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Following its victory in the general election on July 4, Britain's new left-wing government is facing scrutiny over its stance on the Sahara issue. In a written question, Plaid Cymru MP Ben Lake inquired whether the Labour government under Prime Minister Keir Starmer would consider approaching the UN Security Council to propose extending MINURSO's mandate to monitor and report on the human rights situation in Western Sahara.
In its response, the UK government stated that «the UK supports 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. The UK continues to support the UN-led efforts and the work of Staffan de Mistura as Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara».
The statement added that «officials regularly discuss Western Sahara with international partners, including the UN, and we continue to encourage constructive engagement with the political process». This response is similar to those previously given by the former Conservative government in response to opposition questions on this topic.
It is worth noting that the Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita held a phone call with his British counterpart, David Lammy, on Monday, August 5.
Under Conservative governments, relations between Rabat and London saw significant improvement, especially following the UK's exit from the European Union (Brexit) as a result of the 2016 referendum.
On October 26, 2019, the two countries signed an association agreement that included provisions related to the Sahara. This agreement was subsequently validated by the courts, much to the dismay of Polisario supporters.
On December 5, 2022, the British High Court rejected an appeal by the NGO Western Sahara Campaign UK (WSCUK) to annul the Association Agreement between Morocco and the United Kingdom, which included products from the Sahara.
