Defending the UK and Allies Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Defending the UK and Allies

Owen Thompson Excerpts
Monday 15th January 2024

(3 months, 3 weeks ago)

Commons Chamber
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Rishi Sunak Portrait The Prime Minister
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I agree with everything my hon. Friend says. He is absolutely right that there is a risk in inaction. To have done nothing in the face of these attacks would have been to damage the security of our people and our interests.

Owen Thompson Portrait Owen Thompson (Midlothian) (SNP)
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I welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to protecting the fundamental tenets of international law and upholding the fundamental principles of the United Nations, but is it equally as distinct and limited to this action as it to all other situations?

Rishi Sunak Portrait The Prime Minister
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I did not completely follow what the hon. Gentleman said, but I said that our actions in this case were specific to the case at hand. We acted in self-defence because there were escalating attacks from the Houthis and defiance of international diplomacy. It was right that we took action to protect the security and interests of our people.