A parliamentary push to force ministers to reveal the legal advice they have received on whether Israel has breached international law is to be launched.
The Liberal Democrats will table a humble address motion on Monday calling for Attorney General Lord Hermer’s advice to be disclosed.
Sir Ed Davey said it was “high time the Government comes clean” and called for a full arms export embargo.
The Lib Dem leader said: “The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is unconscionable.
“Hamas has clearly committed war crimes and still holds hostages in brutal captivity, and Palestinians’ lives have been devastated by the ever-expanding Israeli military campaign.
“Ministers cannot turn a blind eye to the destruction being levelled on Gaza.
“They must wake up to the scale of the devastation, do everything in their power to return the hostages from Hamas’s grasp, and apply the strongest possible pressure on (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu to end his military operations and restore comprehensive aid access to Palestinians.”
The Lib Dem ploy is unlikely to succeed if it is pushed to a vote, given the size of Labour’s majority in the Commons.
Legal advice to ministers is usually kept confidential, although in rare cases a summary has been published by a government.
The Attorney General is the Government’s chief legal adviser but, by long-standing convention, the fact he may have advised or not advised, and the content of any advice, is not disclosed outside government.
The move comes after the Government announced further humanitarian support for Gaza as Israel signalled it would slow or stop aid into the north of the territory.
Thousands of women and girls in Gaza will receive vital health support delivered by @UNFPA – including pregnancy care, postnatal kits, and menstrual hygiene supplies. pic.twitter.com/tZk7VSdvbn
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) August 31, 2025
Foreign Secretary David Lammy called for Israel to allow a “surge in aid” as he pledged support for pregnant women and new mothers.
He said: “The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic, with famine in Gaza City and women and girls bearing the brunt of the suffering.
“The UK is doing all we can to improve the situation but we remain crystal clear: for aid to have impact, Israel must ensure it is allowed in and delivered safely and securely to civilians in desperate need.”
Israel has indicated it will scale down its aid supplies in Gaza City and the north of the Gaza Strip as it prepares a fresh offensive against Hamas.
The UK is to provide £3 million through the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency UNFPA to support midwives in Gaza, where about 130 women a day are giving birth.
The Foreign Office is also working with Oxfam GB to distribute menstrual hygiene products that are suitable for women and girls with limited access to clean water.
