Downing Street has criticized Israel's decision to deny entry to two British Labour MPs, stating it is "counterproductive" to detain UK parliamentarians from any political party.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer supports concerns raised by Foreign Secretary David Lammy over the treatment of MPs Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed, who were barred from entering Israel. A No.10 spokesperson said, “This is not how British parliamentarians should be treated,” and confirmed the government had reached out to both MPs to offer support.
Lammy reportedly raised the issue directly with the Israeli foreign minister over the weekend, making the UK’s stance clear.
The spokesperson emphasized that the matter goes beyond party politics: “It’s about standing up for British MPs. Detaining them is not helpful.”
Asked whether Starmer agreed with Lammy’s criticism of Conservative minister Kemi Badenoch’s remarks on the issue, the spokesperson said he did.
On a separate matter, No.10 described the deaths of Palestinian Red Crescent medics in Gaza as “an outrage.” The Prime Minister now expects a full, transparent investigation and accountability for those responsible.
The government reiterated its focus on restoring a ceasefire, securing the release of hostages, and ending the violence in the region.
However, Starmer does not share the view expressed by MP Abtisam Mohamed that Israel is committing “ethnic cleansing” in the West Bank and Gaza, according to his spokesperson. Photo by [2], Wikimedia commons.
