David Lammy, the UK Labour Party's Shadow Foreign Secretary gestures as he meets with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, in Beirut, Lebanon. AP
David Lammy, the UK Labour Party's Shadow Foreign Secretary gestures as he meets with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, in Beirut, Lebanon. AP
David Lammy, the UK Labour Party's Shadow Foreign Secretary gestures as he meets with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, in Beirut, Lebanon. AP
David Lammy, the UK Labour Party's Shadow Foreign Secretary gestures as he meets with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, in Beirut, Lebanon. AP

David Lammy shaping Labour's Gaza response through Middle East trips


  • English
  • Arabic

The UK's shadow foreign secretary David Lammy has become the face of Labour’s evolving stance on the Israel-Gaza war as he travels the region hoping to show the empathy and leadership that is demanded by his hosts on all sides.

The lawyer and author turned politician has stepped up his criticism of the war after four visits to the region in six weeks in an attempt to de-escalate tensions and help pave the way for a two-state solution.

His position presents a challenge to foreign secretary Lord Cameron, who has sought to recalibrate the Conservative government’s unwavering support for Israel in the war’s first weeks.

“We look with huge concern at the civilian loss of life in Gaza,” Mr Lammy told The National. "Everyone has said to me that the role that the UK can play, because of its relationship with Israel but also with Lebanon and the wider region, is important.

"We do not want to see an escalation of violence," he said, a point he stressed last week on a visit to Lebanon. “I’m here because of regional concerns about the escalation of violence that we are seeing in Gaza at this time, to understand better what diplomatic steps can be brought to bear,” he added.

“Britain has very significant role to play in the Levant area, where we have a historic relationship and we are hugely respected,” he said.

The UK's shadow foreign secretary David Lammy (left) with Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Beirut on Friday. AP
The UK's shadow foreign secretary David Lammy (left) with Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Beirut on Friday. AP

Labour has been divided over leader Keir Starmer’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza, in response to the Hamas attacks of October 7.

But the party has since appeared to change its tone, with Mr Lammy criticising the “intolerable” death toll in Gaza in December, and calling for an immediate “humanitarian truce,” in parliament last week, with the backing of Mr Starmer.

The truce would act as a stepping stone towards ending the conflict with a “sustainable ceasefire”.

Mr Lammy's meetings during the Israel-Gaza war may forge the foreign policy priorities for a future Labour government.

He was also in Israel to meet with President Isaac Herzog and then foreign minister Isaac Cohen, after calling for a longer “pause” to the conflict, and he travelled to Jordan and Egypt to meet the Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib (left) meets with David Lammy in Beirut on Friday. AP
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib (left) meets with David Lammy in Beirut on Friday. AP

In Bahrain for the Manama Dialogue, he met with Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and Sayyid Badr Albusaidi, foreign minister of Oman.

In his shadow ministerial role, Mr Lammy has visited the UAE and held talks with Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, and was on the ground during Cop28 in early December.

Weeks into the war, he met a Palestinian community displaced by settlers in the West Bank, and travelled to Doha to speak to Qatar’s prime minister about the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. As Labour increasingly positions itself as a government in waiting, the meetings are seen as a vital bridge between regional leaders and a potential incoming UK government.

Lebanese tensions

Last week, Mr Lammy was in Beirut to try to de-escalate rising tensions between Israel and Lebanese militia Hezbollah. He had previously met people living on the northern border of Israel, who had been rehoused owing to weeks of Hezbollah missile attacks on Israel.

Tensions rose to new highs after an Israeli air strike in the capital which killed Hamas deputy Saleh Al Arouri, followed by the killing of a Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon.

He also met with members of its caretaker government: Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Foreign Affairs Minister Abdallah Abou Habib and speaker of the House Nabih Berri, the leader of Lebanon’s Amal party.

There, he called for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which was made during the Israel-Lebanon war of 2006, and under which Hezbollah would have to withdraw from the border to create a demilitarised zone.

“I’m here to understand better what diplomatic steps can be brought to bear to see a de-escalation,” he told The National after his meetings.

“I’ve been discussing … how we can see an implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 and the request from Israel that they move Hezbollah back to the Litani river,” he said.

“My role is to see both sides de-escalate and show restraint,” he added.

"We do have to find a negotiated agreement that will enable both countries to move forwards," he said

But instead of a people mobilised by Hezbollah’s call for resistance, he came face to face with Lebanon’s crumbling state and economy.

“The country is still in a very fragile place,” he said, having visited what remains of the Beirut port after the devastating blast on August 4, 2020.

“It’s clear to me that nobody wants war. Nobody wants to see an escalation,” he said.

“I’m confident that Hezbollah, too, don’t want to see an escalation of violence. I hope that diplomacy can win out and that we can calm nerves,” he said.

He highlighted the “huge challenges” that Lebanon had faced in recent years, including an economic crisis which drove more than 80 per cent of the population into poverty.

Mr Lammy has supported the UK's recent air strikes on the Houthis in Yemen, but stressed it was important for parliament to be able to "scrutinise" the government's decision. He plans to question Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about it during the next sitting on Monday.

David Lammy and the UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed at a meeting in London.
David Lammy and the UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed at a meeting in London.

Legal expert

Before taking on the foreign affairs brief in 2021, Mr Lammy – a former barrister who was Harvard Law School’s first black British student – was best known as a campaigner on race and equality issues.

His Lammy Review into inequalities in the justice system raised alarms that Muslims were over-represented in the UK’s prison population, in what he said risked “becoming a source of social division”.

Mr Lammy has been MP for Tottenham since 2000. His latest book Tribes (2020) explores social divisions in the UK, drawing on memories of his own upbringing.

As a backbench MP he cited fears of radicalisation when he voted against air strikes on ISIS in Syria in 2015, saying civilians would be killed and “a new generation of extremists will come up from the vacuum”.

David Lammy with the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah. SPA
David Lammy with the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah. SPA

After a failed bid for the London mayoralty, Mr Lammy joined the shadow cabinet when Keir Starmer was elected Labour leader in 2020. He was promoted to shadow foreign secretary the following year.

Before the war erupted with Hamas’s surprise attack on October 7 last year, Mr Lammy had been critical of both sides in the Israel-Palestine conflict, objecting to the settlements in the West Bank, and to Hamas’s rocket attacks on Israel.

After speaking out against anti-Semitism in Labour’s ranks, he said in 2021 that he regretted having nominated Jeremy Corbyn for a spell as leader that was plagued by allegations of hostility towards Jews.

Last year he accused Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps of “behaving like a terrorist organisation” as he called for the guards to be proscribed in Britain in the wake of their crackdown on women’s rights protesters.

BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES

SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities

Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails

Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies

Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

The biog

Name: Abeer Al Shahi

Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan

Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.

Favourite activities: Bungee jumping

Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.

Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?

The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.

A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.

Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.

The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.

When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.

Top%2010%20most%20competitive%20economies
%3Cp%3E1.%20Singapore%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Switzerland%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20Denmark%0D%3Cbr%3E4.%20Ireland%0D%3Cbr%3E5.%20Hong%20Kong%0D%3Cbr%3E6.%20Sweden%0D%3Cbr%3E7.%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E8.%20Taiwan%0D%3Cbr%3E9.%20Netherlands%0D%3Cbr%3E10.%20Norway%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry

Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000

Engine: 3.5-litre V6

Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm

Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km

if you go

The flights

Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes. 

The hotels

Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes. 

When to visit

March-May and September-November

Visas

Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.

You might also like
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale

Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni

Director: Amith Krishnan

Rating: 3.5/5

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

Roll of honour 2019-2020

Dubai Rugby Sevens

Winners: Dubai Hurricanes

Runners up: Bahrain

 

West Asia Premiership

Winners: Bahrain

Runners up: UAE Premiership

 

UAE Premiership

Winners: Dubai Exiles

Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes

 

UAE Division One

Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens

Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II

 

UAE Division Two

Winners: Barrelhouse

Runners up: RAK Rugby

The Details

Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5 

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

RESULTS

6pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 1 (PA) $55,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Rajeh, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi (trainer)

6.35pm: Oud Metha Stakes – Rated Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Get Back Goldie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill

7.10pm: Jumeirah Classic – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Sovereign Prince, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby

7.45pm: Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer

8.20pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 2 (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Hot Rod Charlie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill

8.55pm: Al Bastakiya Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Withering, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass

9.30pm: Balanchine – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Creative Flair, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

The Farewell

Director: Lulu Wang

Stars: Awkwafina, Zhao Shuzhen, Diana Lin, Tzi Ma

Four stars

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPowertrain%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20electric%20motor%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E201hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E310Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E53kWh%20lithium-ion%20battery%20pack%20(GS%20base%20model)%3B%2070kWh%20battery%20pack%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E350km%20(GS)%3B%20480km%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C900%20(GS)%3B%20Dh149%2C000%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Joker: Folie a Deux

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

How England have scored their set-piece goals in Russia

Three Penalties

v Panama, Group Stage (Harry Kane)

v Panama, Group Stage (Kane)

v Colombia, Last 16 (Kane)

Four Corners

v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via John Stones header, from Ashley Young corner)

v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via Harry Maguire header, from Kieran Trippier corner)

v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, header, from Trippier corner)

v Sweden, Quarter-Final (Maguire, header, from Young corner)

One Free-Kick

v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, via Jordan Henderson, Kane header, and Raheem Sterling, from Tripper free-kick)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20myZoi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Syed%20Ali%2C%20Christian%20Buchholz%2C%20Shanawaz%20Rouf%2C%20Arsalan%20Siddiqui%2C%20Nabid%20Hassan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2037%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Initial%20undisclosed%20funding%20from%20SC%20Ventures%3B%20second%20round%20of%20funding%20totalling%20%2414%20million%20from%20a%20consortium%20of%20SBI%2C%20a%20Japanese%20VC%20firm%2C%20and%20SC%20Venture%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Updated: January 16, 2024, 9:03 AM`