London, (Shahzad Ali) __ Mohammad Yasin, the Kashmiri-origin Member of Parliament for Bedford, has joined 220 colleagues from nine different political parties in the UK in signing a formal letter addressed to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy. The letter calls for the United Kingdom to officially recognise Palestine as an independent state.

This appeal is timely, coinciding with a critical UN conference in New York, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, scheduled for July 28–29. The correspondence highlights the need for the UK to align with the growing international consensus, particularly following France’s recent commitment to recognise Palestine at the United Nations in September.

The letter articulates: “We urge you to officially recognise the state of Palestine at the conference next week. While the UK alone cannot achieve a free and independent Palestine, British recognition would send a powerful and meaningful message.”

Mr. Yasin characterised this initiative as a significant moral and historic opportunity, reinforcing efforts to promote peace and justice in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Starmer recognised the importance of acknowledging Palestinian statehood while emphasising the necessity of a comprehensive peace strategy. He stated, “Recognition of a Palestinian state must be one of the steps towards peace in the region. I am unequivocal about that. However, it must form part of a broader plan.”

The collective letter reflects the increasing political and public pressure on the UK government to adopt a more proactive stance regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially in the context of the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza.