Campaigners yesterday praised MPs for taking “an important step towards standing up for justice, freedom and rights” of Palestinians.

MPs overwhelmingly voted in favour of recognising a Palestinian state by 274 to 12 in a lengthy debate on Monday night.

The outcome of the debate, tabled by Labour Friends for Palestine member Grahame Morris, is seen as “symbolic” and is not binding on government policy.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) chairman Hugh Lanning said: “Recognising Palestine is an important first step to take to start rectifying Britain’s historic responsibility for Palestinian suffering and dispossession. Palestinian sovereignty is a right, not a bargaining chip to be negotiated with at some stage in the future.

“British MPs took an important step towards standing up for justice, freedom, and rights for the Palestinian people.

“Britain has a historic responsibility, which continues to this current day, for the dispossession and suffering of Palestinians. The vote for Palestine was a significant first step in addressing this injustice.”

PSC pointed out that more than 57,500 people used the campaign group’s e-tool to send a message urging their MP to vote to recognise Palestine as a state.

MPs including many Conservatives backed the call for Palestinian statehood.

Tory MP Alan Duncan was among those who voted in favour.

He accused anyone who endorses Israeli settlement building of being an “extremist” who is unfit to be an MP.

And he criticised the international community for failing to condemn Israel over the policy — which he compared with South Africa’s apartheid system — revealing that he raised his concerns with David Cameron last year while he was international development minister.

Labour MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Mike Wood acted as No tellers but on a point of order, Mr Corbyn explained this was because none of the MPs planning to vote No were willing to do so in what campaigners called a “cynical” attempt to sabotage the debate by avoiding a full vote.

He said the Labour pair had played the role of teller to ensure “democracy could take place and members could record their vote” even though they strongly supported the motion.

Many MPs declared their support ahead of the debate by holding a “recognise Palestine” flag. The debate comes following a summer of aggression as Israel pummelled Gaza in a number of air strikes that massacred more than 2,000 mainly civilian Palestinians and hit schools and hospitals.