On the Sahara issue, the British government under Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who assumed office following the early parliamentary elections on July 4, remains hesitant to align with the stances of Germany and Spain. This is evident from the response by David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth and Development, to a written inquiry from a Conservative opposition MP concerning the Moroccan autonomy plan. «The UK continues to support UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara», stated Lammy. «The UK strongly supports the work of Staffan de Mistura, Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, and continues to encourage constructive engagement with the UN political process. The UK believes this process is the best way to solve the long-standing dispute by delivering a solution agreeable to all parties, one which would contribute significantly to regional security and prosperity», he added. Last week, Moroccan Ambassador to the UK, Hakim Hajoui, inaugurated the «Labour Friends of Morocco» (LFM). Chaired by MP Joe Powell, this initiative seeks to bolster ties between Morocco and the Labour Party, which currently governs the UK. In September, Ambassador Hajoui participated in the Labour Party's annual conference, engaging in «important discussions on the region and preparing the ground for Morocco's Labour friends», as he described the occasion. Prime Minister Starmer's administration has not annulled the association agreement with Morocco, which was established in October 2019 and includes Western Sahara.
