A prominent Labour MP is pushing Keir Starmer to go further on Palestine, after he announced plans to recognise the country, and let in thousands of refugees from Gaza. Battersea MP Marsha de Cordova has written to the Prime Minister urging him to create a Ukraine-style visa scheme, which would allow Gaza’s to travel to Britain and reunite with family already in the country.
Ms Cordova, from the left of the party, has said that the move to recognise a Palestinian state was an “important measure” by Sir Keir. However a Family Visa scheme “would be a practical next step that would help bring people to safety and help us – as a nation – live up to our highest values on the global stage.” Her letter to the PM cites the 65,419 deaths in Gaza and the destruction of critical infrastructure and the deaths of medics.
She writes: “British citizens and residents with family members in Gaza are understandably terrified that their relatives will be killed. They have been calling for a visa scheme to bring their family members to safety.
“I would be grateful if you would provide an urgent update on whether the Government will create a Gaza Family Visa scheme.”
A government spokesman said: “Bringing individuals out of Gaza is an extremely complex and delicate operation.
“Our focus must be on supporting those whom we are in a position to help.
“We have therefore taken the difficult decision to prioritise extending exceptional direct support to certain groups of individuals whom we can be confident in our ability to try to help leave Gaza.”
Dozens of MPs first issued the demand for a family visa scheme for Palestinians in June, with 67 backing the call to “reunite [Palestinians] with their loved ons in the UK until it is safe to return”.
“Just as the UK opened its doors to those fleeing persecution in Ukraine and Hong Kong, we believe that the same generosity should be extended to Palestinian families.”
It included signatories from MPs across the political parties, including Labour, the Greens, LibDems and SNP.