Sir Keir Starmer has said MPs will be given a debate and vote before any UK troops are deployed on peacekeeping duties in Ukraine. The prime minister made the commitment during Prime Minister's Questions, following a summit in Paris where Britain and France signalled willingness to send troops under a peace deal.
Starmer told the Commons that a vote would take place when a deployment was imminent, providing details of numbers and the mission. He said the deployment of troops would 'conduct deterrent operations and to construct and protect military hubs', adding that it would only happen after a ceasefire.
The Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, criticised Starmer for not making a full statement to parliament immediately, saying it was 'astonishing' given the significance of the commitment. She noted that no previous prime minister had failed to make a personal statement after committing to troop deployments.
Starmer responded that a statement was not needed because the declaration was a political commitment that 'sits under' existing military plans. He said a legal instrument would require a further debate and vote before any deployment. The Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, expressed a desire for an 'early statement' on the matter.
