Full Breakdown
Miliband Announces New Pro-Palestine Foreign Policy at Labour Conference
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Core Announcement
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband used his first speech in the role at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool to declare a “reset” of the United Kingdom’s foreign policy under Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The policy includes comprehensive sanctions on Israeli settlements and a ban on all arms licences and other exports that “materially contribute to the occupation.”
Background & Context
The shift follows Miliband’s earlier statement that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory is illegal. Britain joins France and Canada in banning imports of goods produced in Israeli settlements, a move described by the government as a “diplomatic coup” for the Burnham administration. The announcement echoes the so-called “Carney Doctrine” outlined by former Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, which calls for a coalition of middle-ranking nations to counterbalance great-power influence.
Official Statements & Responses
The foreign secretary also condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, describing Britain as a “beacon of light” in a Europe threatened by fascism.
Criticism & Opposition
Lindsey German, convenor of the Stop the War Coalition, criticized the government’s simultaneous crackdown on protest.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I want to say to the millions of people in this country and indeed elsewhere who have been moved and outraged by the plight of the Palestinian people: we hear you, you were right,” — Ed Miliband, british foreign secretary
These statements capture the government’s new stance and the concerns of leading anti-war activists, illustrating the tension between policy ambition and domestic protest rights.