Middle East

Brian Mathew Excerpts
Monday 13th April 2026

(1 day, 18 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Keir Starmer Portrait The Prime Minister
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

The bases are strictly for defensive purposes, and we monitor that in order to make sure that that is and remains the case.

Brian Mathew Portrait Brian Mathew (Melksham and Devizes) (LD)
- View Speech - Hansard - -

I thank the Prime Minister for his comments on Lebanon. We are seeing an Israeli military playbook from Gaza—collective punishment, forced displacement and attacks on health—being used in Lebanon without meaningful action from the UK Government. Will the Prime Minister please outline the specific steps his Government will take to ensure an end to Israel’s chronic immunity and impunity?

Keir Starmer Portrait The Prime Minister
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

The immediate focus must be on ensuring that the ceasefire extends to Lebanon. That is crucial. Obviously, there is some diplomacy going on at the moment, but we need to keep that firmly in mind. We must work with others, not only on the question of Lebanon, but on accountability, which goes with the principle that any action should have a lawful basis.