UK Parliament debates India-Pakistan conflict, appeals for de-escalation
London (PTI): The rising tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor targeting terror camps in PoK was debated at length in the British Parliament, with members across parties appealing for UK efforts to aid de-escalation in the region.
India launched Operation Sindoor on early Wednesday, hitting nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan's Punjab province in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack that killed 26 people in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.
UK Foreign Office Minister Hamish Falconer opened the debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday with a statement reiterating Prime Minister Keir Starmer's earlier remarks over the importance of diplomacy and dialogue.
He also expressed concerns related to the very “personal” aspect of the conflict for a large number of British Indians and British Pakistanis in the country.
“Our consistent message to both India and Pakistan has been to show restraint. They need to engage in dialogue to find a swift, diplomatic path forward,” said Falconer.
“The UK has a close and unique relationship with both countries. It is heartbreaking to see civilian lives being lost. If this escalates further, nobody wins. We clearly condemned the horrific terrorist attack last month,” he said referring to the Pahalgam terror attack and said it was the worst such attack for many years for that region.
“Now, we need all sides to focus urgently on the steps needed to restore regional stability and ensure the protection of civilians,” Falconer said.
He asserted that the UK will continue to work closely with international partners in pursuit of “short-term de-escalation and longer-term stability”. “We now need to see calm heads. Britain will continue to play its full part for de-escalation and diplomacy,” he said.
UK shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel highlighted India’s right to take “reasonable and proportionate” steps to defend itself, and to dismantle the “vile terrorist infrastructure” that has caused death and continues to threaten Indian security.
“Terrorists based in Pakistan threaten India and western interests — it was the country that Osama bin Laden was hiding in — and because of the long history of violence being inflicted by terrorists on India, the UK has in place long-standing security cooperation agreements with India,” noted the British Indian MP.
She went on to question if Britain could offer specific support that might help avert escalation and also asked for the government’s assessment of who carried out the terror attack in Kashmir on April 22.
India-born Labour MP Jas Athwal addressed the Commons on a personal note, highlighting that his parents were born in Pakistan. “I know only too well that neither nation will take a backward step, so what can the minister do to assure me and my residents in Ilford South that we will do everything possible to bring both the superpowers to the negotiating table to restore peace to this volatile part of the world,” he asked.
Conservative Party MP Bob Blackman called for terrorist bases to be removed “once and for all” from Pakistan.
“It was made clear at the time by India that either Pakistan removes the terrorist spaces along the line of control, or India would remove them… nine sites were hit; Those were terrorist bases where terrorists were being trained to commit further atrocities in India,” he said.
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Kerala polls: ‘People rejected 10 years of misrule’, says AICC gen secy
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal on Monday said the Congress-led UDF’s sweeping victory in the Kerala Assembly polls was a clear verdict against the “arrogance”, corruption, and nepotism of the CPI(M)-led LDF government headed by CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
Addressing a press conference as counting of votes for all 140 Assembly constituencies neared completion, Venugopal said the outcome reflected public anger against what he termed “10 years of misrule” by the Left government.
He claimed that Vijayan’s victory in his home constituency, Dharmadam, was “only technical”, alleging that the CM trailed the UDF candidate in the initial rounds of counting and failed to secure a majority in his own village.
“He just escaped. He suffered a setback even in his home turf. He was the only person who did not realise the people’s mood in this election,” Venugopal said.
Alleging that the CPI(M) and the LDF had resorted to “communal and opportunistic politics”, he further claimed that the ruling front had entered into a “secret understanding” with the BJP in a bid to retain power for a third consecutive term.
He said that when a government driven by power and arrogance attempts to align with anyone to stay in office, even its own cadre turns against it.
Referring to the results, Venugopal said that while the UDF expected rebel CPI(M) leaders, including K Kunhikrishnan in Payyannur, to impact the vote share, their victories came as a surprise.
Describing the UDF’s performance as a “historic victory”, he attributed it to coordinated teamwork, grassroots mobilisation, and the dedication of party workers, adding that the alliance accepted the mandate “with humility”.
Venugopal also credited Rahul Gandhi’s campaign guarantees, calling them a “trump card” that helped voters focus on real issues and reject what he described as the LDF’s “false narratives”.
He claimed that the Congress witnessed one of its lowest levels of rebellion in this election, which contributed to the alliance’s strong performance.
The senior Congress leader further alleged that the BJP managed to win two seats with the help of the CPI(M), and asserted that forces attempting to divide society on communal lines should “learn a lesson” from Kerala’s verdict.
“This is the real Kerala story,” he said.
On the question of the next Chief Minister, Venugopal said the party leadership would decide at the earliest after due consultations.
The counting of votes began on Monday morning for all 140 Assembly constituencies in Kerala, where the Congress-led UDF secured a decisive majority, defeating the CPI(M)-led LDF, which was seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term in office.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) posts, "Thank you to my brothers and sisters in Keralam for a truly decisive mandate. Congratulations to every UDF leader and worker for a hard-fought, well-run campaign. As I said before, Keralam has the talent, Keralam has the potential… pic.twitter.com/6T4IZbEmp4
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 4, 2026
