Keir Starmer to bow to left of party with push for Palestinian state in Labour manifesto
Union bosses will meet with Labour to discuss the manifesto tomorrow ahead of its publication next week.
Labour will vow in its manifesto to recognise Palestinian statehood in a bid to secure support on the party’s left, it has been reported.
Sir Keir Starmer is set to recognise Palestine before the end of any peace process.
The commitment to recognising a Palestinian state “as part of a peace process” echoes comments made in January by Foreign Secretary David Cameron.
Lord Cameron told the Conservative Middle East Council that the Palestinian people would have to be shown “irreversible progress” towards a two-state solution “as [the peace process] happens”.
He was criticised by many in his own party for doing so.
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A newspaper reported that Labour’s manifesto will be officially launched on Thursday 13 June, citing “people with knowledge of the document”.
Sir Keir has felt the heat from his own party over the Israel-Hamas war.
The party refused to support a cease-fire for several months, causing over 100 local councillors to resign.
In November, Starmer faced rebellion as 56 Labour MPs – a quarter of the parliamentary party — defied the leadership to vote in support of a cease-fire in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the Labour draft manifesto is also reported to contain a promise to lower the retirement age for ambulance drivers to boost recruitment and retention and to speak of “driving down” net migration without setting an exact target.
The final version of the manifesto will be agreed in a meeting with unions tomorrow.
One source who has seen the draft manifesto document said: “Everybody is incredibly concerned about making any financial commitments because the Conservatives can weaponise that. But if you don’t have any funding, you’re not going to have any policies.”
