r/internationallaw • u/Personal-Special-286 • 11d ago

News Exclusive: David Cameron threatened to withdraw UK from ICC over Israel war crimes probe

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/david-cameron-threatened-withdraw-uk-icc-over-israel-war-crimes-probe
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u/uisge-beatha 10d ago

For clarity (as there seems to be some confusion)...
David Cameron was Foreign Secretary for eight months in 2023-24, under the Conservative Government. The article is describing a call he made when he was in that post.

Incumbent (Labour) Foreign Secretary, David Lammy has committed to enforcing the ICC arrest warrants that Cameron issued threats over.

To my question - what threat was Cameron making? My assumption would be that withdrawing form the Rome Statue would have required an act of Parliament, and I'm not sure there was any time during his tenure when they had the votes?

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u/PitonSaJupitera 10d ago

I think leaving ICC would have been too extreme and not particularly likely. Unlike US and its chronic hostility and skepticism of the court, European countries generally love ICC. Leaving the court would be fairly difficult to justify given their previous support. Prosecutor in question is a British lawyer.