Foreign secretary Ed Miliband will tell Labour's conference that campaigners who raised concerns about Palestinians were right that the party's approach fell short, as he announces sanctions on Israeli settlements.
Key facts
- Ed Miliband is to address the Labour party conference as foreign secretary.
- He will tell campaigners and members who raised the plight of Palestinians that they were right Labour's approach had not been enough.
- Miliband will say the government is imposing sanctions on Israeli settlements.
- He will pledge more explicitly progressive foreign policy positions under Andy Burnham.
- He will say the UK will be a leader among like-minded countries in a new age of diplomacy.
Ed Miliband will use a speech to the Labour party conference to tell campaigners and party members who raised concerns about the plight of Palestinians that they were right, acknowledging that Labour’s previous approach on Gaza had not gone far enough, according to the Guardian.
The foreign secretary is expected to say he is heeding the calls of millions of people by imposing sanctions on Israeli settlements. The move is framed as a direct response to pressure from campaigners who argued the party’s stance had fallen short.
Miliband will tell the conference that the government will take more explicitly progressive foreign policy positions under Andy Burnham, the Guardian reported, signalling a shift in the direction of Labour’s approach to international affairs.
He is also expected to say that the UK will act as a leader among like-minded countries in what he describes as a new age of diplomacy, positioning Britain to work alongside partner nations on the world stage.
In remarks trailed ahead of the address, Miliband will say the government is ‘not here to accept the status quo but to change it’, according to the Guardian, underlining the message that the party intends to move away from its former position.
The comments mark an acknowledgement of criticism from within Labour’s ranks and among activists over how the party had previously responded to events in Gaza.
Why it matters
The remarks signal a shift in the UK government's foreign policy stance on Israel and the Palestinians, with the announcement of sanctions on Israeli settlements. For voters and campaigners who pressed Labour to take a firmer position, it represents an acknowledgement that their concerns are being acted upon.
Frequently asked questions
What did Ed Miliband say about Labour's approach to Gaza?
According to the Guardian, Miliband will tell campaigners and party members who raised the plight of Palestinians that they were right that Labour's approach had not been enough.
What action is the government taking on Israeli settlements?
Miliband will say the government is imposing sanctions on Israeli settlements, describing it as heeding the calls of millions of people, according to the Guardian.
What did Miliband say about future foreign policy?
He will say the government will take more explicitly progressive foreign policy positions under Andy Burnham and that the UK will be a leader among like-minded countries in a new age of diplomacy, the Guardian reported.