UK politics live: Burnham says Britain will ‘act in support of our values’ after Israeli West Bank sanctions

UK politics live: Israel closes British consulate in Jerusalem in response to sanctions on West Bank Other nations such as France, Canada and Spain have joined in the sanctions against Israel - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Israel is shutting down the British consulate in Jerusalem in response to the UK’s sanctions on goods from illegal settlements in the West Bank. Foreign minister Gideon Saar unveiled a series of countermeasures against the Labour government, saying it “has left us no choice but to respond to its hostile actions.” He also announced that 12 publicly elected British officials, “who are involved in anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic activities”, will be banned from Israel. Earlier, foreign secretary Ed Miliband accused Israel of “turning a blind eye” to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians living in the West Bank, who are increasingly under pressure to relocate from settlers. "The British government agrees that there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank - perpetrated by settler terrorists. "And all too often, the Israeli government has turned a blind eye to this and worse, members of it have made statements and taken actions to support the forced displacement of Palestinians," he added. In what is the UK’s strongest intervention yet, the foreign secretary said it was for the courts to determine if Israel committed genocide in Gaza. Zarah Sultana says her ban from Israel is 'a badge of honour' Israel has just banned me from entering. — Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) September 8, 2026 Given that this is a fascist government presiding over genocide, apartheid and an illegal occupation, I’ll wear it as a badge of honour. I will not be intimidated into silence. I will continue to speak out against Israel’s genocide and… US says it doesn't want 'anything destabilising' in West Bank America “obviously” will not do what the UK has done and does not want to see any destabilising in the West Bank, Marco Rubio has said, as he declined to comment further on Britain’s sanctions against Israel. Asked about the announcement made by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, the US secretary of state told reporters: “Well, they alerted us to it. We don’t have any announcements, obviously, those are decisions that they make, and we, and the president has expressed this in the past, we don’t want to see anything destabilising going on right now in the West Bank with so much going on in the region. “We think it has implications as well on our ability to make progress with regards to Gaza and the 20-point plan and the Board of Peace that we’re very committed to. “Obviously, we’re not going to do what the UK did. We saw their announcement today, but I don’t have any comment on it right now.” Israel tells UK: 'You have no chance of succeeding' Israel’s foreign minister has warned Britain that it has “no chance of succeeding” as he attacked UK sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements on Tuesday. “Not only will you harm us, you will harm yourselves,” Gideon Saar said. “I say to the Labour Government and to every government in the world that thinks it can force Israel to act against our national and security interests: You have no chance of succeeding.” Swinney backs Labour's 'long overdue' sanctions' The UK Government's announcement of a trade ban on Israeli settlements is welcome and long overdue. — John Swinney (@JohnSwinney) September 8, 2026 Scotland has proudly recognised the State of Palestine, and we are clear that Israel must be held to account for the genocide in Gaza and its damaging actions in the West Bank. Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbot among 12 British officials banned from Israel Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Labour MP Diane Abbott are among the 12 individuals banned from entering Israel in the wake of the British government’s sanctions, the Israeli government has announced. Earlier, Israel’s foreign minister said 12 publicly elected British officials will be banned from Israel along with others “who are involved in anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic activities”. Also on the list in MP Zarah Sultana, Fahad Ansari, the director of Riverway to the Sea, MP Naz Shah, MP Hannah Spencer, MP Carla Denyer, MP Sian Berry, MP Ellie Chowns, MP John McDonnell, MP Richard Burgon, and MP Adrian Ramsay. Israel closes British consulate in series of countermeasures against UK Israel has just announced several countermeasures to Andy Burnham’s trade sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements. The most significant is the closure is the closure of the British consulate in Jerusalem, which was decided with the agreement of Benjamin Netanyahu, the foreign minister said. Gideon Saar told reporters: "A united Jerusalem is the capital of the state of Israel, and it is under the full sovereignty of Israel.. “Any foreign activity in the region must be made in the conventional and agreed upon ways, without any intervention in Israeli sovereignty.” He also announced that 12 publicly elected British officials will be banned from Israel along with others “ who are involved in anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic activities”. Israel will also “expel British representatives in from the International Centre for Assistance" in Gaza and Kiryat Gat in Israel. British training operations of Palestinian Authority forces in Israel will also be stopped. Israeli people have the right to live anywhere in Israel, Gideon Sa'ar says Gideon Sa'ar, Israel's foreign minister, has said Israeli people have the right to live anywhere in Israel, dubbing the latest sanctions "absurd". He said: "Jewish people have the right to live all over the land of Israel, just as the British have the same right in Britain and the French have the same right in France. "The connection and right of the Jewish people to this land are extensive documented, more than any other people or nation in human history. The measures taken by the Labour government in Britain is absurd." Labour 'should have acted earlier' - Miliband Ed Miliband said it has taken Andy Burnham becoming prime minister to recognise the gravity of the situation, as he told MPs that Labour “should have acted earlier” to sanction illegal West Bank settlements. In a criticism of former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, the Foreign Secretary told the Commons: “We should have acted earlier, and it has taken the new prime minister to come in to recognise the gravity of the situation, to recognise the degree of public concern on these questions.” It came in response to independent MP Iqbal Mohamed who asked “why it has taken the Labour government so long to act”. The MP for Dewsbury and Batley had added: “Many will ask why this action has taken so long, since the ICJ (International Court of Justice) advisory opinion was issued in July 2024.” Israel to close British consulate in Jerusalem The Israeli government has announced it is closing the British conculate in Jerusalem follow the UK’s sanctions on Israeli settlements. Foreign minister Gideon Saar announced a series of retaliatory measure which also includes expelling some British representatives and stopping some British training in Israel. Israel accuses UK of trying to interfer in its election Israel has accused Britain of trying to interfer in its election next month, with foreign minister, Gideon Saar, saying the sanctions were a “very stark intervention in Israeli political elections.” He added: “It is an unacceptable blatant attempt to intervene in times of elections. “This is something that the British government is trying to force upon Israel, and that attempt is doomed to fail.” Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments