Lammy criticised for 'Orwellian' comments on Gaza at Labour conference

British foreign secretary David Lammy has been criticised for his comments on Gaza during Sunday’s annual Labour Party conference, as UK pro-Palestine groups and politicians call for Britain to implement a  full arms embargo on Israel.

Lammy's latest remarks come after the UK’s suspension of certain export licences to Israel due to concerns over violations of humanitarian law in Gaza.

During his speech in Liverpool, Lammy implicitly defended the government's recent decision to halt 30 licenses to Israel out of a total of 350 due to concerns that such military exports could be used by Israel in breach of international humanitarian law amid its nearly year-long war in Gaza. 

"When we stood up for international law when it was not easy, what did we say? Britain is back," Lammy addressed to crowds.

However, Lammy also reiterated his continued support for Israel, arguing that it also "faces threats from all angles with Iran and its proxies seeking to wipe Israel off the map."

Further blaming Iran for escalating regional tensions, he added that the country "is not only destabilising the Middle East but providing support to [Russian President Vladmir] Putin’s barbaric war through exporting ballistic missiles."

This comes after Western powers claimed earlier this month that Iran delivered ballistic missiles to Moscow amid its war in Ukraine- which Tehran has since denied.

"That is why we put new restrictions on Iran Air that will stop it entering the UK and new sanctions against the [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] IRGC," Lammy continued.

'Orwellian' comments

Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), sharply criticised Lammy's comments in a statement, calling them "Orwellian in its inversion of reality." 

The PSC chief argued that Lammy’s remarks ignore the necessity of a complete freeze on arms sales, with Britain facing scrutiny because weapons it previously supplied to Israel could have been used to commit war crimes against Palestinians.

"This ignores the verified fact that F35 jets were used by Israel to perpetrate a massacre in Al Mawasi in July which killed more than 90 Palestinians and David Lammy is allowing the continued sale of components for those jets," Jamal added. 

Jamal also accused Lammy of disregarding the UK's responsibilities as outlined by the International Court of Justice and a recent UN General Assembly resolution, which condemns aiding genocide and illegal occupation.

"The test for David Lammy is simple - he either supports the universal application of International law and acts accordingly to ban all weapons sales or he doesn't," Jamal emphasised. 

Last week, the rights group Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) released a report revealing that the arms industry plays a significant role in shaping UK government policy.

The report emphasised a "revolving door" system, where high-ranking former military officers move between roles in arms and security companies and positions within government, raising concerns about conflicts of interest.

The Scottish National Party (SNP) has also condemned Lammy's comments and Labour's controversial stance on Gaza since October 7.

SNP Deputy Leader Pete Wishart criticised the Labour Party, under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, for showing "no courage or leadership" in response to the conflict.

He argued that Labour’s suspension of less than 10% of UK arms licences to Israel is inadequate given the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. 

"People want and deserve to see real action for the UK government but it is clear Labour is unwilling to stand up for what is right and end all arms sales to Israel," Winshart continued. 

During his address on Sunday, Lammy emphasised his commitment to supporting an "immediate ceasefire" in the Gaza conflict at the Labour conference- by backing a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. 

He expressed that the ongoing violence is "in nobody’s interest" and advised British nationals in Lebanon to "leave now" for their safety. 

Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Kassem, declared on Sunday that the group is engaged in an open-ended conflict with Israel. 

At least 182 people were killed and hundreds more injured in Israeli strikes on southern and eastern Lebanon on Monday