Middle East
Latest
As the situation in Gaza and Palestine is a fast-moving, please find below my latest correspondence to constituents who have contacted me. If you have sent me an email and have not yet received a response, please be aware that I receive hundreds of emails on a daily basis and there may be a delay in between posting the correspondence response below and you receiving my response.
FCDO Reply - May 2024
My letter to The Home Secretary dated 10th May 2024
My question to the Prime Minister at PMQs - 20 March 2024
Q6. The EU High Representative for foreign policy, Josep Borrell, said on Monday that Israel is provoking famine in Gaza and using starvation as a weapon of war. President Biden has said that there should be no attack on Rafah without a plan to ensure the safety of the more than 1 million people living there. Does the Prime Minister agree with High Representative Borrell and President Biden? Because I do, and we need a ceasefire. If he does agree, will he say so here in the Chamber today?
My letter dated 20 February 2024
FCDO Reply - 19 February 2024
My letter to Foreign Secretary - 14 February 2024
Parliamentary Written Questions
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Tabled 15 January 2024
Westminster Hall Debate (Chair) 11 December 2023
As a Member of the Panel of Chairs, I chaired a Westminster Hall Debate on 11 December 2023 to consider the following e-petitions, which were brought by my Labour Colleague Cat Smith MP:
Remain neutral in Israel-Palestine conflict and withdraw support for Israel
Urge the Israel Government to allow fuel, electricity and food into Gaza
Seek a ceasefire and to end Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip
The video of the debate can be viewed here.
Whilst I was unable take part as I was chairing this debate, I remain committed to advocating that the UK Government pressures the Israeli Government to do everything possible to protect the lives of civilians in Gaza, allow humanitarian corridors and access to the people of Gaza.
Ministerial Reply from FCDO - 8 December 2023
My letter to Foreign Secretary - 7 December 2023
My letter dated 15 November 2023
My letter of 10 November 2023
Thank you for your email regarding the terrible conflict in Gaza. Those that have raised this issue with me previously, will know that I completely condemn the violence that is occurring in the region and that I have called for a ceasefire. I have also already written to the Foreign Secretary on this matter, receiving a response which totally falls short of an adequate solution from this Conservative Government. I have set up a special page on my website upon which I will post my latest communications on this fast-moving issue. You can access this page by following this link https://www.prestonmp.co.uk/middle-east As the Labour Party is not in government, the Party is unable to dictate how the UK responds to conflicts in other parts of the world. Calling for the resignation of Sir Keir Starmer only deflects from the terrible mess that this Conservative Government has made of the UK over the past 13 years. The impact of the awful decisions the Government have made, not only affect us here in the UK with the cost-of-living crisis but also internationally, due to their continued failure to negotiate in this conflict. It is imperative that we concentrate on ensuring that Labour does win at the next General Election so that the Party can influence the key decision makers involved in the Gaza conflict, namely Israel and America. It is important that we do not appear divided on the issues at a time when we need to come together to try and help those innocent people in the Middle East, who are suffering every minute that this conflict continues. I would like to ask that we as a community in Preston come together to drive out a government that does not care. It is essential that we work together throughout this awful situation, to ensure that we can bring a government into power to alter the terrible circumstances that those individuals abroad and at home are suffering. There has been a call for MPs to sign EDM 1685. An EDM bears no power at all, they are only used to put on record the views of individual MPs and do not have any bearing on the current government, legislation or in the international arena. Instead of signing the EDM, which incidentally fell when Parliament prorogued for the Kings Speech, I ensured that I wrote directly to the Government to apply pressure to the Foreign Secretary, a much more powerful way of making my voice and the voice of Prestonians, heard. I would like to be clear that again, at the time of writing, there has been no vote in the House of Commons on this issue. Please do feel free to keep checking on my website listed above as I will ensure that any relevant correspondence and my voting record on this matter, if a vote is called, will be posted on there. Please be assured that I will be keeping a close eye on this situation as it develops and I will continue to make the voices of the people of Preston heard at a National level. Yours sincerely
My letter of 31 October 2023
Thank you for your recent correspondence with me on this very critical and important issue. Recent events in Gaza have been so terrible that I believe that it is now time to call for a ceasefire. Things on the ground in the Middle East are changing quickly on a daily basis and I am keeping a close watch on it as events unfold. This statement is meant to clarify my views on this issue and address some of the points that constituents have raised with me.
My letter to Foreign Secretary - 18 Oct 2023
Ministerial Reply
These are previous press statements or articles in which I have expressed my thoughts on the subject.
Hansard is the official record of what is spoken in the House of Commons Chamber or during Westminster Hall Debates
These are the updates about the situation in Gaza or the West Bank from previous newsletters
Written Parliamentary Questions are put to Government Minister for them to answer on topical issues
Latest
As the situation in Gaza and Palestine is a fast-moving, please find below my latest correspondence to constituents who have contacted me. If you have sent me an email and have not yet received a response, please be aware that I receive hundreds of emails on a daily basis and there may be a delay in between posting the correspondence response below and you receiving my response.
My letter to Foreign Secretary - 7 December 2023
My letter dated 15 November 2023
My letter of 10 November 2023
Thank you for your email regarding the terrible conflict in Gaza. Those that have raised this issue with me previously, will know that I completely condemn the violence that is occurring in the region and that I have called for a ceasefire. I have also already written to the Foreign Secretary on this matter, receiving a response which totally falls short of an adequate solution from this Conservative Government. I have set up a special page on my website upon which I will post my latest communications on this fast-moving issue. You can access this page by following this link https://www.prestonmp.co.uk/middle-east As the Labour Party is not in government, the Party is unable to dictate how the UK responds to conflicts in other parts of the world. Calling for the resignation of Sir Keir Starmer only deflects from the terrible mess that this Conservative Government has made of the UK over the past 13 years. The impact of the awful decisions the Government have made, not only affect us here in the UK with the cost-of-living crisis but also internationally, due to their continued failure to negotiate in this conflict. It is imperative that we concentrate on ensuring that Labour does win at the next General Election so that the Party can influence the key decision makers involved in the Gaza conflict, namely Israel and America. It is important that we do not appear divided on the issues at a time when we need to come together to try and help those innocent people in the Middle East, who are suffering every minute that this conflict continues. I would like to ask that we as a community in Preston come together to drive out a government that does not care. It is essential that we work together throughout this awful situation, to ensure that we can bring a government into power to alter the terrible circumstances that those individuals abroad and at home are suffering. There has been a call for MPs to sign EDM 1685. An EDM bears no power at all, they are only used to put on record the views of individual MPs and do not have any bearing on the current government, legislation or in the international arena. Instead of signing the EDM, which incidentally fell when Parliament prorogued for the Kings Speech, I ensured that I wrote directly to the Government to apply pressure to the Foreign Secretary, a much more powerful way of making my voice and the voice of Prestonians, heard. I would like to be clear that again, at the time of writing, there has been no vote in the House of Commons on this issue. Please do feel free to keep checking on my website listed above as I will ensure that any relevant correspondence and my voting record on this matter, if a vote is called, will be posted on there. Please be assured that I will be keeping a close eye on this situation as it develops and I will continue to make the voices of the people of Preston heard at a National level. Yours sincerely
My letter of 31 October 2023
Thank you for your recent correspondence with me on this very critical and important issue. Recent events in Gaza have been so terrible that I believe that it is now time to call for a ceasefire. Things on the ground in the Middle East are changing quickly on a daily basis and I am keeping a close watch on it as events unfold. This statement is meant to clarify my views on this issue and address some of the points that constituents have raised with me.
My letter to Foreign Secretary - 18 Oct 2023
Ministerial Reply
These are previous press statements or articles in which I have expressed my thoughts on the subject.
Hansard is the official record of what is spoken in the House of Commons Chamber or during Westminster Hall Debates
These are the updates about the situation in Gaza or the West Bank from previous newsletters
Written Parliamentary Questions are put to Government Minister for them to answer on topical issues