Badenoch blasts UK’s recognition of Palestine, accuses Starmer of ‘rewarding terrorism’

Conservative Party Leader Kemi Badenoch has unleashed a scathing attack on Prime Minister Keir Starmer following the Labour government’s decision to formally recognise the State of Palestine, calling the move “absolutely disastrous” and accusing Starmer of lacking both judgement and a national strategy.

Badenoch, MP for North West Essex, took to her X account on Sunday to voice her fierce opposition to the decision, which she argued legitimises extremist violence while ignoring the fate of hostages still held in Gaza.

“Rewarding terrorism with no conditions whatsoever put in place for Hamas leaves hostages languishing in Gaza and does nothing to stop the suffering of innocent people caught in this war,”
Badenoch wrote in the post that quickly stirred political debate.

Her comments come just days after Starmer formally declared the UK’s recognition of a Palestinian state — a dramatic shift in British foreign policy aimed, according to the Prime Minister, at reviving hope for a peaceful two-state solution.

“The United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine,”
Starmer said, “to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution.”

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But Badenoch sees the move as political theatre rather than genuine diplomacy. She accused the Labour government of using foreign policy as a distraction from domestic failures.

“They cannot fix the NHS, so they push assisted suicide. They cannot create jobs for young people, so they give them votes at 16. They cannot sort out immigration, but they will recognise Palestine instead,”
she said.

The Conservative leader further questioned Starmer’s credibility on the world stage, pointing to his handling of the Chagos Islands dispute, during which the UK agreed to pay £35 billion in reparations to Mauritius and return the islands — a move Badenoch described as another example of Labour’s “poor judgement.”

“Everything we are seeing is a consequence of a Prime Minister who has no plan for the country and no judgement,” she said. “He will spend the next four years delivering the hobby horses of the Labour left to stay in power and leave a huge mess for us to clean up.”

Badenoch’s attack signals deepening political fractures over the UK’s evolving stance in the Middle East. While Labour argues that recognising Palestine is a step toward long-term peace, Conservatives warn that it may embolden extremist elements and alienate key allies like Israel.

The Labour Party has yet to respond to Badenoch’s remarks, but the backlash underscores the high political stakes of Starmer’s decision, both at home and abroad.

As the diplomatic ramifications unfold, one thing is clear: the UK’s recognition of Palestine is not just a matter of international policy — it’s become a flashpoint in the nation’s already polarised political landscape.

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