MPs Raise Concerns Over Closure of Humanitarian Law Unit
A cross-party group of MPs has expressed serious concerns regarding the closure of the Foreign Office’s international humanitarian law unit. They warn that this move "will impair the UK’s ability to anticipate, assess and respond to serious violations of international law across multiple contexts."
The closure, initially reported by , was brought up during Prime Minister's Questions this week by Iqbal Mohamed, the independent MP for Dewsbury and Batley. In response, Labour leader Keir Starmer stated that the responsibilities of the unit would be transferred to another team as part of a departmental restructuring.
However, Starmer did not address the termination of the Foreign Office’s contract with the Conflict and Security Monitoring Project, which is managed by the Centre for Information Resilience. This project monitors incidents of concern in Gaza, the West Bank, and more recently, Lebanon.
Cross-Party Letter Questions Government’s Commitment
In a letter addressed to the Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, the cross-party group of MPs questioned how the closure aligns with the UK government’s stated commitment to upholding international law and ensuring strict compliance with arms export licensing criteria. The letter bears signatures from Labour, Green, independent, and Scottish National MPs.
The MPs also sought clarification on what measures the Foreign Office would implement to maintain access to a database containing 26,000 incidents recorded since 7 October 2023, the date when Hamas launched its attack on Israel, triggering Israel’s military response in Gaza.
Iqbal Mohamed commented on the situation:
"This looks to me less like routine restructuring and more like a deliberate weakening of scrutiny. It could also be seen as the deliberate destruction of evidence of war crimes and genocide."
The MPs further inquired about alternative data sources the department plans to use to monitor breaches of international humanitarian law.
Restructuring and Staff Concerns
The cuts are part of a restructuring programme known as FCDO 2030, which was overseen by the now-dismissed permanent secretary, Olly Robbins.
The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), representing Foreign Office staff, challenged Starmer’s assertion that the unit’s work could be absorbed elsewhere. The union stated that senior leadership had anticipated job cuts ranging from 15 to 20 percent.
The PCS added:
"We have not been provided with detailed plans setting out what work will continue, what will cease or how the remaining staff could absorb highly specialised areas."
It also noted that there was no evidence ministers fully understood the impact of the cuts or whether they aligned with public priorities.
Public Opinion on Arms Exports
Polling published on Friday by Medical Aid for Palestinians and conducted by YouGov revealed that 54% of the public would like the UK to end all arms exports to Israel, while 22% supported continued weapons sales.
Background on Foreign Office Restructuring
Olly Robbins had been responsible for overseeing the Foreign Office restructuring, which effectively required some diplomats to demonstrate their suitability for their roles following a decision in February 2025 to reduce spending.
Recent estimates published by the Foreign Office indicate projected spending of £6.28 billion in 2026-27, representing a £2.39 billion (27%) reduction compared to the previous year.
Among Robbins’s measures was a requirement for Foreign Office staff to submit essays outlining the skills that made them valuable to the department, with an aim to shift expertise towards economics.
The restructuring programme is now under the leadership of Nick Dyer, the department’s other permanent secretary. Last week, Dyer told a select committee that the Foreign Office was "too bureaucratic, too big, too slow and insufficiently nimble."
