Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has accused Reform UK and the Green Party of undermining Britain's commitment to Nato, warning that their positions weaken national security. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Cooper said both parties had failed to take the threat from Russia seriously, citing Reform's refusal to investigate Russian interference and the Greens' openness to leaving the alliance.
Cooper highlighted Reform's failure to probe Russian links within the party, referring to the jailing of former MEP Nathan Gill for taking bribes from a suspected Russian asset. She also criticised Reform for dismissing Russian aggression, including the use of lethal poisons in Salisbury and against Alexei Navalny. Reform's head of policy, Zia Yusuf, denied the claims, insisting leader Nigel Farage would defend Nato airspace.
Farage, however, reiterated his view that the West provoked Russia's invasion of Ukraine by expanding the EU and Nato eastwards, describing the 2014 Ukrainian protests as a 'street coup'. He argued he had been right to say so, despite receiving abuse. His party supports strengthening Nato through increased UK defence spending.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski confirmed he would uphold Nato's Article 5 collective defence commitment but left open the possibility of leaving the alliance. He has previously advocated for dismantling the UK-US defence relationship, though this is not official party policy. Cooper's comments underscore Labour's focus on Nato unity ahead of the next election.
