UK to halt some arms sales to Israel as former Defence Secretary Grant Shapps brands decision 'student politics'

2 September 2024, 22:28 | Updated: 2 September 2024, 23:18

The UK is set to halt some arms sales to Israel, the Foreign Secretary has confirmed.

David Lammy told MPs on Monday afternoon that there was a "clear risk" that the sales could result in arms being used in a way that could breach international law.

Mr Lammy said that the UK is suspending around 30 export licenses for arms and military equipment, out of a total of 350.

This will affect equipment like military aircraft, helicopters and drones.

Reaction to the news has been mixed. Former Defence Secretary Grant Shapps told LBC's Andrew Marr the suspension was akin to "student politics". Some MPs on the left of Labour, and some charity leaders, called for ministers to go further.

The former Defence Secretary told LBC that the suspension was a "gut punch" and amounted to "punishing" Israel for being attacked by Hamas.

Read more: UK to suspend some arms sales to Israel as exports 'risk breaching international law', Foreign Secretary says

Read more: Israeli hostage's father tells LBC Benjamin Netanyahu must 'negotiate with Satan' to bring hostages home

Grant Shapps reacts to David Lammy's partial arms ban on Israel

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the war in Gaza that followed the October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas.

But Mr Shapps said the decision was "a very retrograde step".

"This is not some sort of student politics now, where you carry out student bans on different things, this is now geopolitics," he said.

"This is about making sure that when a terrorist group attacks a democratic nation, the answer isn't to start punishing the democratic nation for that attack.”

Mr Shapps said that the move "shows the student politics nature of David Lammy". He added that the suspension "will do nothing, because we sell almost nothing. 10% of almost nothing is nothing but gesture politics."

He said that to Israel "to will feel like a punch in the guts from an ally, and a friend."

But Simon McDonald, the former ambassador to Israel and the former top civil servant in the Foreign Office, told Andrew that the suspension was "a bit overdue."

While some have criticised the decision to partially halt the sale of arms, voices to the left of the Labour government have called for it to go further.

MP Zarah Sultana said: “When Israel is carrying out a genocidal assault in Gaza, we shouldn't just ban a small fraction of arms licences to Israel.

“This ban still allows the UK to sell parts for F-35 fighter jets, known as 'the most lethal' in the world.

“The government needs to ban ALL arms sales.”

Green MP Ellie Chowns said the suspension is a "welcome and significant step, but leaves vital questions unanswered."

She added there is "no justification at all" for continuing to license F-35 fighter jets to Israel.

"There is an ongoing and clear risk and we urge the foreign secretary to look again and suspend these licences," she said.

Meanwhile, the DUP's Sammy Wilson said the decision will leave “Hamas terrorists..overjoyed.”

"This is a bad decision. It's a decision which we will come to live to regret, and it's one which unfortunately I believe has been a result of... pressure which Labour MPs have found in their seats, as a result of pro-Gaza protests," he said.

Last year British companies sold around £42 million worth of military equipment to Israel, a relatively small amount.

Speaking in the Commons, Mr Lammy said: "This is not a blanket ban, this is not an arms embargo."

Ministers have been under pressure to suspend arms exports to Israel for some time, with some protesters claiming that Britain is indirectly complicit in the deaths of tens of thousands of people in Gaza.

Mr Lammy told the Commons: "Facing a conflict such as this, it is this Government's legal duty to review export licences. Criteria 2C of the strategic export licensing criteria states that the Government will not issue export licences if there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law.

"It is with regret that I inform the House today the assessment I have received leaves me unable to conclude anything other than that for certain UK arms exports to Israel, there does exist a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

"I have informed (Jonathan Reynolds) the Business and Trade secretary, and he is therefore today announcing the suspension of around 30 from a total of approximately 350 to Israel, as required under the export controls act. These include equipment that we assess is for use in the current conflict in Gaza."

Mr Lammy said that the suspension of some arms exports "not a determination of innocence or guilt".

He told MPs: "Throughout my life, I have been a friend of Israel. A liberal, progressive Zionist who believes in Israel as a democratic state and a homeland for the Jewish people, which has both the right to exist and defend itself.

"But I believe also that Israel will only exist in safety and security if there is a two-state solution that guarantees the rights of all Israeli citizens and their Palestinian neighbours, who have their own inalienable right to self determination and security.

"As concern that the horrifying scenes in Gaza has risen, many in this House, as well as esteemed lawyers and international organisations have raised British arms export licensing to Israel.

"After raising my own concerns from opposition, on taking office, I immediately sought to update the review, and on my first appearance as Foreign secretary in this House, I committed to sharing the review's conclusions.

"We have rigorously followed every stage of the process which the previous Conservative government established, and let me first be clear on the review's scope, this Government is not an international court.

"We have not and could not arbitrate on whether or not Israel has breached international humanitarian law. This is a forward looking evaluation, not a determination of innocence or guilt, and it does not prejudge any future determinations by the competent courts."