Government Must Act For Peace - Teather Tells Ministers

1.12.52pm GMT Fri 9th Jan 2009

Local MP Sarah Teather met with the Minister for the Middle East to urge the Government to work for peace

Local Brent Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather has met with the Foreign Office Minister with responsibility for the Middle East, to urge the Government to send a clear sign to Israel that it's attack on Gaza must stop.

Sarah and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg are also calling for Gordon Brown to halt Britain's arms exports to Israel, and to persuade other European Union countries to do the same. In 2007, the government approved £6million of arms exports; but in 2008 it licensed sales 12 times as fast, with £20million in the first three months alone.

At the meeting with Bill Rammell, Foreign Office Minister with responsibility for the Middle East, Sarah voiced the deep concerns of the many constituents who have written to her about the unfolding humanitarian disaster, and pressed for the Government to back up their words with tough action.

Last weekend Sarah marched alongside local protesters such as Brent Stop the War, and addressed thousands of people at the rally in Trafalgar Square.

Local Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East Sarah Teather said:

"Seeing the misery unfold in Gaza has been deeply distressing for many people in Brent. I visited the Middle East last year and saw first hand the terrible conditions in which so many innocent people are forced to live. It is absolutely vital that a ceasefire is secured as soon as possible.

"I was pleased to meet with the Foreign Office Minister to voice the deep concerns of the many constituents who have contacted me. People are saying there is so much more that the Government could be doing to help. Gordon Brown needs to wake up and realise that a few mealy mouthed press statements are quite simply not enough.

"It is hypocritical of the Government to call for an end to the violence on one hand, but to fan the flames with the other. Britain should immediately halt arms exports to Israel, as well as suspending the new EU-Israel trade agreement.

"Israel's continued bombardment of Gaza is making the people that I met in Sderot less safe, not more. The British Government need to send a clear and tough signal against the current violence, so that we can start working towards peace for both the Israeli and Palestinian people."

Related Links:

Watch Sarah's speech in Trafalgar Square.

Read Nick Clegg's article calling for a halt to British arms exports.