Labour will commit to recognising Palestinian state before peace talks are over in its manifesto, as Sir Keir Starmer tries to avoid an election backlash from Muslim voters.

The party is expected to include a specific pledge on Gaza in the document in a move that will assuage Left-wing MPs but is expected to anger the Israeli government.

According to multiple reports the dossier will state that a “neighbouring country” – a likely reference to Israel – must not have a veto over the granting of Palestinian statehood.

It comes after Labour faced a significant backlash from Muslim voters in last month’s local elections, a trend which party bosses fear could be repeated on July 4.

Many of its core Muslim supporters have been angered by Sir Keir’s stance on Gaza, including his initial refusal to back their calls for a ceasefire.

The Guardian and The Mirror newspapers both reported the details of his new position on the issue, which will be formalised when the manifesto is published next Thursday.

It will see him shift gears and commit Labour to recognising a Palestinian state before peace talks between Israel and Hamas have been concluded.

That would put the UK out of step with key allies – including the US – who have said such recognition can only come as part of a long-term peace settlement.

It also risks angering the Israeli government and damaging ties with the key Middle East ally.

Sir Keir has been under internal pressure to go further on Gaza as a result of the backlash from Muslim voters that could cost his party seats on July 4.

More than a dozen previously safe seats have been redesignated as “battleground areas” as Labour faces challenges from pro-Palestine independents.

They include the constituencies of Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow paymaster general, and Shabana Mahmood, the shadow justice secretary.

Jitters began to spread among Labour MPs in February when George Galloway snatched away previously safe Rochdale by standing on a relentlessly pro-Gaza platform.

That was followed up in May when the party suffered a series of shock local election reverses in towns like Oldham, Bolton and Blackburn on the back of Muslim anger.

In recent weeks, the Labour high command has been scrambling to shore up support, with Angela Rayner filmed last month pleading with a group of Muslim voters.

Labour’s deputy leader told a room full of men that she would resign as an MP if that would bring about a ceasefire and said the party was “doing everything we can”.

Sir Keir inherited a party which had been condemned for failing to do enough to tackle anti-Semitism within the ranks under his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn.

After the Oct 7 terrorist attack by Hamas he was initially reluctant to break with the UK Government’s steadfast support for Israel to defend itself.

But in recent weeks and months he has become more strident under both internal and external pressure, pushing noisily for an immediate ceasefire.

His latest move emerged less than 24 hours after a major Labour donor urged him to include the recognition of a Palestinian state in the manifesto.

Dale Vince, the eco tycoon who has given £5 million to the party, said Sir Keir “should join the European countries that are recognising the state of Palestine”.

Last month Ireland, Spain and Norway all announced they were recognising a Palestinian state, prompting an angry response from Benjamin Netenyahu, the Israeli prime minister.

According to reports, the manifesto will also include a pledge to lower the retirement age for ambulance drivers in a major victory for the unions.

GMB, a Labour-affiliated union, has been campaigning for the age to be reduced to 60, in line with other emergency service workers, to improve recruitment and retention.

Labour officials suggested that if successful the retirement ages for other medical staff, such as doctors and nurses, could also be lowered in future.

But the manifesto risks angering left-wing MPs and activists elsewhere because there will be no commitment to end the two-child benefits cap.

Labour frontbenchers have said they would like to reverse the policy, which limits handouts to the first two children, but it is currently unaffordable to do so.

The scrapping of ID cards for voting, which was brought in by the Tories to combat electoral fraud, also does not make the cut despite being a Left-wing demand.

The dossier will include a commitment to “drive down” net migration, without setting a target.

Labour declined to comment.