“Not Just Helmets”: Ministers Misled UK Parliament While Arming Israel
A damning new report has revealed that the UK government continued to send thousands of military items to Israel during its assault on Gaza—despite claiming to have suspended arms exports and halted direct supplies of F-35 fighter jet components.
The findings, based on newly uncovered data from the Israel Tax Authority and published jointly by the Palestinian Youth Movement, Progressive International, and Workers for a Free Palestine, allege that Foreign Secretary David Lammy and other senior ministers misled Parliament and the public about the nature and scale of Britain’s military support to Israel.
The report documents a staggering 160,000 military items shipped from the UK to Israel between October 2023 and March 2025, including 8,630 separate munitions such as bombs, grenades, torpedoes, mines, and missiles—all shipped after the government’s suspension of 30 export licences in September 2024.
Misleading Parliament?
In the House of Commons, David Lammy downplayed the UK’s arms exports, claiming that “much of what we send is defensive in nature”, citing examples like helmets and goggles. However, the report finds that this portrayal was “untrue and misleading”, with direct evidence that full-scale weapons and aircraft parts were supplied during the very period the government claimed restrictions were in place.
Most controversially, the report shows that shipments of F-35 fighter jet components continued after Labour leader Keir Starmer and Lammy publicly pledged in September 2024 to halt them, citing the risk of complicity in violations of international law. Despite the official ban, UK-Israel courier shipments of aircraft parts reportedly remained unchanged, and these deliveries are said to still be ongoing.
By the government’s own logic, the report argues, Britain is now at “clear risk” of breaching international law, particularly in light of the International Court of Justice’s findings on Israel’s actions in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories.
Legal Consequences
The revelations arrive days before the UK government is due to face a High Court challenge on Monday 12 May, over the legality of its arms exports to Israel. The report’s authors insist the new data is directly relevant to the legal proceedings, strengthening the case that Britain is failing to meet its obligations under the Geneva Conventions and the Genocide Convention.
Legal expert Pete Weatherby KC of Garden Court Chambers warned that continued military exports could trigger both individual criminal liability and state responsibility under international law. “It is past time for the UK to impose a full arms embargo on Israel,” he said, “including dual-use and so-called ‘non-offensive’ items that could be used against Palestinians.”
Political Backlash
Several prominent MPs have called for urgent action. Zarah Sultana, Labour MP for Coventry South, described the findings as “explosive” and demanded that Lammy explain “why he and other Ministers have misled Parliament and the public”. She also called on Starmer to launch a full investigation into potential breaches of the Ministerial Code.
John McDonnell, former Shadow Chancellor, said that if ministers have misled Parliament, “it is a resigning matter” and potentially amounts to complicity in war crimes.
Jeremy Corbyn, former Labour leader, echoed the call for transparency: “The public deserves to know the full scale of the UK’s complicity in crimes against humanity – and we are not going anywhere until we have established the truth.”
Grassroots Response
In response to the findings, activists are planning a major protest in central London on Friday 9 May at 6:00 PM, calling for a complete arms embargo on Israel. Details of the location will be announced soon.
Workers for a Free Palestine, which helped publish the report, highlighted the role of ordinary workers in disrupting arms transfers. “We’ve seen workers in France and Morocco take action to block F-35 parts bound for Israel,” said a spokesperson. “The same must happen here.”
The Palestinian Youth Movement also issued a scathing rebuke: “The British Government has been lying to Parliament and the public to cover up its complicity in the genocide of our people,” a spokesperson said. “Polls show the British public stands with Gaza. It’s time for the government to do the same.”
What’s Next?
The full report is expected to be cited during next week’s High Court case, which may set a legal precedent for arms export accountability in the UK. Observers say the outcome could have wide-reaching implications for how Britain engages militarily with governments accused of war crimes.
For now, the pressure on David Lammy and the Labour leadership is mounting, as demands grow for answers — and perhaps resignations.
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