Britain must use its "diplomatic influence" to stop the new Israeli coalition government from "any annexation of the West Bank", Labour’s Lisa Nandy has said.

In a letter to Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, the shadow foreign secretary claimed the proposed expansion "of large sections of the West Bank" risked "jeopardising longstanding peace treaties with neighbouring countries including Egypt and Jordan at a time of continued regional and global insecurity".

Ms Nandy added that Israel’s intention to do this was "in direct contravention of international law".

Ms Nandy, who was the Jewish Labour Movement’s chosen candidate for the Labour leadership, said she had written to Mr Raab to "seek his assurance that the British Government will use its diplomatic influence to prevent any annexation of the West Bank, and continue to work constructively with all parties to improve the situation".

She added that any attempt to "set back the propect of peace in the Middle East’’ should not go unaddressed despite the main focus being on the coronavirus pandemic.

Ms Nandy met with the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council and Labour Friends of Israel on Tuesday and reaffirmed her party’s commitment to tackle its own antisemitism problem.

The Wigan MP has been the chair of the parliamentary group Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East.

She has also said she considers herself to be a "Zionist" and has argued against the anti-Israel BDS movement.

On Tuesday James Cleverly, the Conservative Minister in Foreign Office and Department for International Development congratulated Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz on forming a new government in Israel, after 18 months of deadlock.

He added: "Keen to continue the important cooperation and build on our relationship. Looking forward to further and successes as we enter the 70th year of diplomatic relations!"

This article was edited on April 28th to add the JLC and LFI to the names of attendees at the meeting