A Starmer government can rebuild broken UK-Middle East ties

The UK’s waning influence in the Middle East is a crisis of confidence, rather than lack of capacity.
Fourteen years of Tory austerity have not only gutted the state and robbed millions of a better future, but they have also plunged the UK into international obscurity.
Nowhere is this clearer than in the Middle East.
The horrific scenes unfolding in Gaza, for example, have rocked Muslims worldwide while pitting different faith communities against one another. But instead of working to rebuild the relationships between British Muslims, Jews and Christians, the Conservative government has branded efforts to support Palestinians as little more than insurgent “hate marches” — using the horrific conflict to wedge communities that ought to be allied.
The Conservative response is unsurprising. Islamophobia and anti-Muslim attitudes within the Tory party have been thoroughly documented, with more than half of its members having claimed that Islam is a threat to the British way of life.
But with a general election taking place on Thursday, the Tories are coming to regret these attitudes.
After all, the next government will most likely see Labour take control. But if Labour — headed by Keir Starmer — wants to make a real difference, then it must reintegrate the country’s communities while simultaneously revamping its foreign policy to breathe new life into the UK’s atrophied stature on the world stage.
While Starmer’s initial response to Gaza evoked concern, recent polling suggests that about two-thirds of British Muslims will back the Labour Party, representing a 51-point lead over the Conservatives. Its diverse appeal is reflected by its own inclusivity, with a higher proportion of Muslim representatives than any of the other main parties.
Shabana Mahmood, a British Muslim Member of Parliament since 2010, is the perfect example. As Starmer’s shadow secretary of state for justice and shadow lord chancellor, she is set to continue these roles in government in a move that will elevate her to a position that is higher even than the prime minister in the order of precedence.
With the visionary input of high-profile Muslim politicians, businessmen, academics and community leaders, the party can start to build bridges both within the UK and farther afield.
Galvanizing this idea is Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who has championed his vision of “progressive realism.” Lammy contends that Britain must break free from the delusions of grandeur of yesteryear and embrace partnership opportunities instead of its traditional, hypocritical lectures.
“I will focus, not on the culture war, but on learning lessons from the past that enable us to work in partnership with the Commonwealth and the Global South — with respect and diplomacy — to address the problems of today,” he explained in a recent keynote address.
Lammy has demonstrated great diplomatic agility in recent months. In his dedication to securing peace, he has made repeated trips to the Middle East, meeting officials from Israel, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan and Oman. But more than that, Labour has also shown a willingness to break with tradition and support long overdue initiatives — like recognizing the state of Palestine as part of any future peace process, which is described in the Labour manifesto as an “inalienable right of the Palestinian people.” If Labour wins, it will be the first time any British government has taken such a position, signifying a truly new era in British foreign policy under Lammy.
Lammy’s work is underpinned by Labour’s formation of a dedicated Middle East Council, which seeks to strengthen relations between the party and the region. From a pragmatic standpoint, the negotiation of shared goals and values presents new opportunities for the UK to pool its strengths with those of other countries. In doing so, it can boost its own economy, safeguard its security and advance its sustainable development goals — all while building reliable global friendships.
After all, peace is what the UK needs to push for in a world that is increasingly surrendering it to belligerent governments facing little to no consequences. It can only do this if it cultivates relationships with friendly allies whose influence is consistently rising.
Saudi Arabia, for example, is a long-term ally and growing cultural hub for everything from the arts and technology to boxing. As Saudi Arabia moves to diversify away from oil as part of its Vision 2030, it will open new doors to valuable and lucrative strategic partnerships that contribute to its booming economy.
For the past 14 years, successive Conservative governments have failed to recognize the blossoming opportunities of a conducive relationship with Saudi Arabia. This has been a glaring omission in its foreign policy, particularly given the Arab world’s tendency to favor those who are willing to invest in engagement.
In countries like Saudi Arabia, the UK cannot bullishly push its way to the top simply by shouting the loudest. If it wants to compete against the financial incentives, technological capabilities and the rising political influence of other countries, then it must put in the time and resources to cultivate an authentic alliance rooted in the shared goals outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

Labour must reintegrate the country’s communities while simultaneously revamping its foreign policy.

Muddassar Ahmed

Already, Lammy is extending the hand of friendship. Although his initial meetings with Saudi officials have focused on the need to secure peace in Gaza, they have planted the first seed of what could become a critical relationship in the face of competing threats such as regional stability and climate change.
So, Lammy’s outreach is a good sign of what we can expect to see from a Labour government. By reestablishing British Muslims as a key component of UK society and avoiding any repetition of disastrous Conservative errors, Starmer’s party can gradually build up the years’ worth of trust that remind us why the UK has retained its position as the second most Muslim-friendly destination among non-Organization of Islamic Cooperation countries.
Ultimately, while the UK may have suffered under terrible Conservative rule for more than a decade, and while Gaza is a glaring warning that the country’s say in global affairs no longer counts as it once did, London has a significant chance to reverse the devastation wreaked by the Tories and begin a new era of humility, respect and mutual progress. Not only for itself, but for Arabs and Westerners alike.

• Muddassar Ahmed is managing partner of Unitas Communications, president of The Concordia Forum and a senior visiting fellow at the German Marshall Fund. X: @MMuddassarAhmed