Keir Starmer’s top legal adviser intervenes in tense row over the UK continuing to sell arms to Israel

Keir Starmer’s top legal adviser has reportedly intervened in the row over the UK continuing to sell arms to Israel.

Attorney General Richard Hermer KC is said to have told Foreign Office officials he will not approve a decision to ban some weapons sales but allow others until they are certain which could be used to break international humanitarian law, The Guardian reported.

It comes days after diplomat Richard Smith quit the Foreign Office over his belief it ‘may be complicit in war crimes’.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: ‘We have made clear that we will not export items if they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law. There is an ongoing review process to assess whether Israel is complying with international humanitarian law, which the Foreign Secretary initiated on day one in office.

While in opposition, Foreign Secretary David Lammy (pictured) urged the Foreign Office to publish its legal advice

‘We will provide an update as soon as that review process has been completed.’

Former prime minister Boris Johnson previously wrote in the Mail that it would be ‘insane’ to ban arms sales to Israel, adding it would risk handing ‘victory to a bunch of murderers and rapists’.

Since 2008, the UK has licensed arms worth £576million to Israel, according to analysis of export data by the Campaign Against Arms Trade. In June, the Government published data on licences granted to Israel since the Hamas attack on October 7, which showed it had issued 42 licences between then and May 31, 2024.

While in opposition, Foreign Secretary David Lammy urged the Foreign Office to publish its legal advice as to whether Israel was complying with international humanitarian law. He subsequently began a review into whether the UK should continue with the arms arrangement, but the results are yet to be published.

Officials are going through each weapons system to determine what purpose they have been used for. Mr Hermer is said to have told officials they must be certain that any weapon that continues to be sold has not been used to breach international law.