Keir Starmer is to urge Donald Trump to back the UK’s peace plan for the Middle East, including demands for unrestricted aid into Gaza and an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
During talks at the US president’s Turnberry golf resort in Ayrshire, the Prime Minister will also press for the release of the remaining Israeli hostages.
British military planners helped to support the delivery of aid into Gaza via airdrops from Jordanian and UAE planes at the weekend, but the UK government also wants Israel to go further and open up land routes as the only “viable and sustainable” way to get food into the territory.
In his talks with Trump on Monday, Starmer is expected to welcome the President’s administration working with Qatar and Egypt to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza.
Starmer will hold an emergency Cabinet meeting this week to discuss the crisis in a sign that the PM wants to escalate the UK’s response to mass starvation in Gaza, following pressure from inside government and the Labour backbenches.
Ministers will be recalled from the summer break for Cabinet – which does not normally convene during recess – to be updated on the Starmer-Trump talks as well as Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s attendance at the UN’s two-day meeting on a long-term peace settlement in New York on Monday and Tuesday.
Starmer is understood to be “unequivocal” in his concern for Gaza and is horrified at the images of starvation, desperation and suffering of children and babies.
Supporters of US President Donald Trump hold up signs outside his Trump Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire, during his five-day private trip to the country (Photo: PA)The UK peace plan, which the Prime Minister will discuss with Trump and other allies, including the leaders of France and Germany, would see the release of hostages held by Hamas, an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted aid into Gaza, by land as well as air.
The first of that aid began to flow into the territory yesterday, with Jordan carrying out three airdrops carrying 25 tonnes of relief following a temporary pause of fighting by the IDF.
Britain has offered its military support in transporting the aid into Gaza, including military planners deployed in a back-up role, working alongside Jordan.
Starmer has also been under pressure from Cabinet ministers and Labour MPs to follow French president Emmanuel Macron in immediately recognising the state of Palestine.
However the Prime Minister rebuffed that call last week and, while he reiterated the Labour manifesto pledge to back the “inalienable” right to Palestinian statehood, said this can only happen when the conditions are right, including a stable two-state solution and long-term peace deal.
Starmer spoke to Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz about the crisis in Gaza on Friday and Saturday, and more calls are expected in the coming hours and days.
While some in the Foreign Office and other ministers are in favour of immediate recognition of Palestine, the UK is only ready to back statehood once plans for a two-state solution for Israel and Palestinians are in place.
Britain is also pushing for a reformed Palestinian Authority, with Sir Michael Barber, Starmer’s efficiency adviser, leading governance reform work.
Hundreds of Palestinians carry aid packages in northern Gaza, as they walk away from the distribution point under harsh conditions (Photo: Khames Alrefi/Anadolu via Getty)Efforts to deliver aid
RAF aircraft were not involved in airdrops by Jordan and the UAE over the weekend, but the Ministry of Defence is understood to be considering all potential avenues to deliver aid.
UK forces have previously completed 11 airdrops into Gaza as part of a Jordanian-led international air coalition, with UK planes delivering 110 tonnes of relief items, including food.
Britain will now carry out further work with Jordan and other allies in the region.
A small team of military planners and logisticians will support the Jordanians to provide enhanced humanitarian support through air drops.
While airdrops will help to alleviate the worst of the suffering, the British government believes land routes serve as the only viable and sustainable means of providing aid into Gaza.
square WORLD First aid arrives in Gaza via new route - but deadly strikes hit 'safe' zones
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Lammy will present the UK’s plans for peace in the Middle East at the two-day UN conference in New York on Monday and Tuesday.
The Foreign Secretary on Sunday welcomed the temporary pause by the IDF as “essential but long overdue”.
He said: “The humanitarian suffering in Gaza has reached new depths.
“The Prime Minister has already announced plans to work with Jordan to get aid into Gaza and to evacuate children who need critical medical assistance to the UK for treatment.
“Today’s announcement of a temporary pause by the IDF to allow humanitarian corridors to open and aid drops to resume is essential but long overdue. Access to aid must therefore be urgently accelerated over the coming hours and days.
“This announcement alone cannot alleviate the needs of those desperately suffering in Gaza. We need a ceasefire that can end the war, for hostages to be released and aid to enter Gaza by land unhindered. Whilst airdrops will help to alleviate the worst of the suffering, land routes serve as the only viable and sustainable means of providing aid into Gaza. These measures must be fully implemented and further barriers on aid removed. The world is watching.
“The UK supports the efforts of Qatar, Egypt and the US as mediators and urges all parties to resume talks on a pathway for lasting peace and security.”
In his talks with Trump in Scotland, the PM are also expected to discuss progress on implementing the UK-US trade deal and applying pressure on Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
Following the official bilateral meeting in Turnberry the two leaders will travel on together for a further private engagement in Aberdeen, where the president owns another golf resort.
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