Esther Imonmion
Britain’s opposition leader, Kemi Badenoch, has condemned the government’s decision to formally recognise Palestine as an independent state, describing the move as “absolutely disastrous.”
The UK, alongside Canada and Australia, announced on Sunday its recognition of Palestine in what Prime Minister Keir Starmer said was a step to revive hopes of a two-state solution and ease the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Reacting, Badenoch accused the Labour government of “rewarding terrorism with no conditions whatsoever put in place for Hamas,” warning that the decision “leaves hostages languishing in Gaza and does nothing to stop the suffering of innocent people caught in this war.”
She added that the recognition amounted to a political gesture at the expense of urgent domestic concerns such as the National Health Service, jobs, and immigration.
The decision comes nearly two years after the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, which left hundreds dead and saw dozens taken hostage — events that continue to shape international responses to the conflict.
Starmer had earlier pledged on July 29, 2025, that Britain would recognise a Palestinian state by September unless Israel made substantive commitments towards peace, including halting annexations in the West Bank.
Israel has also denounced the UK move, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling it “an absurd prize for terrorism.”
The recognition marks a significant diplomatic shift for the UK, which had previously tied Palestinian statehood to progress in negotiations with Israel.