Dozens of former diplomats urge UK to recognise Palestinian state

Dozens of former UK ambassadors and diplomats have piled pressure on Keir Starmer to recognise a Palestinian state amid growing revulsion at the harrowing scenes in Gaza.

- Patrick Wintour Harriet Sherwood

Their letter to the prime minister came as the archbishop of York condemned the dehumanisation of people in Gaza as "depraved" and "barbaric". It was "a stain on the conscience of the international community", and Israel's "war of aggression" was a "grave sin", said Stephen Cottrell, the de facto leader of the Church of England.

The strength of the language used by Cottrell is a reflection of rapidly shifting opinion as images of starving children and accounts of civilians being killed as they try to secure food for their families emerge from Gaza.

In Starmer's cabinet, there has been a growing sense of horror and despair in recent weeks over Israel's actions and scenes in Gaza. This week, Wes Streeting, the health secretary, publicly called for recognition while there was "still a state of Palestine left to recognise" and condemned Israeli actions that went "well beyond legitimate self-defence".

Yesterday, Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, urged the UK government to recognise a Palestinian state immediately, saying the scenes in Gaza were "absolutely harrowing".