Warsi did not have to quit as 'Lib Dems winning coalition argument on Gaza'

Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat energy secretary, praised Warsi's stand and said the Israeli military action was 'almost collective punishment' against the people of Gaza. Photograph: Nick Ansell/PA

Lady Warsi did not need to quit the government in protest over coalition policy on Gaza because the Liberal Democrats were winning the argument inside government, the energy secretary Ed Davey has said.

He said he expected action soon on suspension of arms exports licences capable of use on Gaza. The deputy prime minister and Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, had said on Tuesday he was expecting action soon across government.

The issue might have a symbolic importance since it would be a reflection of the government's view on whether Israel had breached the terms of the licences.

Davey praised Warsi's strong stand but told BBC Breakfast: "I think she didn't need to go because we are winning the argument."

Davey added that "she should have stayed in to help those arguing for a tougher stand". He also claimed the Israeli military action was "almost collective punishment" directed against the people of Gaza.

Davey's assessment of the state of the argument inside the government does not match that of Warsi herself.

She quit the government on Tuesday morning, specifically saying she was leaving because she had lost the argument inside the Foreign Office over condemnation of Israel's disproportionate attacks on Gaza. Her assessment has been shared by Dominic Grieve, the former attorney general sacked in the summer reshuffle.

She also pointed out that Britain had abstained in a United Nations vote when there was a call for an investigation into possible war crimes in Gaza.

Warsi added that she should have resigned last year when the UN voted on Palestinian statehood.

There is no certainty that there will be a suspension of arms export licences. No new military licences have been issued since the Israeli operation was launched.

"Suspending export licences is not a decision we take lightly and it is right that we examine the facts fully. This is the approach being taken by the vast majority of countries," a Downing Street spokesman said.

The former Foreign Office minister Sir Hugh Robertson said he did not think the government's policy on Gaza had changed much in the past fortnight.

The Tory MP for Faversham and Mid Kent, who left the government in last month's reshuffle, told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "I just don't think … shouting at them from London is going to make a difference. What we need to do is do the hard yards of diplomacy."

Asked about Warsi's claims of a domestic backlash in terms of radicalisation, he replied: "She has a point. Of course she is absolutely right.

"She worked enormously hard on the question of our Syria policy and the radicalisation of young British Muslims.

"She's absolutely right [that] our foreign policy does have implications for us domestically."

But he added: "You have to recognise that Israel is a state that feels very, very strongly about its own security.

"It is getting rocketed on a regular basis … you can argue about the way they have responded but you have to recognise there is an argument there that needs to be addressed.

"I don't think this situation is anything like as simple as some people here think it is."