PRIME Minister Sir Keir Starmer was urged today to set up a full British embassy in Palestine, following his government’s recognition of Palestinian statehood.

Asked whether Britain will upgrade its consulate-general in East Jerusalem to the status of an embassy, the Foreign Office pointed to Yvette Cooper’s recent interview with the BBC.

The Foreign Secretary said: “The Palestinian Authority can set up an embassy and an ambassador in the UK.

“But we will set out the diplomatic steps with the Palestinian Authority. There will be a series of different stages and processes to go through and, on that practical side, the most important thing is that it’s part of that process to keep everyone working towards a two-state solution.

“The consulate in Jerusalem has been there for longer than the Israeli state, so it will continue for now, and we will set out the diplomatic process with the Palestinian Authority.”

Ms Cooper is to write to her Palestinian counterpart in due course to lay out the process for establishing “full diplomatic relations.”

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell MP told the Morning Star: “The government’s recognition of the Palestinian state cannot be half-hearted.

“That’s why the establishment of a full UK embassy is critical if the government is serious about the two-state solution to this crisis.”

The East Jerusalem consulate-general provides this country’s diplomatic representation in the city and in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Sir Keir met Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa at Downing Street in April.

They “agreed that a strategic political framework will be necessary as part of the implementation of a two-state solution and that Hamas must have no role in Gaza’s governance,” No 10 said.