Bobby Dean MP: Recognise Palestine now
Bobby Dean, Liberal Democrat MP for Carshalton and Wallington, has reiterated his support for the immediate recognition of Palestine.
Bobby was one of the 221 cross-party MPs who signed a letter coordinated by Labour MP Sarah Champion, calling on the UK Government to recognise the state of Palestine ahead of the UN Conference in New York.
The Liberal Democrats have been calling for Palestine’s recognition for years and party leader Ed Davey’s reiterated that during President Trump’s visit to the UK.
Prime Minister Kier Starmer has since committed to recognising Palestine, if Israel fail to meet certain conditions. The Liberal Democrats are clear that statehood should not be used as a bargaining chip and the recognition must come immediately.
Earlier this year, Bobby spoke out in Parliament as reports first emerged of widespread malnutrition in Gaza. He described Israel’s action as “using starvation as a weapon of war” and called upon the Government to immediately recognise Palestine as a state, implement Ministerial sanction and implement a total ban on arms to Israel.
Challenging the Minister directly, he asked “if now is not the time to take those actions, when will be?”. Months on and those same demands are still being made.
Speaking after signing the cross-party letter, Bobby Dean MP said:
“Palestine is the number one issue my office has received emails about in recent months. People across our community are deeply concerned about the humanitarian catastrophe that has unfolded in Gaza.
“The UK must not remain silent while Israel uses starvation as a weapon of war. We must use every tool at our disposal to apply pressure for the horrors to end. That means a full arms embargo, sanctions on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and recognising Palestine as a state now.
“Palestine’s right to a state should not be conditional on the whim of Prime Minister Netanyahu. Now is the time for Britain to take a firm stance. No ifs, no buts. Recognise Palestine now.
“My career prior to entering Parliament was in international development and humanitarian work. I have dedicated my life to the rights of individuals across the world to live in peace and prosperity and the events in Gaza have simply been heartbreaking to see unfold. My wife continues to work in the sector, so I receive direct reports of the horrors people are facing on the ground.
“We must act now to lift the blockade on aid and bring about a stable and enduring ceasefire. Then those responsible for war crimes must be held accountable in the international courts.”
The Liberal Democrats were the first UK wide party to call for a bilateral ceasefire since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out in 2023 and have also been calling for the recognition of a Palestinian State since 2017. The Liberal Democrats are also calling for
- A full arms embargo on Israel, including F35 Fighter Jet parts;
- Targeted sanctions on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and other Israeli ministers
- The urgent lifting of the blockade to allow life-saving aid into Gaza
- For the government to condemn Israel’s expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank and prohibit the trade of all goods produced in illegal settlements