Political | Posted on August 15th, 2025 | return to news

Dorset MP demands action on Gaza

Liberal Democrat MP Vikki Slade has written a letter to Foreign Secretary David Lammy calling for the recognition of Palestine.

A Dorset MP has written a letter to the foreign secretary calling for urgent and decisive action to protect Palestinian lives and uphold international law, following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s confirmation of plans to take control of Gaza.

Mid Dorset and North Poole MP Vikki Slade has consistently advocated for Palestinian rights since entering Parliament. Slade has spoken out repeatedly in the Chamber on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the violence in the West Bank, pressing for meaningful UK action.

In her letter to David Lammy, the Liberal Democrat MP warns that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is now precarious, with starvation becoming commonplace and violence in the West Bank continuing. She urges the UK Government to abandon any conditional approach to recognising the State of Palestine and to join Canada and Australia in making recognition formal in September.

In the letter, she demands the UK government immediately recognise the State of Palestine, call for the release of all hostages, ban trading with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and end all arms sales and military-related exports to Israel, as well as suspend training for Israeli military personnel in the UK.

Slade said: “The people of Palestine have a right to live in safety, dignity and self-determination. That right should never depend on the decisions of the Israeli Prime Minister. With Gaza facing starvation and violence escalating, the UK must act — not in months or years, but now.

“I have championed the plight of people in Palestine since I visited the region in 2013, and since my election, I have repeatedly raised the crisis in Gaza — calling for stronger export controls, more sanctions, and urgent action to protect children.

“Recognising Palestine — alongside securing the release of all remaining hostages taken on 7 October — is the first vital step toward a viable two-state solution. This remains the only path to lasting peace for both Palestinians and Israelis.”