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Category: Ellie Chowns

  • Settlement trade restrictions are a welcome first step – Miliband must go further to end UK complicity in genocide and occupation

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    The Green Party has welcomed restrictions on trade with illegal Israeli settlements as an overdue first step, but says the measures must be strengthened and followed by wider action to end British complicity in Israel’s illegal occupation and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

    Greens have long campaigned for a settlement trade ban and are calling for comprehensive restrictions on goods, services and investment in both directions, covering all illegal settlements with no loopholes.

    The party has called for a full two-way arms embargo, wide-ranging sanctions and an end to military and intelligence cooperation with Israel.

    Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP for North Herefordshire. CC image Wikipedia.
    Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP for North Herefordshire. CC image Wikipedia.

    Green Party Foreign Spokesperson Dr Ellie Chowns MP said:

    “The measures announced today mark a critical and overdue step towards upholding the UK’s obligations under international law – one which the Green Party has long fought for and strongly supports. We additionally welcome the government’s recognition that the occupation is unlawful and that Palestinians face ethnic cleansing in the West Bank. Exerting pressure on the Israeli Government over illegal settlements is crucial to protecting the human rights of Palestinians, and Greens are pleased to see action taken to progress this aim. 

    “Important questions do remain regarding the scope of announced measures on services and investment. Ministers must make clear that restrictions cover all illegal settlements, not only settlement expansion; UK businesses must additionally be stopped from financing, insuring, and profiting from settlements that already exist. A comprehensive ban must cover goods, services, and investment in both directions, including goods containing settlement-produced ingredients or components and the letting of settlement properties, with effective enforcement and no loopholes. 

    “The Foreign Secretary has spoken of a fundamental reset in Britain’s relationship with the Israeli Government – this reset could not be more welcome, nor more needed. It is critical that our work does not end here; the UK has a legal and moral responsibility to use every lever to end its complicity in the Israeli Government’s crimes, including the ongoing genocide in Gaza. 

    “Britain’s legal duty to prevent genocide arose when ministers knew, or should have known, of a serious risk. That threshold was crossed long ago. Continuing military and intelligence cooperation with Israel while Palestinians are killed and denied lifesaving aid is a shameful failure to fulfil that duty. Ministers must take further action. 

    “That requires a full two-way arms embargo, wide-ranging sanctions, an end to military and intelligence cooperation, and withdrawal from the UK-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement. Existing export licenses that sustain the occupation must be ended, and restrictions must cover F-35 components supplied through the international pool. Britain must also press for unimpeded humanitarian access and independent war crimes investigations to secure accountability and justice. 

    “This is a moment of real progress, and should be recognised as such. But it must also be the beginning of something much bigger. The Green Party will welcome every meaningful step towards upholding international law and protecting Palestinian rights – and we will keep pushing for further action that is still urgently needed.”

    The Green Party is calling for the UK Government to:

    • Ensure restrictions form a comprehensive ban on goods, services and investment in both directions, covering all illegal Israeli settlements – not only settlement expansion – with effective enforcement and no loopholes.
    • Deliver the fundamental reset in relations with Israel promised by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, standing firm against threats of retaliation from US and Israeli officials.
    • Introduce a full two-way arms embargo, covering both sales to and purchases from Israel, end existing export licences that sustain the occupation, and reverse the exemption for F-35 components supplied through the international pool.
    • Impose wide-ranging sanctions, including banning the sale of Israeli government bonds in the UK and trade or investment involving companies that contribute to Israel’s genocide, alongside targeted sanctions on responsible senior officials.
    • End all military and intelligence cooperation with Israel – including cancelling and publishing the classified 2020 UK-Israel military agreement, which remains in force.
    • Demand and help secure unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza so essential food, medicine, shelter, and other aid can reach those who desperately need it.
    • End the UK-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement.
    • Push for safe and unimpeded access to Gaza for international media, enabling journalists to report freely and independently.
    • Use every available diplomatic lever to ensure immediate and regular International Committee of the Red Cross access to all prisoners and detainees held in Israeli facilities.
    • Drive independent investigations into war crimes and back justice mechanisms for victims, in order to bring about the accountability required for a just and lasting peace.

  • Green MP Ellie Chowns urges Foreign Secretary to end UK complicity in war crimes

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    Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP for North Herefordshire. CC image Wikipedia.
    Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP for North Herefordshire. CC image Wikipedia.

    Green MP and leader of the Parliamentary Green Party Dr Ellie Chowns has written to newly appointed Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband urging the UK Government to take genuine action over the Israeli Government’s “grave and ongoing human rights abuses” in Palestine and end UK complicity in genocide and other war crimes. 

    Writing ahead of Parliament’s return next week, the letter urges Miliband to demonstrate a more effective and principled way of responding to the Israeli Government’s actions, arguing that it is “vital that the UK Government does not simply condemn breaches of international law, but acts decisively to stop them.”  

    The full text of the letter reads: 

    Dear Ed, 

    As you will be aware, we are quickly approaching the return of Parliament following a summer which has ushered forth a new Prime Minister, a largely new Cabinet, and a new position for yourself, as Foreign Secretary. What is yet to be seen is whether we will also see a new and more effective and principled way of responding to the Israeli Government’s grave and ongoing human rights abuses in Palestine. It is vital that the UK Government does not simply condemn breaches of international law, but acts decisively to stop them.  

    The need for urgent action cannot be overstated; the ongoing genocide has seen more than 1,000 Palestinians in Gaza killed by Israeli forces since the ceasefire came into effect in October 2025. Access to critical humanitarian aid such as food and medical supplies remains heavily restricted, and the displacement of Palestinians has continued as Israeli forces expand further into Gaza beyond the agreed ceasefire boundaries. Illegal Israeli settlement expansion and settler violence in the West Bank also continues to escalate, with the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reporting about 190 attacks a month in the first four months of 2026, alongside the publication of construction tenders for 1,200 homes in the E1 area.  

    While I recognise your condemnation of the E1 plans and acknowledgement of the destructive threat that settlement expansion poses to peace in the region, it is clear that simply issuing statements of concern is not enough to make the Israeli Government change course.  

    I therefore urge you to learn from the mistakes of your predecessors and take genuine action to protect the human rights of Palestinians, uphold international law, and make clear that the UK will no longer be complicit in genocide and other war crimes in Palestine. These actions include, but are not limited to:  

    • Ending all arms sales to, and military cooperation with, Israel;  
    • Banning all trade with illegal Israeli settlements in order to ensure the UK does not profit from the occupation of Palestine;  
    • Imposing further sanctions on Netanyahu and other senior Israeli Government officials responsible for breaches of international law;  
    • Demanding and helping secure unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza so essential food, medicine, shelter, and other aid can reach those who desperately need it;  
    • Driving independent investigations into war crimes and backing justice mechanisms for victims, in order to bring about the accountability required for a just and lasting peace.  

    There is significant and growing support for these measures across Parliament, including from many MPs within your own party. Indeed, the Prime Minister himself has acknowledged that Labour previously “got it wrong” on Gaza and has said that more needed to be done to ensure Israel adheres to international law; your new position grants you an opportunity to turn that recognition into meaningful action.  

    I therefore hope that you will act with the urgency that this moment demands. The UK Government must stand firmly for international law, human rights, and the protection of civilians, not for further impunity for those responsible for war crimes.  

    I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to further discuss the cross-party role Parliament can play in securing justice, accountability, and a lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis alike.  

    Yours sincerely, 

    Dr Ellie Chowns  

    MP for North Herefordshire   

    Leader of the Parliamentary Green Party and Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs  

    UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham admits to blatently lying and engaging in deception to become leader of the UK Labour Party and Prime Minister.
    UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham admits to blatently lying and engaging in deception to become leader of the UK Labour Party and Prime Minister.

  • “The UK must put an end to the impunity that has enabled and emboldened the Israeli Government” – Ellie Chowns reacts to Israel’s escalating military campaign in Lebanon

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    Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP for North Herefordshire. CC image Wikipedia.
    Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP for North Herefordshire. CC image Wikipedia.

    Reacting to Israel’s escalating action in Lebanon, Dr Ellie Chowns MP said:

    “Israel’s escalating military campaign in Lebanon has already killed thousands of people, displaced more than a million from their homes, and destroyed vital infrastructure, displaying an indefensible disregard for civilian lives and international law.

    “This cannot continue. The UK must put an end to the impunity that has enabled and emboldened the Israeli Government on the world stage. The Green Party repeats our calls for the UK Government to end all arms sales to and military cooperation with Israel, to drive independent investigations into war crimes and support justice mechanisms for victims, and to impose sanctions on Netanyahu and all other government officials responsible for breaches of international law.

    “The people of Lebanon – like the people of Palestine, Iran, and Israel – deserve to live in safety and peace, not to have their human rights used as bargaining chips which can be disregarded without consequence. The UK must stand on the side of international law and justice, and act now to help prevent further atrocity.”

  • “The UK Government must act immediately” – Ellie Chowns responds to Netanyahu’s orders to seize 70% of Gaza Strip

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    Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP for North Herefordshire. CC image Wikipedia.
    Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP for North Herefordshire. CC image Wikipedia.

    Responding to reports that Benjamin Netanyahu has given orders to the Israeli army to seize control of 70% of the Gaza Strip, Dr Ellie Chowns MP said:

    “Netanyahu’s directive to expand Israeli military control over 70% of the Gaza Strip is horrifying, constituting a grave breach of the ceasefire if carried out and a blatant disregard for the rights and lives of Palestinian civilians already enduring unimaginable suffering.

    “This plan will not serve to strengthen the path to security or peace in the region. It will only drive yet more families from their homes, further restrict the delivery of aid, and deepen a humanitarian crisis in a territory already devastated by war, famine, and genocide. The people of Gaza cannot be squeezed into an ever-smaller space and expected to survive without proper access to food, water, shelter, and medical care.

    “The UK Government must act immediately: unequivocally condemn any attempt to seize more territory or ethnically cleanse Gaza, insist on full compliance with the ceasefire and international law, and demand unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza at scale. It must also halt all arms sales to and military cooperation with the Israeli Government, drive independent investigations into war crimes, and impose sanctions on government officials responsible for breaches of international law.

    “The continued expansion of military control and the forced displacement of Palestinians cannot be allowed to become normalised. The UK must stand up for international law, human rights, and the protection of civilians – not further impunity for perpetrators of war crimes.”

  • Green MPs and peers demand answers from Starmer and an end to UK involvement in illegal US-Israel war on Iran

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    Keir Starmer explains that UK is participating defensively in Trump and Israel's criminal war for Israel's genocidal expansion in Iran and states that he supports Zionism "without qualification".
    Keir Starmer explains that UK is participating defensively in Trump and Israel’s criminal war for Israel’s genocidal expansion in Iran and states that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Starmer said it here:  https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/

    Iran’s Foreign Minister has warned Yvette Cooper in a phone call that allowing US use of UK bases is considered as British “participation in aggression”.

    Green MPs and peers have written to Keir Starmer expressing alarm at the UK’s involvement in the illegal US-Israeli war on Iran and pressing the Prime Minister to answer a number of urgent questions – including what control, if any, the UK has over US strikes launched from British bases and whether British-made weapons components are being used in breach of international law.

    They note that the UK is obliged under international law to have no involvement in illegal military action, including the use of UK bases and UK-made weapons, and reiterate demands for an end to all UK complicity in this illegal war.

    FULL TEXT OF LETTER

    Dear Prime Minister, 

    We are writing as Green Party MPs and Peers to express our alarm at the UK’s involvement in the illegal US-Israeli war on Iran. 

    Already well over 1,000 civilians have been killed, including a reported 168 children killed by a missile now widely believed to be from the United States (Guardian, 2026). UNICEF has reported that the Israeli military’s assault on Lebanon is killing or injuring the equivalent of one classroom of children every day (Reuters, 2026).

    In addition to the grave humanitarian impacts, the longer this illegal, unnecessary war continues, the greater the global economic fallout – to which the UK is particularly exposed because it remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels. 

    In light of this, there are urgent questions your government must answer: 

    • What steps, if any, is your government taking to ensure that B-1 and B-52 bombers taking off from RAF Fairford are being used for ‘specific, limited defensive purposes’ – as you committed to?
    • What assessment have you made, if any, of how many Iranian civilians have been killed by US bombing missions from British air bases?
    • Are target lists for US strikes from British soil approved by the Ministry of Defence before each mission or audited afterwards? 
    • Is the US being permitted to load banned cluster munitions at British bases?
    • What assessment has the government made of the risk of UK-made weapons components being used in violation of international law in Iran, including in the Tomahawk missile systems which may have been involved in the strike on the Shajareh Tayyerbeh girls’s school which killed a reported 168 children and 14 teachers, in the single deadliest known attack so far? 
    • What assessment has the government made of the risk of UK-made weapons components being used by the Israeli government in violation of international law in Lebanon? 

    The UK is obliged under international law to have no involvement in illegal military action, including the use of UK bases and UK-made weapons. It is therefore of the utmost importance that these questions are answered as a matter of urgency. 

    This illegal war is inflicting untold suffering and devastation in the region and will cause huge and long lasting human, political, economic and environmental ramifications, as well as the immediate impact on the cost-of-living for our constituents. We, as Green Party MPs and Peers, reiterate our calls for the UK government to: 

    • Withdraw all permission for the US to use UK military bases for attacks on Iran.
    • End all arms sales to and military cooperation with the Israeli government.
    • Impose sanctions on government officials responsible for breaches of international law.
    • Condemn the actions of Trump and Netanyahu for their flagrant violations of international law.
    • Refuse any further complicity in this illegal war.

    Yours sincerely, 

    Dr Ellie Chowns MP

    Carla Denyer MP

    Siân Berry MP

    Hannah Spencer MP

    Adrian Ramsay MP

    Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

    Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb

    Donald Trump warns against following the https://onaquietday.org blog, says that it's easy atm, she only needs to report war crimes supporting Israel's genocidal expansion.
    Donald Trump warns against following the https://onaquietday.org blog, says that it’s easy atm, she only needs to report war crimes supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion.
    Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
    Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.