Lammy clashes with International Development Committee on Palestinian recognition

David Lammy has clashed with parliament’s International Development Committee after he accused several MPs including chair Sarah Champion of favouring a “symbolic” recognition of a Palestinian state.

The Foreign Secretary was pressed as to why the government had yet to recognise Palestinian statehood, with Labour MP Tracey Gilbert among those to suggest there had been a “lack of leadership by the UK” and the Liberal Democrats Monica Harding also criticising the government’s stance.

“Can you tell us  more when will be the right time?” asked Gilbert, at one stage, adding that “all” of the committee were concerned “as all our constituents are” about there being “no Gaza left” by the time the UK backed recognition.

Lammy pointed to the Labour manifesto on which the government was elected last year which backed recognition as part of a peace process before adding that the MPs Gilbert, Harding and chair Champion all appeared to support the “symbolic act of recognising…. even though there are countries in the last year that did that and it has not changed the situation on the ground.”

The committee chair said the Labour manifesto had made recognition “sound conditional.”

Lammy then referenced the move by France and Saudi Arabia to start a process, which would receive UK backing, before adding:”I say to you that recognition per se is not two states and I actually want to see two states.”

Champion then intervened telling Lammy:”Could I ask you to just be minded that we are scrutinizing you as a committee, not as individual MPs, and definitely not on our political backgrounds. We also have collective responsibility as a committee.”

Lammy responded:”Committee chair, I am being respectful. I am simply referring to your committee members by name.”