Govt must publish legal advice for deploying more troops to the Middle East

EMBARGO: Immediate Release

Govt must publish legal advice for deploying more troops to the Middle East

Responding to the the Defence Secretary announcing the Government is deploying extra troops to the Middle East, as well as the Sky Sabre air defence missile system, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Calum Miller MP said:

“It's absolutely right that the Government protects our troops, citizens and allies in the region who have come under unprovoked attack from Iran. But the Prime Minister must also resist any attempts by Trump to drag Britain down the path to war.

"Transparency is paramount. That's why the Government should publish the specific and limited defensive mandate of UK military troops and assets in the region, as well as the legal advice on their deployment. This is essential to ensuring the public has confidence that the UK's operations will remain strictly defensive.

"The shadow of the Iraq War looms large. Withholding vital information from Parliament and the public is a grave mistake that this Government cannot afford to repeat.”

ENDS