Israel has made ‘big mistakes’ in Gaza conflict, says Deputy PM Oliver Dowden

Published

1 year ago

April 7, 2024

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Oliver Dowden has accused Israel of making “big mistakes” during the conflict in Gaza and insisted the UK government is “holding them to a very high standard”.

Speaking to Sky News’ Trevor Phillips on the six month anniversary of the 7 October attacks, the deputy prime minister insisted the UK was not giving Benjamin Netanyahu’s government “carte blanche” over its actions, and was having “robust conversations” with them – especially in light of the killing of three UK aid workers last week.

But he said the Jewish community were living in “a state of existential threat” since the Hamas attacks, and we should understand “the trauma it is still suffering”.

Politics live: Dowden denies giving ‘carte blanche’ to Israel

Mr Dowden also accused people of “relishing” the debate over whether the UK should continue to sell arms to Israel and publish its legal advice amid growing criticism of its conduct in Gaza and questions about whether it has breached international law.

He refused to reveal the advice given to the government, saying it was an “ongoing process” and it would remain “confidential”.

But the deputy prime minister said any halt in sales was a decision for Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch, on the advice of Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron, and he had “not changed [his] advice” yet.

Mr Dowden told Trevor Phillips: “We have a process to go through in respect of arms… [but] it does worry me, and I want to choose my words carefully, but the manner in which some people are seizing on this issue and trying to hold Israel to incredibly high standards.

“Of course it is right we hold Israel to high standards, but I just think there is a bit of relish from some people about the way in which they are pushing this case against Israel.”

Asked if he meant there was a level of antisemitism in the debate, Mr Dowden said: “I wouldn’t go so far as that.

“But I think it goes right back to the beginning point. I think there are many people in the Jewish community, in Israel, who have just been expecting this shift in approach to Israel.

“We should think back to how Israel was on the day of that attack, the trauma it is still suffering. Of course, Israel has made mistakes and made big mistakes and we should hold them to account for that, but we are holding them to a very high standard.”

The interview came as Lord Cameron wrote an article for the Times newspaper, suggesting the UK’s support for Israel was not unconditional.

He said there was “no doubt where the blame lies” over the deaths of British aid workers, adding “this must never happen again”, as international pressure continues to build on Mr Netanyahu.

But in a letter to Lord Cameron, shadow foreign secretary David Lammy accused him of “dodging scrutiny”, calling for him to break with convention and appear in the Commons – rather than the Lords – to face questions from MPs, and to publish the government’s legal advice over the conflict.

Also speaking to Trevor Phillips, Mr Lammy said: “It is important to remember that there are well over 100 hostages, some might not be alive, in Gaza and this story begins with that horrific event on 7 October.

“But as we sit here six months later, I think it is important to reaffirm that a life lost is a life lost, whether that is a Muslim or a Jew. Far too many people have died, 33,000 now, many women, many children and I think it is serious when we have senior judges who are on our Supreme Court who raise issues about the clear risk of breaches in international law, a former head of MI6 says the same.

“I have said that I have serious concerns about a breach in international humanitarian law in regards to this and it is for that reason that I am asking David Cameron to be very clear and to publish the legal advice, because this is serious for the British people because it would mean that we are complicit in that action.”

Politics

Kemi Badenoch accuses Sir Keir Starmer of ‘lying’ about Peter Mandelson prior to sacking him

Published

11 hours ago

September 13, 2025

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Kemi Badenoch accuses Sir Keir Starmer of 'lying' about Peter Mandelson prior to sacking him

Kemi Badenoch has accused Sir Keir Starmer of “lying to the whole country” about what he knew regarding Peter Mandelson’s correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein.

Lord Mandelson was this week stripped of his position as ambassador to the US amid fresh scrutiny over his years-long friendship with the convicted paedophile.

The prime minister initially defended the Labour peer but removed him from his post on Thursday after newly seen emails revealed he sent messages of support to Epstein even as he faced jail for sex offences in 2008.

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The Times has now reported that Downing Street and the Foreign Office were aware of the emails on Tuesday – a day before Sir Keir gave Lord Mandelson his backing at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs).

In a post on X, Conservative leader Ms Badenoch wrote: “Looks like the Prime Minister and Labour MPs spent the week lying to the whole country about what they knew regarding Mandelson’s involvement with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.”

She continued: “If No 10 had those emails for 48 hours before acting, it means he lied at PMQs and ministers lied again about new additional information. These are yet more errors of judgment.

“The Prime Minister has very serious questions to answer. The only way to clear this up is full transparency about who knew what, and when.”

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Sources said Sir Keir was not aware of the contents of the emails when he told MPs he had “confidence” in Lord Mandelson.

A media enquiry outlining details of the messages between Lord Mandelson and Epstein was sent to the Foreign Office on Tuesday, and passed on to Number 10.

Sir Oliver Robbins, the permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office, asked Lord Mandelson about the emails on Tuesday, but did not receive a response until the following day.

Sir Keir is understood not to have been aware of the contents of the emails until Wednesday evening.

Speaking to Sky News, one Labour MP has called for more information on what happened behind closed doors at No 10 this week.

Jo White, MP for Bassetlaw, in Nottinghamshire, said: “We cannot move on until we find out how he [Sir Keir] was not briefed properly before PMQs.”

“What he needs to do now is get on top and sort out this mess,” she said. “Suspend the whip from Peter Mandelson and expel him from the party, then have a transparent enquiry about what went wrong at No.10.”

This came as Sir Keir enjoyed some time away from Downing Street.

The prime minister was on Saturday pictured watching Arsenal face Nottingham Forest in a Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium.

Lord Mandelson’s exit came after less than a fortnight after another high-profile loss for the Labour government, as Angela Rayner was forced to quit as deputy prime minister and deputy Labour leader over her tax affairs.

As Sir Keir has faced a scandal-hit start to the month, a growing number of Labour MPs have begun calling his leadership into question.

Lucy Powell, who is running to replace Ms Rayner as Labour’s deputy leader, has called for a “change of culture” at Downing Street.

“We’ve got a bit of a groupthink happening at the top, that culture of not being receptive to interrogation, not being receptive to differing views,” she told The Guardian newspaper.

Meanwhile, senior Labour MP Emily Thornberry has written to the new foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, demanding answers about the vetting process for UK diplomats in the wake of Lord Mandelson’s sacking.

Politics

Man admits arson after major fire at MP Sharon Hodgson’s constituency office

Published

17 hours ago

September 13, 2025

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Man admits arson after major fire at MP Sharon Hodgson's constituency office

A man has admitted arson after a major fire at an MP’s constituency office.

Joshua Oliver, 28, pleaded guilty to starting the fire which destroyed the office of Labour MP Sharon Hodgson, at Vermont House in Washington, Tyne and Wear.

The fire also wrecked a small charity for people with very rare genetic diseases and an NHS mental health service for veterans.

The guilty plea was entered at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on the basis that it was reckless rather than intentional.

The Crown did not accept that basis of plea.

Oliver, of no fixed address, had been living in a tent nearby, the court heard.

Northumbria Police previously said it was “alerted to a fire at a premises on Woodland Terrace in the Washington area” shortly after 12.20am on Thursday.

“Emergency services attended and no one is reported to have been injured in the incident,” it added.

Drone footage from the scene showed extensive damage to the building.

A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.

“We have worked closely with Northumbria Police as they carried out their investigation.”

Oliver was remanded in custody and will appear at Newcastle Crown Court on Tuesday, 14 October.