UK’s suspension of arms sales to Israel ‘shameful’ says Netanyahu – UK politics live

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called for an “immediate and total arms embargo to Israel”.

Mr Corbyn shared a letter signed by the five MPs who are part of the newly formed Independent Alliance group.

The other members are Shockat Adam, who defeated Labour frontbencher Jonathan Ashworth in Leicester South, as well as Ayoub Khan, Adnan Hussain and Iqbal Mohamed, who all also stood on pro-Gaza platforms in the general election.

Labour general secretary David Evans has announced he is standing down at the end of September after four years in the job.

Mr Evans, who oversaw Labour’s machine as it rebuilt from the heavy defeat of 2019 to enter government this year, will leave his post after the party conference in Liverpool.

Describing the job as “the privilege of my life”, Mr Evans said: “It has always been my plan to serve for one general election, and take the organisation from shattering defeat to being a party of government.

“Now both have been achieved, it is the right time both for me and the party for a new general secretary to take over.”

Mr Evans became general secretary in May 2020, shortly after Sir Keir Starmer became party leader, and secured the most by-election victories of any general secretary as the party prepared for office.

He also oversaw the response to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s report into antisemitism in Labour.

Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to Mr Evans, saying he had been “hugely consequential”.

Responding to the UK announcing a partial suspension of arms export licenses to Israel on Monday, Hannah Bond, co-CEO of ActionAid UK, said: “Now is not the time for half measures: if the UK government believes the Israeli military may be breaching international humanitarian law in Gaza, then it should go much further and halt all new and existing arms licenses to the Israeli government immediately.

“Until it does, the UK remains at risk of being complicit in the atrocities taking place in Gaza daily. After 11 months of horror, it’s time for the UK to apply maximum pressure on the Israeli government to secure a permanent ceasefire and the release of the hostages – and finally put an end to this nightmare.”

Tom Tugendhat began his leadership campaign launch with an apology on behalf of the Conservative Party.

He said: “I know that integrity matters, so I want to start with an apology.

“The Conservative Party owes you better. Politics isn’t a game and we all know the cost when government isn’t sober and serious.”

Reflecting on the end of the last government, he added: “I saw duty give way to ego. That’s why I’m standing before you today, because this country can change, we must change, and Britain deserves better.”

The ITV’s political editor Robert Peston is reporting that the US government is disappointed by the UK’s decision to suspend 30 arms export licences to Israel.

Posting on X, he said: “Washington sources tell me the Whitehouse feels let down by Starmer’s and Lammy’s decision to revoke licences for the export of military equipment to Israel. “They assured us they wouldn’t do this” said one.”

Tory MP Andrew Mitchell has cast doubt on the UK’s decision to suspend some arms sales to Israel and said the policy is designed to “satisfy” Labour MPs.

He said on X: “Announcing an arms embargo on the day when Israel is burying its murdered hostages, and within weeks of British military personnel and arms defending Israel from Iranian attack, is not easy to swallow.

“Having now looked at Labour’s memorandum, it has all the appearance of something designed to satisfy Labour’s backbenches, while at the same time not offending Israel, an ally in the Middle East. I fear it will fail on both counts.”

Britain’s top civil servant has rebuked the Conservatives for suggesting Labour exaggerated the scale of the black hole in the public finances when Sir Keir Starmer took office.

Cabinet secretary Simon Case said Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt’s failure to hold a spending review in its last year in office added to the uncertainty facing the Treasury.

It came after Mr Hunt, who served as chancellor until the general election, wrote to Mr Case in July to criticise what he described as “deeply troubling” statements by Rachel Reeves about the state of the public purse.

Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports

Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz said the UK government’s decision on arms export licences “sends a very problematic message to the Hamas terrorist organisation and its backers in Iran”.

He said: “Israel is disappointed by the British government’s recent series of decisions, including the latest decision regarding security exports to Israel, the British Government’s decision to withdraw its request to submit an amicus brief to the ICC (International Criminal Court), and its stance on UNRWA (UN relief agency for Palestinians), as well as the UK’s recent conduct and statements in the UN Security Council.

“Israel is a law-abiding state that operates in accordance with international law and has an independent and respected judicial system – we expect friendly countries, such as the UK, to recognise this all year-round, especially just days after Hamas terrorists executed six Israeli hostages, during intense negotiations for the release of the hostages and for a ceasefire, and in light of the recent threats by the Iranian regime to attack the state of Israel.

“A step like the one taken by the UK now sends a very problematic message to the Hamas terrorist organisation and its backers in Iran.

“We hope that the deep friendship between the UK and Israel, which has been maintained throughout all the years since the founding of the state of Israel, will continue in the future.”

James Cleverly suggested the Conservatives have turned into the “grumpy party” as he launched his leadership bid on Monday 2 September.

The former home secretary vowed to reduce migration and restore “confidence in capitalism” as he calls for party unity in what was billed as a major speech in his campaign.

After delivering his address, Mr Cleverly was asked by reporters how he would draw young voters back to the Tories.

“We’ve never been the nasty party, I’ve never subscribed to that, but we have turned into the grumpy party, and young people are turned off by that,” he said.

“So let’s change that. Let’s be optimistic. Let’s focus on them, attract them to the party, listen to their voices and deliver on their aspirations, and that’s what I would do.”