Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall was cornered by Mishal Husain this morning over the government’s lack of action over Gaza.
The Radio 4 Today programme presenter asked about a new amendment from the King’s Speech, proposed by backbench Labour MPs.
It suggests the government should “immediately suspending export licences for arms transfers to Israel” amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
Husain asked: “Can you support that?”
The government issued 42 licences to Israel between October 7 2023 and May 31 2024.
Kendall said “the prime minister has set out our road map,” to help get the hostages out of Gaza and get the aid in, adding this was all part of a “long-term 2-state solution”.
But Husain hit back: “This is immediate action the UK can take though, isn’t it? Suspending export licenses for arms transfers to Israel?”
Kendall began: “The immediate action we taking is working with our allies – ”
Husain interrupted: “That’s not something the UK can immediately deliver. The UK can’t deliver a ceasefire. It could however do that.”
As the minister tried to start talking again, the presenter cut in and said: “Liz Kendall, sorry, let me just ask you this.
“David Lammy [foreign secretary] in opposition committed to publishing legal advice on that subject.
“Will you in government publish legal advice on arms exports to Israel?”
Kendall replied: “David Lammy and Keir Starmer have been really clear on our approach on this.”
“Are you going to do something different in government as you did in opposition?” Husain pushed.
The minister said Labour would “deliver” as a “changed” party, and they were still working towards a two-state solution.
So the Radio 4 presenter asked one more time: “Will you publish legal advice on arms exports to Israel, as you said in opposition?”
“We will be setting out more plans in the weeks and months ahead,” the minister said.
“But what I would say to your listeners is that we are determined to do everything we can as an international ally to get that immediate ceasefire,” Kendall said.
The pushback from its own MPs over the party’s Gaza stance comes after Labour lost parts of the Muslim vote in the election.
It meant five independent pro-Gaza candidates – one of whom ousted Labour beast Jonathan Ashworth – were elected to parliament.
