Over 75k Call for Public Investigation Into Israeli Influence in UK Politics

More than 75,000 people have signed a petition calling for a public inquiry into the influence of pro-Israel groups on British politics.

The petition on the UK parliament website said more public scrutiny was needed into how the Israel lobby may be influencing government policy.

If the petition reaches 100,000 signatures it will be considered for debate in parliament. A similar petition calling for a probe into Russian influence in UK politics, which was signed over 115,000 times, was debated in parliament on 9 February.

“We are concerned about reported Israeli state-linked and pro-Israel lobbying activity in UK politics. We believe it is important to determine the scope and impact of any such influence campaigns,” the petition says.

“We feel that the horrific devastation in Gaza, the ongoing suppression of Palestinians in the West Bank, and the UK’s political response underline the urgent need to scrutinise how pro-Israel organisations, networks, and lobbying efforts may shape government decisions, party policy, and public debate.”

​Several members of the Labour cabinet have accepted donations from pro-Israel groups and are members of Labour Friends of Israel, a lobby group that funds politicians’ trips to the country.

Current and former cabinet members have accepted over £300,000 in pro-Israel donations since 2013, according to figures compiled by Declassified UK.

Prime minister Keir Starmer received a £50k donation from Trevor Chinn, a pro-Israel tycoon who holds an Israeli Presidential Medal of Honour, for his 2020 Labour leadership campaign. Health secretary Wes Streeting took £15k from Chinn between 2021 and 2025 and has accepted roughly £30k in pro-Israel donations overall.