This week, Keir Starmer announced that Britain would recognize a Palestinian state in September, if Israel doesn’t agree to a cease-fire first. Starmer’s arrogant posture — teasing the idea that the former colonial power might acknowledge Palestinian self-determination — was matched only by its triviality. While Britain still arms Israel’s destruction of Gaza, Starmer avoided mention of how a Palestinian state will come into being or what its rightful borders would be. This PR stunt, designed only to draw a bashful distance from Israel, was breathtaking in its cynicism.

While some right-wing outlets mocked Starmer for capitulating to criticism from Labour MPs, his comments hardly suggested a change of heart. He made no apology for his government’s role in arming Israel and failed to criticize its criminal actions, instead relying on agencyless phrases like talk of a “catastrophic failure of aid.” In a year in government, Starmer’s Labour Party has surely underestimated public anger at Israeli crimes. Under pressure from the pro-Palestine movement, and a rather belated media outcry, it is now opportunistically changing its tone. Still, few will forget Starmer’s line up until now.

Gaza is sure to have blowback on British politics. The obvious comparison is the illegal 2003 invasion of Iraq. Tony Blair’s staunch stand alongside George W. Bush likewise fused government dishonesty, the demonization of critics, and an ultimate but vague admission of official “mistakes.” Even this bloodbath only slowly had effects on party politics, and alternative left-wing forces achieved only sporadic local breakthroughs. But eventually, the destruction of trust did deeply undermine New Labour. The legacy of the antiwar movement played a crucial role in lifting Jeremy Corbyn to the Labour leadership in 2015.