𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

There was fury in the House of Commons today over Sir Keir Starmer’s failure to make a full statement about plans to send British troops to Ukraine as part of a peace deal. MPs responded with uproar as the Prime Minister said he would make a statement “at the earliest opportunity”. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Sir Keir of treating both Parliament and the British public with “a fundamental lack of respect”. And Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle rebuked Sir Keir, saying: “I have also requested that we do need an early statement”.

However, Sir Keir pledged that there would be a full statement – and a debate and vote – before any British troops were deployed. He added: “If there were to be deployment there would have to be a legal instrument”. And the Prime Minister stressed that UK forces could only be sent to Ukraine if there was a ceasefire with Russia.

It comes after Sir Keir said British and French forces will be placed in “military hubs” in Ukraine as part of peacekeeping efforts in the event a ceasefire is brokered.

They would help to train Ukrainian troops and protect stocks of weaponry, aimed at deterring future Russian aggression, it was revealed following a meeting of the coalition of the willing in Paris.

The US has meanwhile signalled it will provide a security guarantee to the European-led peacekeeping efforts, something which Donald Trump has previously appeared reluctant to do.

Mrs Badenoch also asked Sir Keir how many troops would be sent to Ukraine, but he said: “The number will be determined in accordance with our military plans” which are are still being drawn up.

But he said the Commons would be told the number if the decision was made to send troops, and stressed that there would be a full debate and vote.

Mrs Badenoch warned that if the UK committed troops and Russia broke the peace deal, the UK would be in a conflict with Russia.

She said: “It is frankly astonishing that the Prime Minister is not making a full statenment to Parliament today.”

She added: “It shows a fundamental lack of respect of all of us here and the people we represent.”

The Conservative leader also mocked Sir Keir because he has not yet spoken to US President Donald Trump about the situation in Venezuala, the latest developments in Ukraine or America’s apparent threat to take over Greenland. Sir Keir said he had spoken to Mr Trump’s senior advisers.