Opposition Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, has criticised the UK government’s recognition of the State of Palestine, calling the move “absolutely disastrous.”
Badenoch warned that Britain would regret the decision, arguing it effectively rewarded terrorism.
“Disastrous. Absolutely disastrous. We will all rue the day this decision was made. Rewarding terrorism with no conditions whatsoever put in place for Hamas. It leaves hostages languishing in Gaza and does nothing to stop the suffering of innocent people caught in this war,” she wrote on X on Sunday.
She accused the Labour-led government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer of ignoring Britain’s pressing challenges while pandering to left-wing causes.
“Labour cannot fix the NHS, so they push assisted suicide. They cannot create jobs for young people, so they give them votes at 16. They cannot sort out immigration, but they will recognise Palestine instead,” she said, adding that Starmer’s leadership lacked both a plan and judgement.
The UK formally recognised a Palestinian state on Sunday, with Starmer declaring the move aimed to revive hope for peace and a two-state solution. Australia and Canada also announced their recognition the same day, making Britain and Canada the first G7 nations to take the step. France and other countries are expected to follow at the UN General Assembly in New York.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government recognised Palestine to support “a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply rejected the move, insisting: “No Palestinian state will be established west of the Jordan River.” He described the recognition as a reward for terrorism and vowed to expand Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.