Amnesty International has criticised the Foreign Secretary William Hague for his stance on the vote today over whether Palestinians are to become a “non-member observer state” at the United Nations.

Yesterday Mr Hague said that the UK would only support a yes vote in today’s UN General Assembly debate if it received various assurances from the Palestinian Authority, including an assurance over deferring any attempt to seek membership of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Amnesty International UK’s Head of Policy and Government Affairs Allan Hogarth said:

“William Hague shouldn’t be using the International Criminal Court as a political football.

“In the past the UK has been a strong supporter of international justice and the ICC, and the Foreign Secretary shouldn’t be trying to wall off access to the court for Palestinians or anyone else.

“On top of everything else, this move sends a worrying message to the likes of Sudanese president Omar Bashir or the warlord Joseph Kony - both indicted by the ICC - that, when push comes to shove, international justice is negotiable. It isn’t, and shouldn’t be allowed to become so.”