Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said that, while she supported Palestinian statehood, doing it now would not solve the war or the humanitarian crisis.
“Recognising a Palestinian state won’t bring the hostages home, won’t end the war and won’t get aid into Gaza. This is political posturing at its very worst,” she said in a social media post.
Badenoch added that Prime MInister Sir Keir Starmer was trying to fix a political problem in the Labour Party as he had faced mounting pressure from his own MPs.
Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf also criticised the government’s decision, telling the BBC’s Newsnight programme that it was a “political calculation” by the prime minister.
“What this does is to trivialise, quite offensively actually, a horrendous situation in Gaza,” he said.
In Tuesday’s address, Sir Keir said Israel must also meet other conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire, committing to a long-term sustainable peace that delivers a two-state solution and allowing the UN to restart the supply of aid.
He added that Hamas must immediately release all hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza.
The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
At least 60,034 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s health ministry.