STARMER SET TO RECOGNISE PALESTINE- Washington is firmly opposed to the recognition 

Sir Keir Starmer will this weekend formally recognise Palestine as a state once Donald Trump concludes his state visit.

The Prime Minister is reported to have delayed the announcement until after the state visit amid concern it could dominate their joint press conference at Chequers on Thursday.

Washington is firmly opposed to recognition and the president has previously warned such a move would reward Hamas.

Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, has said that though the US preferred an end to the war “sometimes when you’re dealing with a group of savages like Hamas, that’s not possible.”

The announcement comes before a meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York next week where Britain, France, Australia and Canada are among nations anticipated to extend recognition.

Sir Keir will not be attending the meeting, with the UK instead represented by Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary and David Lammy, the Justice Secretary.

The Prime Minister announced in July that the UK would recognise Palestinian statehood unless Israel agreed to a ceasefire, committed to a two-state solution and ruled out annexation of the occupied West Bank.