Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Law Excerpts

Tuesday 2nd September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Lammy]

The hon. Gentleman knows a lot about standing up to terrorists. Hamas are a proscribed organisation. There can be no role for Hamas. We need the total demilitarisation of Gaza. Those leaders who are there must leave and exit the country so that the Palestinian people can be freed from the plight of what Hamas are raining down on them.

[Chris Law (Dundee Central) (SNP)]

12. What discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the recognition of a Palestinian state.

[The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Mr David Lammy)]

We have been clear that we will recognise a Palestinian state by the United Nations General Assembly in September to protect the viability of the two-state solution, unless the Israeli Government take substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza and commit to a long-term sustainable peace.

[Chris Law]

The United Kingdom Government should never have placed conditions on the recognition of the state of Palestine—there is no place for it in international law. However, given that it is clear that Israel has failed to comply with these conditions, can the Secretary of State confirm that the UK will unconditionally and immediately recognise the state of Palestine at the UN General Assembly next week?

[Mr Lammy]

High-level week is not actually next week; it is in three weeks’ time. May I say to the hon. Gentleman that it is most bizarre to say to a responsible Government that they should not attempt to change the situation on the ground to encourage Israel to commit to a ceasefire and to a process? Of course we should use all diplomatic efforts to do that, notwithstanding what we said about the assessment we will make on recognition at the appropriate time.