David Lammy Accused of Misleading Parliament as New Report Reveals Huge Scale of Continued UK Arms Shipments to Israel
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The UK Government has continued to send a wide range of military exports from the UK to Israel since the war on Gaza began in October 2023, including thousands of items categorised as "munitions of war", despite ministers suggesting that remaining UK exports were mainly of a "defensive" nature.
In September 2024, the UK Government suspended 30 arms export licenses to Israel, with the Foreign Secretary David Lammy stating in the House of Commons that "much of what we send [to Israel] is defensive in nature" such as "helmet[s] or goggles", and "not what we describe routinely as arms".
However, a joint report by the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), the Progressive International (PI) and Workers for a Free Palestine (WFFP) accuses Lammy of misleading Parliament, due to data revealing that the UK has continued to send large numbers of lethal munitions to Israel, including one maritime delivery to Haifa carrying over 160,000 items.
Shipments sent after Lammy's announcement include 8,630 separate munitions exports placed in the category 'Bombs, Grenades, Torpedoes, Mines, Missiles And Similar Munitions Of War And Parts Thereof - Other'.
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Zarah Sultana, the suspended Labour MP for Coventry South said: "This explosive report shows the Government has been lying to us about the arms it is supplying to Israel while it wages genocide in Gaza. Far from "helmets and goggles", the Government has been sending thousands of arms and ammunition goods and even still supplying components of the world's most lethal fighter jets. By the Government's own admission, continued direct supply of F-35 parts to Israel would put Britain at 'clear risk' of contributing to Israel's violations of international law and therefore breaching our own legal obligations".
Sultana called on David Lammy to resign, saying "This report alleges that David Lammy has misled Parliament and the public, which would be a clear breach of the Ministerial Code. Keir Starmer must immediately launch a full investigation into these alleged breaches of the Ministerial Code and if David Lammy or any other minister has breached the code, they must resign. Moreover, an independent inquiry is required into this damning new evidence that the Government has breached the UK's obligations under international law, making the British Government, and potentially individual Ministers, complicit in Israel's gen
To support its work, subscribe to the monthly Byline Times print edition, packed with exclusive investigations, news, and analysis.
Help us build the better media Britain deserves
The UK Government has continued to send a wide range of military exports from the UK to Israel since the war on Gaza began in October 2023, including thousands of items categorised as "munitions of war", despite ministers suggesting that remaining UK exports were mainly of a "defensive" nature.
In September 2024, the UK Government suspended 30 arms export licenses to Israel, with the Foreign Secretary David Lammy stating in the House of Commons that "much of what we send [to Israel] is defensive in nature" such as "helmet[s] or goggles", and "not what we describe routinely as arms".
However, a joint report by the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), the Progressive International (PI) and Workers for a Free Palestine (WFFP) accuses Lammy of misleading Parliament, due to data revealing that the UK has continued to send large numbers of lethal munitions to Israel, including one maritime delivery to Haifa carrying over 160,000 items.
Shipments sent after Lammy's announcement include 8,630 separate munitions exports placed in the category 'Bombs, Grenades, Torpedoes, Mines, Missiles And Similar Munitions Of War And Parts Thereof - Other'.
BP Hit by Protests and Investor Rebellion Over Israel Fuel Sales and Broken Climate Pledges
The multinational oil and gas company is accused of complicity in Israel's war on the Palestinian people
Olly Haynes
Zarah Sultana, the suspended Labour MP for Coventry South said: "This explosive report shows the Government has been lying to us about the arms it is supplying to Israel while it wages genocide in Gaza. Far from "helmets and goggles", the Government has been sending thousands of arms and ammunition goods and even still supplying components of the world's most lethal fighter jets. By the Government's own admission, continued direct supply of F-35 parts to Israel would put Britain at 'clear risk' of contributing to Israel's violations of international law and therefore breaching our own legal obligations".
Sultana called on David Lammy to resign, saying "This report alleges that David Lammy has misled Parliament and the public, which would be a clear breach of the Ministerial Code. Keir Starmer must immediately launch a full investigation into these alleged breaches of the Ministerial Code and if David Lammy or any other minister has breached the code, they must resign. Moreover, an independent inquiry is required into this damning new evidence that the Government has breached the UK's obligations under international law, making the British Government, and potentially individual Ministers, complicit in Israel's gen
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