Hastings & Rye Liberal Democrats condemn the US and Israel’s Illegal military action against Iran.
Make no mistake, the Iranian Theocratic regime is not the UK’s friend. British soldiers, indeed, the local party’s own members, have been on the receiving end of Iranian-made rockets and IEDs. Now UK expats are in the firing line.
However, whilst we do not support the brutal regime in Tehran, we feel great sympathy for the ordinary men, women and children of Iran, who wish, like us, to live in peace. And war with no discernible aim or exit strategy is no way to achieve peace…
Accordingly, we express our opposition to the attacks made upon Iran by the US and Israel, which are flagrantly in breach of international law. Whilst promising nuclear negotiations were underway with Iran, and during the Holy Month of Ramadan, no credence can be given to the suggestion that these attacks were defensive or pre-emptive.
Thus far, the Government has acted without clarity or courage, seeming to ignore international law whilst cynically casting attack as defence. Many of us recall Iraq. Many of us marched against British involvement in Iraq. Today, members are determined that a dithering Labour Prime Minister should not once again take us into an illegal war by stealth or by political cowardice or indecision.
We welcome the PM’s assertion that the UK will not participate directly in unlawful attacks upon Iran, but we question why we should facilitate them by granting permission to use UK air bases. The PM’s rapid capitulation to Trump has immediately seen RAF Akrotiri subject to Iranian attack. Our service personnel have been placed at risk though there is no clear advantage for Britain in participating as combatant or as water carrier alongside supposed allies, who appear to disdain us as much as they disdain the laws which protect us.
Conflict with no ‘day after’ plan will leave Iran broken and potentially ungovernable, prey to renewed authoritarian brutality and to sectarian conflict. Moreover, its contested or ungoverned spaces may become a harbour for terrorists.
We demand the Government state clearly why ordinary people in Hastings and Rye should support Trump and Netanyahu’s illegal war - a war which will put British civilians and service personnel in harm’s way, further erode international law and impel migration, increase energy and food bills, fuel inflation and likely delay further reduction in interest rates.
Uncomfortable lessons may already be drawn from the unfolding scenario, however. Though there was no mention of it in the Chancellor’s Spring Statement, Britain needs to budget for urgent rearmament. The attack on RAF Akrotiri has exposed our vulnerability. Furthermore, the likelihood of painful energy price shocks underscores Britain’s need to migrate quickly away from fossil fuels and toward cheap renewable energy. A hike in the global price of oil doesn’t help UK families and businesses, it helps the big oil producers, among them, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
Whilst building resilience in energy and defence, this Labour Government should also have the courage to keep our communities and families out of this ill-conceived war. Sir Keir Starmer might not be Winston Churchill, but neither is this The Battle of Britain.
