Like many parts of the world, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has more than a passing interest in the current state and future trajectory of British politics. For year ending March 2023, trade between the United Kingdom and GCC countries amounted to £65.2 billion, making the Gulf region the UK’s seventh-largest export market. A UK government report also highlights that GCC Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) holdings in the country amounted to £15.7 billion in 2020. Close economic ties are complemented by positive diplomatic relations and a large expat British workforce in many GCC states.

An estimated 130,000 British citizens currently live and work in the Gulf Cooperation Council states. Many of these will observe and indeed vote in their home country’s general election, which is widely expected to take place later this year. Like their compatriots, a variety of factors will ultimately determine for which party they will cast their vote, including the ongoing Gaza crisis. Writing for the UAE’s Khaleej Times, InStrat’s Adam Dempsey nevertheless explains why Gaza is unlikely to significantly impact the outcome of the UK’s next general election.