Ed Davey tables motion to force release of Gaza legal advice and says ministers cannot turn “blind eye” to humanitarian crisis

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey will table a Humble Address motion on the first day of Parliament [Monday 1 September] to force the Government to publish the legal advice it has received on breaches of international law in the Israel-Gaza war.

The party is calling for an immediate embargo on all arms sales to Israel, including F-35 parts, as the Netanyahu Cabinet prepares its latest military operation to take over Gaza City.

The Liberal Democrats’ humble address seeks to release any Government legal advice on potential breaches of international law in the Israel-Gaza war. The same device was used in 2018 to successfully force the Government to publish legal advice on the proposed EU withdrawal agreement.

Ed Davey’s motion follows his decision to boycott Donald Trump’s state banquet later this month, to put pressure on Donald Trump and Keir Starmer to act over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The Guardian reported this summer that Starmer’s attorney general Richard Hermer has previously raised concerns within the Government about the UK’s involvement in the conflict in the region. The Liberal Democrat motion would force ministers to “come clean” on any legal advice they have received and also confirm whether current British policy is in line with international law.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

“The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is unconscionable. Hamas has clearly committed war crimes and still holds hostages in brutal captivity, and Palestinians’ lives have been devastated by the ever-expanding Israeli military campaign.

“Ministers cannot turn a blind eye to the destruction being levelled on Gaza. They must wake up to the scale of the devastation, do everything in their power to return the hostages from Hamas’s grasp, and apply the strongest possible pressure on Netanyahu to end his military operations and restore comprehensive aid access to Palestinians.

“It’s high time the Government comes clean on the legal advice it has received on whether international law has been breached in the region - and finally commits to ending all arms exports to Israel.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

First reported by PoliticsUK here - x.com/PolitlcsUK/status/1962198892516184558

A Humble Address is a parliamentary device whereby an opposition party can force the Government to publish documents in its possession.

The UN confirmed for the first time earlier this month that more than half a million people are experiencing famine in the region. Israel declared Gaza City to be a “dangerous conflict zone” on Friday [29 August] ahead of its planned military offensive there.

Please see the text of the motion below:

That, given the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe taking place in Gaza, the ongoing captivity of hostages by Hamas,  and the planned expansion of the Israeli military's operations into Gaza City, an humble Address be presented to His Majesty that he will be graciously be pleased to give directions that there be laid before this House, no later than 1 November, any legal advice held or provided by the Attorney General relating to whether there have been breaches of international law in the Israel-Gaza war (2023 to present).