Keir Starmer touted to join Donald Trump's Gaza peace board as PM breaks silence

No10 has said that no “formal offer” has been made to Sir Keir, but did not deny that discussions have been held with Washington.

Downing Street advised that any claims of that nature should be treated “with caution”.

Tony Blair was removed from consideration for President Trump's "board of peace" after apparent backlash from a string of Arab and Muslim states.

The former Prime Minister was the sole individual named when Mr Trump revealed his 20-point plan to conclude the Israel-Hamas conflict in September last year.

Mr Trump had praised Sir Tony as a "very good man" at the time.

In return, the former Labour boss called the proposal "bold and intelligent" and suggested he would be happy to serve on the board, which Mr Trump himself would chair.

The ex-PM's office declined to comment on his apparent falling out of favour, but one ally of Sir Tony rejected suggestions that regional opposition had blocked his participation.

"It will be made up of serving world leaders, and there will be a smaller executive board under that," the ally said, contending that Sir Tony's status as a former leader meant he did not meet the criteria," they said.

He is now anticipated to serve on an executive committee instead, alongside Jared Kushner and top adviser Steve Witkoff, as well as senior officials from Arab and Western nations.

"He could still have a role in a different capacity, and that seems likely," another source briefed on discussions said.

"The Americans like him and the Israelis like him," they said.

A fragile ceasefire over Gaza accompanied the peace board's announcement, though the territory remains split between areas controlled by Hamas and those held by Israel.

The US President had promised to name additional board members, including heads of state, within days of the plan's launch - though none have yet come to pass.

Mr Trump suggested recently that the second phase of the Gaza plan would commence "pretty soon", indicating a board announcement may be forthcoming.

In October, he admitted: "I've always liked Tony, but I want to find out that he's an acceptable choice to everybody."

Former UN envoy and Bulgarian Defence Minister Nickolay Mladenov will lead the executive committee as part of Gaza's postwar governance structure, according to two sources familiar with preparations.

This committee, not included in the original plans, will serve as a link between the board of peace and a Palestinian technocratic body responsible for running the Gaza Strip day-to-day.

Mr Mladenov's position mirrors the "supreme executive" role initially envisaged for Sir Tony.

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