UK rejects sanctions call over Western Sahara as Morocco ties deepen

Wednesday 30 September 2026 - 15:25

The British government has declined to endorse calls for economic sanctions against Morocco over the Western Sahara dispute, maintaining its emphasis on a United Nations-led political process and a negotiated settlement.

The issue resurfaced in the House of Lords after independent peer Baroness Ruth Deech asked the government why it had not imposed trade sanctions in response to what she described as Morocco’s annexation of Western Sahara and the transfer of Moroccan citizens to the territory.

In a written response dated September 28, 2026, Lord Wood of Anfield, the minister responsible for Europe and Eastern Europe, did not indicate that the government was considering sanctions. Instead, he reiterated London’s support for efforts under United Nations auspices to reach what it described as a just, lasting and mutually acceptable settlement based on compromise and consistent with the UN Charter, including the principle of self-determination.

London sticks to diplomatic framework

The response comes more than a year after the United Kingdom significantly adjusted its policy on Western Sahara.

In June 2025, the British government announced its support for Morocco’s autonomy proposal, describing it as the “most credible, viable and pragmatic” basis for resolving the dispute. London simultaneously reaffirmed the central role of the UN-led political process.

The policy shift formed part of a broader effort to deepen bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and Morocco. The two countries subsequently highlighted cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, security and other areas of mutual interest.

The British government’s position has therefore combined support for Morocco’s autonomy proposal with continued reference to a UN-led settlement and the principle of self-determination.

Business activity remains a separate issue

The latest parliamentary exchange also follows earlier questions concerning British commercial activity in Western Sahara.

In March 2025, SNP MP Graham Leadbitter asked whether the British government would prohibit UK trade and investment connected to settlements in Western Sahara. The Department for Business and Trade replied that companies were responsible for deciding whether to conduct business in the territory and said Britain continued to support UN-led efforts toward a political settlement.

That position was maintained in subsequent parliamentary answers. In June 2025, the government said UK Export Finance could support projects in Western Sahara, subject to its due-diligence requirements. Officials also said British companies could make their own decisions regarding business activities in the territory.

Policy continuity under the Burnham government

The latest response was issued after Andy Burnham became British prime minister on July 20, 2026. Official UK government records identify Burnham as the current prime minister, succeeding Keir Starmer.

On Western Sahara, the September parliamentary answer does not announce a new sanctions policy or a reversal of the framework adopted in 2025. Instead, it repeats the government's established emphasis on UN diplomacy and a negotiated political settlement.

For Morocco, the position is significant because the United Kingdom has simultaneously expanded its bilateral economic partnership while backing Rabat’s autonomy proposal as the basis for negotiations. The 2025 UK-Morocco joint communiqué described the autonomy plan as the most credible, viable and pragmatic basis for a lasting resolution, while stressing the importance of the UN process.

A dispute still centered on international diplomacy

The British government's latest parliamentary response leaves the question of sanctions unanswered in substantive policy terms: rather than announcing punitive economic measures, London has reiterated its existing diplomatic approach.

That approach places the United Nations at the center of efforts to resolve the Western Sahara dispute, while Britain's bilateral relationship with Morocco has continued to develop since the 2025 policy announcement.

The latest exchange in Westminster therefore highlights the continuing tension between calls for economic restrictions and Britain's stated preference for diplomatic engagement and a negotiated settlement.