Following a significant victory in the US midterm elections held earlier this week, Democratic lawmakers are expressing a desire to strengthen their political alignment with the United Kingdom's Labour government. The shift in US politics comes as President Donald Trump deals with the results of Tuesday's election, which saw the Democrats gain control of Congress. Several Democratic officials have credited British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband for inspiring new approaches to policy regarding Israel.
Sources close to the Democratic Party told Middle East Eye that the party intends to leverage its new majority to introduce sanctions targeting settlers in the occupied West Bank. This proposed legislation would mirror the sanctions package introduced by the British government last month. The move signals a potential revival of the traditional alliance between the US Democratic Party and the UK Labour Party as the 2028 presidential election cycle begins to take shape.
Informal discussions are already underway between Democratic leaders and the Burnham government. One source indicated an expectation for a strong partnership between a progressive US president and a progressive UK prime minister. Democrats have noted the popularity of the policy shift in Britain, where Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband moved away from the foreign policy previously associated with Keir Starmer.
Prominent Democratic figures have publicly praised the UK's stance. Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro described the sanctions as a step in the right direction, criticizing settlement expansion as a land grab carried out through violence and terrorism. He urged the United States to follow Britain's lead. Similarly, Congressman Ro Khanna, who was held at gunpoint by settlers in the West Bank last summer, called the UK's action an important moral step.
Matt Duss, a Washington-based Middle East expert with ties to the progressive wing of the party, stated that seeing key allies take such steps provides a real boost to US colleagues. He added that a new class of progressive Democrats entering Congress is eager to support Palestinian rights. Other lawmakers, including Greg Casar and Senator Chris Van Hollen, have also called for action, with Casar urging a ban on trade with settlements and Van Hollen declaring that Congress must act.
Emily Thornberry, chair of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Select Committee, welcomed the developments. She suggested that if leaders like Khanna, Casar, and Castro are positioned to develop US policy, real progress could be made. Thornberry recommended the UK's approach as a model and expressed hope for close cooperation in the near future.
In late September, 19 Senate Democrats, including Castro and Casar, introduced legislation to sanction entities facilitating settlement construction as part of Israel’s E1 plan. This plan involves building thousands of housing units between Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim, a move that would effectively divide the West Bank and hinder the viability of a Palestinian state.
Congresswoman Madeleine Dean, a sponsor of the bill, stated that it is time for the US to join allies like the UK, France, and Canada in preserving dignity and self-determination for the Palestinian people. This bipartisan push in the US follows Britain's decision to lead a group of middle-ranking powers in sanctioning settlements, a stark departure from the alignment with the US previously pursued by both the Sunak and Starmer governments.
Polls indicate that most of the British public, including a narrow majority of Conservative voters, supported the sanctions package. Democrats are also looking to distance themselves from former President Joe Biden’s support for Benjamin Netanyahu regarding Gaza. The strong performance of candidates critical of Israel, such as Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, suggests a growing appetite within the party for a tougher stance, particularly if tensions with Iran rise.
The emerging relationship between the Democrats and Labour recalls historical ties between US and UK leaders, such as those between Bill Clinton and Tony Blair, or Harold Wilson and Lyndon Johnson. A close bond between the two parties would mark a return to traditional British foreign policy, which has long been closely linked to the United States.
