Shadow Defence Minister Mark Francois has defended the use of Storm Shadow missiles against Russia, stating that parliamentary approval is not necessary for their deployment.
Speaking on GB News, Francois firmly rejected calls for a parliamentary vote on the matter.
“If we were to send a brigade of soldiers to Ukraine, then I think you would have a stronger argument,” he said.
The defence minister emphasised that Britain, along with other Western nations, is providing support to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression.
He highlighted how the UK had been preparing for potential conflict since 2014, following Russia’s first invasion of Ukraine.
“We started training Ukrainian troops after the first invasion in 2014,” Francois said, noting that Ukraine was initially invaded in both Donbas and Crimea.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to strike the UK and US with a new ballistic missile, following its use against targets in Ukraine.
The threat came after Russia launched a missile strike on the city of Dnipro using a weapon with a range of “several thousand kilometres.”
“In response to the use of American and British long-range weapons on November 21 of this year, the Russian armed forces launched a combined strike on one of the facilities of the Ukrainian defence industry,” Putin said in a televised address.
The Russian leader warned that his country would target military facilities in nations that allow their weapons to be used against Russian targets.
The new missile’s range could potentially reach London, with the distance between Moscow and the British capital being approximately 2,500km.
Putin indicated Russia would issue advance warnings before strikes on other countries to allow civilian evacuation.
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Francois painted a stark picture of Putin’s character and motivations in his GB News appearance.
“Vladimir Putin is an ex-regular KGB Colonel. He’s not a boy scout,” the Shadow Defence Minister stated.
He highlighted Putin’s view of Soviet collapse as “the greatest geopolitical disaster for the 20th century.”
Francois accused Putin of targeting Ukrainian infrastructure and civilians, noting “he’s been the one sending missiles to take out Ukrainian power stations” and authorising strikes “against children’s hospitals.”
On accusations of Western escalation, Francois said Putin employs a consistent strategy: “He escalates again and again, and then when the West does anything in response he says, ‘Ah, you’re escalating.'”
The Shadow Defence Minister stressed this pattern is “all aimed at Western public opinion.”
Downing Street has strongly condemned Putin’s missile strike as “an example of escalatory behaviour from Russia.”
The Prime Minister’s spokesman confirmed it was the first time Russia had used a ballistic missile with such range in Ukraine.
However, a spokesman for Labour leader Keir Starmer said the action “only serves to strengthen our resolve” to support Ukraine.
