PRIME Minister Sir Keir Starmer was told to stop the escalating Ukraine conflict and give peace a chance as Britain moved closer to war with Russia.
Although ministers refused to confirm it, it appears certain that Ukraine is now firing British-made Storm Shadow missiles deep into Russian territory with a green light from Downing Street.
Defence Secretary John Healey did not deny the change of policy, mimicking that of the Biden administration, and told MPs: “Be in no doubt the UK government is determined to continue doubling down on our support for Ukraine.
“I won’t be drawn on the operational details of the conflict, it risks security and in the end the only one that benefits from such a public debate is President Putin”
He added that Ukraine’s actions on the battlefield “speak for themselves.”
Each Storm Shadow missile is thought to cost around £2 million, roughly the annual budget of a primary school.
Independent MP Jeremy Corbyn, who is almost alone in the Commons in speaking out on the dangers of the escalating conflict, demanded the Prime Minister make a statement to Parliament on the latest move.
“He must tell the British public if this means we are now at war with a nuclear power, what risk this poses to people in Britain, and why this action was taken without any approval from Parliament,” Mr Corbyn said.
“I have consistently condemned Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and called for a diplomatic solution to stop the endless bloodshed.
“As we edge closer and closer to catastrophe, we should be doing everything in our power to bring about de-escalation and peace.
“Instead, our political leaders have added fuel to the fire and gambled with people’s lives for political gain.
“Presidents and prime ministers must know that in the event of nuclear war, nobody wins.”
And left Labour MP Diane Abbott asked: “Is there a plan if/when Russia fires missiles back? Hope is not a policy.”
The war psychosis gripping government was deepened by claims by Kiev that Russia had fired an intercontinental ballistic missile at the city of Dnipro, claims disputed by other Western sources.
The Stop the War Coalition, which has mobilised to end the war since it began, issued a statement condemning the escalation by Britain which, together with parallel US actions, “risk starting all-out war between Russia and the Western powers.
“These decisions by the US and British governments were made without debate or decision by the US Congress and UK Parliament.
“It is clear there can be no winners in this war which has been at a stalemate for many months.
“Hundreds of thousands of people, mainly Ukrainians, have already been killed or injured, often in trench warfare echoing the horrors of World War I.
“Not surprisingly, polls are now showing that the majority of Ukrainians want to see a negotiated peace rather than continue to fight.
“The current terrifying face-off between Russia and Nato proves that the huge amounts of Western military aid to Ukraine has turned it into a proxy war with Russia.
“This has prolonged the suffering of the Ukrainian people by escalating the conflict and delaying possible diplomatic solutions.
“It is now taking us to the edge of a wider war between nuclear armed great powers.
“We call on Starmer and Biden to stop these provocations immediately and to focus on securing a negotiated end to the war,” the statement concluded.
Not content with stoking tension in Europe, Mr Healey also defended Labour’s decision to send an aircraft carrier strike group to the Far East for the continuing Anglo-American confrontation with China.
MPs on the Commons defence committee suggested that the group, which includes one of Britain’s two aircraft carriers, escort ships and aircraft, would be better deployed to the Baltic instead.
But Mr Healey backed his multi-front militarism, saying: “There is a value otherwise I would not be sending it.”
