Newsletter Summer 2025

Keir Starmer backs Morocco's autonomy plan

On June 1st the FCDO issued an alarming press release following the 5th round of talks in the Morocco-UK strategic dialogue. On the Moroccan autonomy plan – a Moroccan proposal which would make Western Sahara part of Morocco – it stated: 

• [...] As a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council, the United Kingdom agrees with Morocco on the urgent need to find a resolution to this long-held dispute

• [...] Both countries support, and consider vital, the central role of the UN-led process to bring the parties together and move the issue forward to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution and reaffirm their full support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy 

• The UK is ready, willing and committed to lend its active support and engagement to the Personal Envoy and the parties to reach such a solution to this dispute. 

• [...] In that context the UK, in encouraging the relevant parties to engage, urgently and positively, with the UN-led political process, considers Morocco’s autonomy proposal, submitted in 2007 as the most credible, viable and pragmatic basis for a lasting resolution of the dispute.

• The UK and the Kingdom of Morocco expressed their shared conviction that renewed efforts were urgently needed to support the PESG in the search for a solution, underlying that the only viable and durable solution will be one that is mutually acceptable to the relevant parties, and is arrived at through compromise.

This represents a significant departure from the UK’s previous position on the question of Western Sahara. Where previously the UK stood as the only permanent member of the UN Security Council to clearly uphold the Saharawi people’s right to self-determination, the increasing sympathy for the Moroccan autonomy proposal may undermine the UN’s efforts to pursue plans for a free and fair referendum for independence.

This statement risks sending a message to Morocco that the UK supports its illegal occupation. Without urgent action, the UK government will become complicit in a sustained denial of human rights, rejection of international law, and prolonged exposure for the Saharawi people to inhospitable conditions. 

 However, although we’re concerned with this statement, it makes it clear that:

        1. The UK does not recognise Moroccan sovereignty claims over Western Sahara. This has been reaffirmed by the FCDO. 

        2.  The UK government has reaffirmed that any resolution to the conflict must uphold the rights of the Saharawi people to self-determination.

        3.  Whilst the UK government flags the autonomy proposal as the most credible, viable and pragmatic basis for a lasting resolution to the conflict—it has maintained that any potential solution must be agreed by both parties, and that the final decision lies with the people of Western Sahara.

What can we do now?

Now, more than ever, your voices are urgently needed to make sure our government does not sacrifice the rights of the Saharawi people for a few commercial deals with Morocco.

Writing to your MP can crucially signal that they have constituents who stand in solidarity with the Saharawi people. Showing support within Parliament is important in counteracting Moroccan lobbying efforts.  Please see guidance here.

Polisario have official meeting with the UK Government for the first time

On the 6th August 2025, the Polisario Front met officially with the government of the UK. On the back of the above change in position on Western Sahara, the Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, MP Hamish Falconer, met with the Polisario delegation in an official capacity not before seen in the UK. Falconer met with a Polisario delegation led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and African Affairs Mr Mohamed Yeslem Beisat.

The meeting is a crucial development in the UK government's recent change in position. When the UK government backed the Moroccan autonomy plan, they spoke of supporting self-determination and a willingness to engage with all parties, not just Morocco. This development does show that the UK government were at least serious in their expression to engage with all parties.

Although the backing of the autonomy proposal was a betrayal and cannot be described in any other way, there are some positives to be seen. In the meeting the Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa reiterated the governments respect for self-determination and that a solution can only be agreed if it is accepted by all parties. To have this in both verbal and written confirmation from the Minister responsible is good news.

The meeting also saw discussions on the need for this conflict to be resolved by the UN, and the need for international law in respect of human rights to be applied in Western Sahara

We hope now that these meetings become a regular occurrence, and that the UK can perhaps act as a mediator between Morocco and Western Sahara, to finally allow for self determination for the Saharawi. However we must be vigilant and continue to put pressure on the UK government

Petition to the UK Government

The Labour party has a strong history of support for international solidarity movements, and with the first Labour government since 2010 their was hope for the Western Saharan cause in the United Kingdom. This sadly has proved not to be true. Keir Starmer annd David Lammy have done that which even previous Conservative governments didn't attempt. By backing the Moroccan autonomy proposal in exchange for increased trade, they have given the green light to Morocco and are in real danger of undermining the Saharawi people's inalienable right to self determination.

Unfortunately Western Sahara is not a cause often known about in the UK, this has allowed the UK's change in stance to sadly go mainly unnoticed by the mainstream media. This will in turn send signals to the government that this change in stance is not politically damaging. We need to challenge this. With out petition we are hoping to show the UK government that the Saharawi struggle for self determination is not one that can be ignored. Please sign our petition and please share amongst your circles.

Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival

Every year the Trade Union movement assembles in Tolpuddle, Dorset to commemorate the Tolpuddle Martyr's. The Martyr's were a group of six English farm labourers who in 1834, were sentenced to hard labour in Australia for forming a trade union and taking an oath. A series of protests and mass movements erupted throughout the UK, and in 1836 all six were pardoned. This event is often seen as a founding stone for the Trade Union movement. Every year in Tolpuddle a festival occurs to commemorate their sacrifice and their winning of the rights we take for granted today.

The Tolpuddle festival celebrates all solidarity causes, with stalls on Palestine, Nicaragua, War on Want, trade unions and of course Western Sahara. Western Sahara Campaign UK (WSCUK), has been attending this festival every year for the past 5-6 years. We aim to raise awareness on the cause and show to the Saharawi that there is solidarity for them in the most unlikely of places. We attended this year to spread our petition and talk about the recent betrayal the Saharawi have endured under Keir Starmers government. Our presence as like every year was met with warm welcome and genuine interest.

If you attended this year we will see you again in 2026, and if you have not attended before we implore you to attend.

Christopher Nolan's Betrayal

For decades Morocco has exhausted every possible method to legitimise its occupation, from greenwashing to surfing holidays. The most recent attempts from the Moroccan regime have been to invite the movie industry into the occupied Western Sahara to film. Until recently this was refused by many filming companies and ventures. Sadly the first Hollywood film recently had scenes filmed in Dakhla an occupied city in Western Sahara. This film is none other than the upcoming Odyssey set to be released in 2026, and directed by the household name Christopher Nolan. The film stars, Matt Damon, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson. The filming of some scenes in Dakhla was picked up by Fishara, the Western Saharan film festival. And most major news outlets including, the Telegraph, the Times and Bloomberg all reported on this. The campaign contacted Nolan and the production team for a comment.

Christopher Nolan has not even bothered to respond. We are so disappointed in this but were part of a huge international campaign against his decision to film in illegally occupied Western Sahara. We are hopeful that the publicity generated, including an article in Vanity Fair, will make other film directors think twice about accepting Moroccan enticements to film in occupied Western Sahara. Film should be used to challenge and call out social injustices not enforce them. Christopher Nolan and all actors involved have a privilege and a platform, they should be using this to fight for social causes not hinder them. Such as the long time supporter of the Saharawi, actor Javier Bardem, who was quick to criticise Nolan and the film.

The campaign took the opportunity to contact Equity, the actor's union, to see if they were aware of the possibility that some of their members may have filmed in illegally occupied Western Sahara. They responded quickly and a meeting was held to discuss how Equity could help make sure that their members are aware of the issue and other ways they could support the Saharawi right to self-determination.

We call on all those involved in the film whether they were in Dakhla or not to speak out on this. We will seek to continue to generate negative publicity particularly when The Odyssey is released.