Union demands Lammy evacuate all Gaza students with British university place

UCU's intervention¹ follows reports that the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is working to facilitate the evacuation of Palestinian students with fully-funded scholarships. The union said the government must go further,, and made three demands of the David Lammy and Hamish Falconer in a letter:

1. Commit to evacuating every student in Gaza with a British university place for the 2024-25 academic year, and refuse to tolerate Israeli obstruction
2. Do not force parents to choose between their studies in Britain and their children: let Palestinian students with a place bring dependents and immediate family members
3. Establish a scheme for smooth passage of students from Gaza to our campuses, to include the introduction of new scholarships, such that Palestinians are not subjected to this terrifying uncertainty in future 

The union highlighted the case of a mother in Gaza who has a FCDO scholarship to study child and maternal health in Britain but has been told by the government she cannot bring her two-year old daughter with her. UCU said this was 'unimaginably cruel', especially given the British government's backing for Israel's genocide in Gaza.

The union stressed that 'implementation of these measures could not be more urgent', as students awaiting evacuation are - like all Palestinians in Gaza - being bombed, starved and tormented by Israel.

¹ Full text of letter 

The Rt Hon David Lammy MP and Hamish Falconer MP
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Via e-mail 

27 August 2025 

Dear David and Hamish

I am writing on behalf of 125,000 education workers, including almost 90,000 higher education staff, regarding the situation facing Palestinian students in Gaza who have won places to study at our great universities this academic year.

We welcome reports that the government is now working to facilitate a significant number of students with scholarships taking up their places, but more must be done. It is crucial we get every single student in Gaza with a place at a British university safely onto campus in the coming weeks.

UCU understands, moreover, that students in Gaza have been told they cannot bring dependants with them. This includes a mother - a physician, who has won one of the FCDO's own Chevening scholarships to study child and maternal health - being told she cannot bring her two-year old daughter with her.

Especially given the British government's role in creating the hell-like conditions these students and their families are enduring, this seems unimaginably cruel.

We therefore request that you, as Foreign Secretary and Middle East Minister:  

1. Commit to evacuating every student in Gaza with a British university place for the 2024-25 academic year and refuse to tolerate Israeli obstruction.
2. Do not force parents to choose between their studies in Britain and their children: let Palestinian students with a place bring dependents and immediate family members.
3. Establish a scheme for smooth passage of students from Gaza to our campuses, to include the introduction of new scholarships, such that Palestinians are not subjected to this awful uncertainty in future.

Implementation of these measures could not be more urgent. While they await evacuation, these remarkable students are being bombed, starved, and tormented by Israel.

We urge you to ensure all Palestinian students in Gaza reach our campuses safely, and to end all British complicity - military, diplomatic, economic - in their suffering. Anything less would be an abdication of your most fundamental legal and ethical duties.

Yours sincerely

Dr Jo Grady
UCU general secretary