The UK’s Attorney General Lord Richard Hermer KC has told the BBC that he would not allow political considerations to influence his conclusions on whether British police should arrest Benjamin Netanyahu, if the International Criminal Court demands he is taken into custody for alleged war crimes.

The ICC’s judges are under pressure from Karim Khan KC, the court’s chief prosecutor, to issue arrest warrants for Israel’s PM and defense minister Yoav Gallant. Mr Khan is also seeking similar warrants for Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif.

Lord Hermer is the cabinet minister who advises the government on what the law requires it to do.

Speaking, he said he will  focus on the letter of the law, irrespective of an inevitable diplomatic storm.

Less than a month after winning the general election, the new Labour government scrapped its predecessor’s plan to challenge the right of the ICC to issue an arrest warrant at all – saying it was a matter for the judges to decide.