THE Prime Minister has made an apparent dig towards US vice president JD Vance over his comments regarding British troops.
In his opening statement at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Keir Starmer paid tribute to the “bravery and sacrifice” of the armed forces.
It comes after the US vice president sparked outrage after he dismissed the UK and France’s plans to police a future peace deal between Russia and Ukraine as “20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years”.
Starmer told the Commons: “Mr Speaker, tomorrow marks 13 years since six young British soldiers were on patrol in Afghanistan when their vehicle was struck by explosives, tragically killing them all.”
He added that Thursday also marks the 18th anniversary of the death of a 22-year-old man who was killed in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.
Starmer said: “These men fought and died for their country, our country, and across the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, 642 individuals died fighting for Britain alongside our allies. Many more were wounded.
“We will never forget their bravery and their sacrifice, and I know the whole House will join in me in remembering them and all those who serve our country.”
In an interview with Fox News, Vance appeared to dismiss Britain’s involvement in Afghanistan, Iraq and other wars in recent years.
He said: “If you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine.
“That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years.”
The UK and France are so far the only countries to confirm they are willing to put “boots on the ground” in Ukraine.
Vance later denied he had been talking about the UK and France – but refused to say who he was referring to.
We told how a Scottish veteran labelled the remarks as “dishonourable and shameful”, adding that it was a “direct attack on European nations by America”.
