Boris Johnson ‘appalled’ by death of Al Jazeera journalist

Boris Johnson has been left “appalled” by the death of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and by the “distressing scenes” which accompanied her funeral.

The Prime Minister’s spokesperson added “his thoughts are with her friends and family” and said no journalist she face the risk of losing their life “because of what they are seeking to report.”

But asked if the PM supported an independent inquiry into the reporter’s death in the West Bank last Thursday, the spokesperson told journalists that this “would be an issue for local authorities to decide.”

Johnson’s spokesman was also asked about the PM’s response to the Israeli police “attack on the funeral, especially of those who are carrying the body of the journalist.”

He responded: “Obviously these are distressing scenes for anyone to watch and I think it is for the police authorities to answer in the first instance.”

The PM’s response came ahead of an urgent question in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon tabled by Labour’s shadow Middle East minister Bambos Charalambous.

He was set to ask Foreign Secretary Liz Truss “if she will make a statement on the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh.”