The prime minister has doubled down on David Lammy’s criticism of Kemi Badenoch after she defended Israel’s right to deny entry to two Labour MPs.
Downing Street backed the foreign secretary’s criticism of the Tory leader, after he accused Mrs Badenoch of “cheerleading another country for detaining and deporting two British MPs”.
The deepening row began after Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed were denied entry to the country, which Israel justified by claiming they planned to spread “anti-Israel hatred”.
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Mrs Badenoch had said it was “shocking” that “we have MPs in Labour who other countries will not allow”.
Responding, the foreign secretary accused the Tory leader of “cheerleading another country for detaining and deporting two British MPs”, adding that the situation is “unacceptable, counterproductive and deeply concerning”.
Asked if the prime minister would agree with Mr Lammy’s criticism of the Tory leader, his spokesperson said: “Yes, as you know I don’t speak politically, but you’ve got the foreign secretary’s words which the prime minister would echo.
“This actually isn’t about party politics, it’s about standing up for British parliamentarians.”
The spokesperson also said No 10 had been in touch with Ms Yang and Ms Mohamed to offer support after they were deported on Saturday.
“We think it’s counterproductive and deeply concerning, two British MPs on a parliamentary delegation being detained and refused entry. We don’t think it’s the way to treat British parliamentarians and we’ve been in contact with both MPs to offer our support”, the spokesperson added.
The Tory leader is facing backlash after her comments on Sunday morning political programmes in which she also said “countries should be able to control their borders”.
She told BBC One’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “What I think is shocking is that we have MPs in Labour who other countries will not allow […] through.
“If you look at the reasons why the Israeli government has given for why they’re not letting them in, they don’t believe that they’re going to comply with their laws,” she added.
“MPs do not have diplomatic immunity. I believe that the people who represent us in Parliament should be people who should be able to go anywhere in the world and people not be worried about what they’re going to do when they go into those countries.”
Tory MP Richard Holden echoed her comments, telling GB News that “Israel has a right to choose who goes into its country… and so should we”.
Ms Yang and Ms Mohamed, who were on their way back to the UK on Sunday, said they are “astounded” by the decision to not let them into the country.
The Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu) and Medical Aid for Palestinians (Map) said they had organised the delegation that included the two MPs.
The organisations said they had been organising such trips for “over a decade” and the group had “informed the UK consul general in Jerusalem of their visit”.
According to the Times of Israel, the MPs were denied entry because they were suspected of wanting “to document Israeli security forces and spread hateful rhetoric against Israel”, citing the population authority.
Dame Emily Thornberry, chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, also joined Mr Lammy in criticising Mrs Badenoch, calling her comments “nonsense”.
Meanwhile, one of Mrs Badenoch’s shadow ministers said any MP who goes on an official trip should be “welcomed in any country”.
Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Richard Fuller told Times Radio: “They’re going there to be better informed about the situation and then report back to their parliamentary colleagues about what they have found.”
Mr Lammy said he has spoken to his Israeli counterparts about the incident, and called the situation “unacceptable, counterproductive and deeply concerning