The first 100 days.

Foreign Office

David Lammy has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during his first visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories as foreign secretary.

Mr Lammy also urged the release of all hostages held in Gaza and an increase in the flow of aid to the territory.
"It’s important that, whilst we are in a war, that war is conducted according to international humanitarian law," Mr Lammy said.

The foreign secretary also expressed frustration over a lack of British aid trucks entering Gaza “after months and months of asking", echoing long-running complaints from aid agencies about deliveries being blocked or delayed by complex inspections imposed by the Israeli military.

The new government now faces decisions on several key issues, including whether to limit or stop weapons sales to Israel over the loss of civilian life.

Asked about the sales, Mr Lammy said he would "look at the assessment and the legal considerations".

That process has begun and I hope to report to Parliament as soon as I possibly can," he added.

He also said he would make a statement about the future of UK funding to the UNRWA - the UN's main agency providing aid in Gaza - in the coming days.

The UK was among more than a dozen countries that suspended funding to the agency in January over allegations that several staff members were involved in the 7 October attack, and is one of only a few that are yet to restore it.

Labour has also pledged to recognise the Palestinian state, though has not yet said when it will do so.

Ukraine and NATO

NATO held its summit in Washington on 9-11 July 2024.
The summit declaration made clear the significance of Ukraine and the outcome of the conflict to NATO:
A strong, independent, and democratic Ukraine is vital for the security and stability of the Euro-Atlantic area. Ukraine’s fight for its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders directly contributes to Euro-Atlantic security.
NATO did not extend a formal invitation to Ukraine to join the alliance. Instead, it affirmed that Ukraine’s future “is in NATO” and described Ukraine’s path to NATO membership as being “irreversible”. The declaration suggested Ukraine still has work to do, on interoperability, and democratic and security sector reforms.

ronib

keepingquiet that’s the current Western line so how about trying to make some sense of Russia’s history in Ukraine and explain exactly why Putin is taking these actions?

Russia has no access to the sea except through Ukraine and some ports in the Arctic. It has always been about getting access to the southern shipping routes for Russia, otherwise they are landlocked. Not just this, obviously, but a big part of it.

The ports in the East, particularly Vladivostok, are too far away from mainland Russia to be economically viable as transport hubs.

LizzieDrip

GSM & ronib did you have the same trepidation when Sunak said, “Ukraine’s rightful place is in Nato” at the Vilnius summit last year?

Reported same words in both the Daily Mail and the Guardian July 2023

"'I agree with the Nato Secretary General that Ukraine's rightful place is in Nato and what we are also talking to Ukraine about right now is making sure they have all the support they need for a successful counteroffensive,' the Prime Minister said"

We are at war with Russia, it just hasn't been declared yet.

keepingquiet that’s the current Western line so how about trying to make some sense of Russia’s history in Ukraine and explain exactly why Putin is taking these actions?

Germanshepherdsmum

Support from NATO is one thing. Membership of NATO is a step too far. Do all members of NATO wish to be at war with Russia?

I seem to remember Russia invaded Ukraine, and the reponse of NATO and Europe was to oppose this.

Do we have to appease Putin now? I really don't think so.

Ukraine has been at war with Russia for years and we did nothing, now we don't have that excuse.

Just for clarity, highlighted in yellow in this official document are the exact words used by Rishi Sunak after last year’s NATO summit. No change.

commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9819/#:~:text=Then%20Prime%20Minister%20Rishi%20Sunak,for%20a%20membership%20action%20plan.

Macron first publicly supported Ukraine being a member of NATO over a year ago.
There are reservations only from Germany and USA as I understand it, however there is no proposed or suggested timetable.

ronib I’m not going to argue with you about this.

LD. Yes

Support from NATO is one thing. Membership of NATO is a step too far. Do all members of NATO wish to be at war with Russia?

Casdon I don’t have the energy to argue this tonight but Putin is not going to concede his position. The West has always treated Russia in a curious way.

GSM & ronib did you have the same trepidation when Sunak said, “Ukraine’s rightful place is in Nato” at the Vilnius summit last year?

Yes ronib, it is, he said:
‘Today, we will take further decisions together with Ukraine, making clear that NATO’s support is built to last, and affirming that Ukraine’s future is in NATO,” he added.’
Have you read the Ukraine Compact?

Casdon that’s no endorsement

Why? It’s the official NATO position.
www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_227474.htm?selectedLocale=en

Gsm. Yes . Some panic over this one. Completely inept.

I was extremely concerned to hear Starmer’s support for Ukraine joining NATO. The surest way to bring on WW3.

Ukraine worries me, if the objective is to drive Russia out then it could get nasty, targeting places in Russia might provoke retaliation into Eastern Europe.
So far the cost to us has been modest, using up mostly obsolete stocks, now it starts to get expensive.

Yes, the UK did sink that low

It certainly did keepingquiet

If nanna8 has read the articles in my earlier post, she will see for herself how that occurred.

nanna8

I should jolly well hope and expect they want to support everyone and not just their own voters. What sort of government would only support their Labour voters? I hope the UK never sinks that low for the sake of the members of my family still remaining there.

You only have to see the amount of investment that went to Tory voting constituencies during the last government to see what I meant by this.

Yes, the UK did sink that low.

The Foreign Secretary is in Israel and the OGT today.

New funding: £5.5 million to UKMed for ongoing humanitarian medical support in Gaza, including:

- 300 national staff

Health - Streeting thread.

Puberty Blockers. A 🧵

Children’s healthcare must always be led by evidence.

Medicine given to children must always be proven safe and effective first.

I know there’s lots of fear and anxiety.

Let me explain why this decision was taken.

Cass Review found there is not enough evidence about the long-term impact of puberty blockers for gender incongruence to know whether they are safe or not, nor which children might benefit from them.

The evidence should have been established before they were ever prescribed.

The NHS took the decision to stop the routine use of puberty blockers for gender incongruence/dysphoria in children.

They are establishing a clinical trial with NIHR to ensure the effects of puberty blockers can be safely monitored and provide the evidence we need.

The former Health Secretary issued an emergency order to extend the restriction on prescription to the private sector, which I am defending.

Puberty blockers have been used to delay puberty in children and young people who start puberty much too early.

Use in those cases has been extensively tested (a very different indication from use in gender dysphoria) and has met strict safety requirements.

This is because the puberty blockers are suppressing hormone levels that are abnormally high for the age of the child.

This is different to stopping the normal surge of hormones that occur in puberty. This affects children’s psychological and brain development.

We don’t yet know the risks of stopping pubertal hormones at this critical life stage.

That is the basis upon which I am making decisions.

I am treading cautiously in this area because the safety of children must come first.

Some of the public statements being made are highly irresponsible and could put vulnerable young people at risk.

I know there’s lots of fear and anxiety. I am determined to improve the quality of, and access to, care for trans people.

I hope this thread provides some context for the caution and care I am taking when it comes to this vulnerable group of young people.

The decisions I am taking will always be based on evidence, rather than politics or political pressure.

Imo Trump is as great a threat to world peace as Putin

I have little doubt that after the attempted assassination on Trump, that the certainly of a Trump election has gone up more than a couple of notches.

In view of that I think closer working with Europe has become even more essential.