Sir Keir faces calls to sack Labour MPs who attacked strikes on Houthis as critics blast ‘whose side are they on’
SIR Keir Starmer today faced mounting pressure to sack Labour MPs who attacked strikes on Houthi terrorists.
At a pro-Palestine march on Saturday hard-left Apsana Begum called the defensive action by the US and UK “horrifying”.
She said: “The launching of airstrikes in the Red Sea in conjunction with the US is nothing short of horrifying.
“It’s shameful. It’s deplorable. It’s beyond unacceptable.”
Corbynite Labour MP Zarah Sultana derided the action as an “assault” and suggested it will have “devastating potential consequences”.
She hit out at the government for trying to “protect international trade”.
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And former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell called the targeting of terrorist infrastructure an “attack on Yemen” that he “does not support”.
Rishi Sunak this afternoon confirmed there has been “no evidence” the strikes led to any civilian casualties.
Senior Tories called on Sir Keir Starmer to remove the whip from hard-left MPs who slammed the government for targeting terrorists.
Houthis have spent weeks hijacking civilian cargo ships and have taken 25 innocent crew members hostage.
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Tory Chairman Richard Holden told The Sun: “It’s no surprise that Labour MP Apsana Begum and the usual suspects are gunning for Britain as we take essential action against dangerous and destabilising Iran-backed Houthi attacks.
“It’s clear that Labour hasn’t changed - they’re the party of protest with no plan for our country. If Sir Keir really had a plan rather than empty political promises he’d already have withdrawn the Labour whip.
"But after four years trying to make Jeremy Corbyn our Prime Minister and over four years as Labour Leader, Sir Keir has shown time after time that he will never take on the far-left in his own Party - he’ll accommodate their crazy ideas wherever he can.”
Former minister Brendan Clarke-Smith added: “As always, when this country stands up to hostile actors and those who target innocent civilians, we once again see Labour MPs queuing up to defend them.
“Whose side are they actually on?
“Labour are desperately trying to convince people they’ve changed as a party, yet they still won’t stand up to their own backbenchers, who continue to retain the whip regardless of whatever they say or do.”
In the Commons this afternoon Sir Keir reiterated Labour support for targeted military action in self-defence against Houthi pirates, who are committing war crimes.
The opposition chief said: "The Houthi attacks are unacceptable, illegal and, if left unaddressed, could lead to a devastating rise in the cost of essential food in some of the poorest countries.
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"The international community clearly stands against the Houthi attacks."
But Labour refused to confirm whether hard-left MPs speaking out against the strikes will face disciplinary action.