Daily lens
Britain’s decision to formally recognise the State of Palestine has ignited sharp political backlash at home and abroad.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the move on Sunday, declaring it a step to “revive hope of peace and a two-state solution.” Britain, alongside Australia and Canada, became the first G7 countries to recognise Palestinian statehood — with France and others expected to follow during the UN General Assembly in New York.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney echoed the sentiment, offering support “in building the promise of a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel.”
But the recognition triggered fierce criticism.
Badenoch Slams Labour Government
UK Opposition Leader Kemi Badenoch branded the decision “absolutely disastrous,” accusing Starmer of “rewarding terrorism with no conditions whatsoever.”
“This leaves hostages languishing in Gaza and does nothing to end the suffering of innocent people caught in this war,” she wrote on X.
She went further, accusing Labour of pursuing “hard-left hobby horses” instead of fixing core domestic challenges.
> “They cannot fix the NHS, so they push assisted suicide. They cannot create jobs, so they give votes at 16. They cannot sort out immigration, so they recognise Palestine instead.”
Badenoch also pointed to Starmer’s earlier decision to compensate Mauritius and surrender the Chagos Islands, describing him as a Prime Minister with “no plan and no judgment.”
Netanyahu Rejects Move, Vows Settlement Expansion
In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a blunt rebuke.
“You are granting a huge reward to terror,” he said, vowing that “no Palestinian state will be established west of the Jordan River.”
Netanyahu added that his government would double down on expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which he referred to as Judea and Samaria.
“For years I have resisted pressure to create this terror state. We will continue on this path with determination,” he declared.
