UK Politics

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailSir Keir Starmer will reportedly delay the recognition of the Palestinian state if Labour forms the next government, over concerns it could jeopardise Britain’s relationship with the United States.The Labour leader has pledged to recognise Palestinian statehood and said it would be part of any Middle East peace accord with Israel.Sir Keir said: “That needs to be part of the process, it’s very important we have a viable Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israel.”He is under pressure from the left of the party to follow through on the Labour manifesto promise, but members of his inner circle have concerns this could isolate him from major allies such as the US at the start of his premiership, The Times reports.A source close to Sir Keir told the newspaper that British recognition of Palestine was a “process” and would have the most impact if done in “coordination with allies”. They denied the US would influence the timing of an announcement.Last month the Labour leader downplayed suggestions the recognition of the Palestinian state by the British would happen anytime soon.“It has got to be at the right time in the process because we need a viable Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israel,” he said. “We don’t have either of those at the moment, and therefore it has got to be at the point of the process where we could see both of those outcomes.”A number of countries, such as Ireland, Spain and Norway have moved to recognise Palestinian statehood, following the October 7 terror attacks by Hamas and the war in Gaza, which has claimed more than 37,000 lives.Sir Keir Starmer’s position on the conflict has previously caused unease among some in his party, with the leader facing criticism for not calling for an immediate ceasefire sooner.In November last year, a host of Sir Keir’s shadow ministers broke ranks to call for an immediate ceasefire, including Naz Shah, Paul Barker and Afzal Khan.A total of 10 shadow ministers and parliamentary aides rebelled, with some 56 Labour members defying a three-line whip and backing an amendment to the King’s Speech.The party faced setbacks in the local elections in some previously safe areas, particularly those with large Muslim populations. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailA Reform UK activist described prime minister Rishi Sunak as a “f****** p***” while campaigning for the party’s leader Nigel Farage.Party activist Andrew Parker was caught using the racial slur while canvassing in Clacton, Essex, where Mr Farage is standing as an MP in the general election.Mr Farage told Channel 4 News that he was “dismayed” and he and some other objectionable candidates “will no longer be with the campaign”.It comes after Reform UK dropped its candidate in Basingstoke, Hampshire, after it was revealed he was previously a member of the British National Party.Mr Parker, who was filmed as part of an undercover investigation by Channel 4 News, said: “I’ve always been a Tory voter. But what annoys me is that f****** p*** we’ve got in. What good is he? You tell me, you know. He’s just wet. F****** useless”.Mr Farage said he was “dismayed” by the comments and claimed the activist had been removed from his party’s local campaign.Nigel Farage said he was ‘dismayed’ by the racist comments and the activist had been removed from his local campaign More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailKeir Starmer has given the most revealing interview yet on his fears for his family, his regrets, and the inner anger that drives him to want to change the country.The Labour leader has often been accused of being too robotic or lacking passion and personality.But with Starmer on the cusp of entering No 10, he has given an emotional interview to Geordie Greig, editor-in-chief of The Independent, where tears welled up in his eyes as he expressed his innermost feelings about his life and his family. He addressed:How his wife Victoria is his “rock”How his teenage children fear their lives will dramatically change as he prepares to move the family into Downing Street – and how they “take the p***” out of their fatherHow he decided not to take advice from the Blairs about life in No 10His regrets at never telling his late father he loved himHow his mother’s determination to overcome her lifelong ill health fuels his own drive to bring changeHow he took on homophobic thugs who beat up a gay friend and was beaten up when he intervenedThe Labour leader admitted his greatest fear about becoming prime minister is its impact on his children, as he confirmed that, if he wins on 4 July, he will be moving his family into Downing Street.“It’s been a cause of concern for me about the impact on the kids in particular. I’m not going to pretend that they are not worried about this, because they are. Our girl is 13 and a half, our boy 15, nearly 16. It is very impactful. They’re just sort of exploring their independence, and suddenly, if we get over the line, that is going to be hard.”Political editor David Maddox and editor-in-chief Geordie Greig interview Keir Starmer More