Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to the “sacrifice” of the UK’s armed forces after US vice president JD Vance was accused of “disrespecting” British troops.
Beginning Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Sir Keir said Thursday will be 13 years since six young British soldiers died while on patrol in Afghanistan and 18 years since Royal Marine Benjamin Reddy was killed in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
He said 642 people died in Afghanistan and Iraq “fighting for Britain alongside our allies”, adding: “We will never forget their bravery and their sacrifice.”
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His pointed remarks – without mentioning the US directly – about the conflicts fought alongside the US following the 9/11 attack in 2001 came after Mr Vance was accused of “disrespecting” UK forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mr Vance told Fox News on Tuesday a potential peacekeeping force in Ukraine would be “20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years”.
The UK and France are the only countries to have pledged troops to a potential peacekeeping force.
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However, Mr Vance later said the suggestion he was referring to those two allies is “absurdly dishonest”.
Sir Keir’s spokesman, asked if the PM was annoyed with Mr Vance’s comments, said it was “totally legitimate” for him to pay tribute to soldiers ahead of the anniversary of their deaths.
“You can draw your own conclusions,” he added.
Liberal Democrat MP and former British Army officer Richard Foord was more direct in his criticism of Mr Vance, telling PMQs the grandfather of a soldier who lost his life while serving in Iraq said the vice president should “have a lot more respect for those who lost their lives”.
He asked if Sir Keir would remind the US how the UK was there for them following 9/11, to which Sir Keir said: “We do remember the role that we’ve played historically with our allies, and we particularly remember those that made the ultimate sacrifice in that duty for their country and for our allies.
“And that’s why it’s so important that we make that point today.”
Sir Keir also said: “We need to do everything we can to ensure that the US, Europe and Ukraine are working together on lasting peace. And I’m doing everything I can to play my part in that, in regular contact with all the key players at the moment, including talking to President Zelenskyy yesterday afternoon.”
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Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch asked what Sir Keir is doing to persuade the US that it is in their national interest to provide a security guarantee for any peace deal between Ukraine and Russia.
He replied: “On Thursday of last week, we did discuss security guarantees, the president made absolutely clear his commitment to Article 5 of NATO.
“Absolutely clear he would have our backs.”
Article 5 states if a NATO member country is attacked, all other members will come to its aid, including the use of armed forced if necessary.
