UK (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer recognised Palestine on 21 September 2025. Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney called for sanctions and the end of trade, while Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump criticised the decision.
As the Wandsworth Times reported, Scotland’s 1st Minister John Swinney has urged the UK Government to take further action after it recognised Palestine as a state. He attended a ceremony at the Palestinian Mission in London to mark the announcement and described the decision as a historic moment that should have taken place earlier.
Swinney said recognition would not be enough without follow-up measures. He called for sanctions against members of the Israeli Government, a full cancellation of trade talks with Israel, and an end to all forms of military cooperation between the 2 countries. He stated that these steps would prove Britain is serious about international law and the rights of the Palestinian people.
What further action is the UK expected to take after recognising Palestine?
The First Minister also pressed the UK to support legal proceedings at international courts. He asked Westminster to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and to enforce International Criminal Court arrest warrants against Israeli leaders if they enter the UK.
The UK has already suspended some arms export licences and paused trade negotiations with Israel after the recent conflict in Gaza. Swinney said further action on trade, politics, and defence is necessary to ensure that recognition is not just symbolic but the first step in a lasting commitment to Palestinian statehood.
John Swinney said,
“I have been clear that the UK’s recognition of the State of Palestine should have been unconditional, but this decision goes some way towards acknowledging the UK’s solemn and historic responsibility towards all peoples of the region.
While this announcement is welcome news, this is just the first step towards establishing the two-state solution.
I urge the UK Government to take further action to accelerate peace, including continuing to call for an immediate ceasefire and the resumption of free-flowing aid.
Scotland stands with the people of Palestine, and everyone in the region who yearns for peace.
The international community must use all its energy to persuade and pressurise Israel to end the violence and return to a peace process.
A two-state solution is the only option that can provide peace, prosperity and security for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel.
Hamas must play no role in the future of the Palestinian state.
I have consistently and unequivocally condemned the brutal terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas in October 2023 and I join the international community in demanding the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
Scotland stands with the people of Palestine, and everyone in the region who yearns for peace, and I will continue to do all that I can to support those suffering in Gaza and the West Bank.”
A UK Government spokesperson said the administration would not give details on possible future sanctions against Israel. The spokesperson explained that commenting on sanctions in advance could reduce their effectiveness. Officials in London said that sanctions are only considered and announced when ministers believe they will achieve the desired impact.
Quoting Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper from an interview on Sunday with the BBC, the spokesperson said:
“At the heart of this there is the really difficult issue of needing to achieve a ceasefire, and you’re right, that means pressure on the Netanyahu government, it means pressure continuing Hamas to release the hostages, it means broader international consensus that we have to build, but I don’t see there’s any alternative to continuing to pursue that two-state solution for a lasting endpoint of where we need to get to.”
The recognition, confirmed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday, Sep 21, 2025, has led to strong criticism from several sides. Families of hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, 2024, released an open letter asking the Prime Minister not to recognise Palestine until their relatives are returned.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the decision, calling it “absurd” and “a reward for terrorism.” US President Donald Trump also criticised the move, saying it was “rewarding Hamas.” The UK Government has defended the decision as part of its support for a two-state solution.
The crisis started on October 7, 2024, when Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 200 hostage, starting a large-scale Israeli military operation in Gaza. In the ensuing months, thousands of Palestinians were killed and humanitarian conditions greatly deteriorated, leading to outrage internationally.
In May 2024, Spain, Ireland, and Norway recognised the State of Palestine, with Belgium following later in the year. The UK suspended trade talks with Israel in May 2025 and stopped some arms export licences in June 2025 after the fighting escalated. On 21 September 2025, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Britain’s recognition of Palestine.