Kemi Badenoch and David Lammy clash over Israel barring two Labour MPs
As Tory leader backs Israel's decsion, foreign secretary asks if she supports China's decision to ban 5 of her MPs from entering the country
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Kemi Badenoch has clashed with David Lammy over the foreign secretary’s criticism of Israel’s decision to deny two Labour MPs entry into the country.
Appearing on television on Sunday, the Tory leader attempted to defend the decision of the Israeli government’s move telling the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg countries must be able to “control their borders”.
Badenoch said she accepted Israel’s claim that Labour MPs Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang were attempting to spread anti-Israel hate speech.Two Labour MPs denied entry to Israel and deported
And she said it was “shocking” and “significant” that there were Labour MPs that “other countries” would not allow in their country.
Responding to her comments, the Foreign Secretary posted on X:”Kemi Badenoch, it’s disgraceful you are cheerleading another country for detaining and deporting two British MPs.
“Do you say the same about Tory MPs banned from China? This government will continue to stand up for the rights of our MPs to speak their mind, whatever their party.”
In a post on X responding to the Foreign Secretary’s criticism, Badenoch added: “Unlike China, Israel is our ally and a democracy. A good Foreign Sec would be able to make that distinction.
“Perhaps Labour MPs could put UK national interest first and do their jobs instead of campaigning for airports in Kashmir or promoting Hamas propaganda in parliament.”
Badenoch’s stance immediately raised questions over her view on the decision by China to ban five Tory MPs from entering the country because of their work highlighting human rights abuses by the government there.
Yang and Mohamed were part of a delegation organised by the Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu) and Medical Aid for Palestinians (Map), which said they had run such trips to the occupied West Bank for more than a decade.
Robert Peston, ITV’s political editor and politics show presenter, also posted:”Quite a moment, I thought, when Kemi Badenoch showed more solidarity with the Israeli government than with the two Labour MPs who have been refused entry to Israel and sent back to the UK. ”
Senior Tory MP Richard Fuller told Times Radio on Sunday he believes MPs on official trips should be “welcomed in any country”, adding “we should all be very worried” about democracy.
On X, the Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey, accused Badenoch of “unbelievably poor judgment” and “another complete shocker”.
While Labour MPs has led voiciferous opposition to the Israeli government in the Commons, there has been increased criticism from the Tory benches in recent years.
Former Tory minister Kit Malthouse has been among those to call for boycotts of settlement goods and has repeatedly accused the Labour government of being too soft on Israel.
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