outlined pathway towards recognising the state of Palestine ahead of the United Nations' General Assembly in September. The suffering in Gaza remains relentless. Our priority must be protecting civilians, both hostages and the people of Gaza, who continue to bear the unbearable. On Gaza, and on every issue where human rights are under threat, I will continue to raise my voice. Whether it's in the Scottish Parliament, in community spaces, or in solidarity with international movements for justice, I will continue to use every platform to speak out against oppression and to stand up for those whose voices are being silenced.
