Rishi Sunak did not inform Keir Starmer and Lindsay Hoyle before the recent bombings.
Keir Starmer and Lindsay Hoyle were not informed in advance about the recent RAF bombing raids in Yemen – despite a Government minister insisting this morning that this was the case.
Last night, Britain joined the United States in a second wave of attacks on Houthi militia targets in the country.
Both the Labour leader and the Speaker of the House of Commons were given advance notice of the first bombing raids – which were carried out in response to attacks on ships in the Red Sea – almost two weeks ago.
Transport Minister Huw Merriman told Sky News this morning: “I can confirm that the Leader of the Opposition and also the Speaker of the House have received this information again in the same way as the first time.”
But sources close to Starmer and Hoyle confirmed that they had not been informed in advance about the air strikes that were taking place.
Merriman later admitted on ITV’s Good Morning Britain that he had merely repeated what he had been told from Downing Street.
He said: “I can only pass on what I was told. I was told that the opposition leader had been informed in the same way as when the first attacks were being prepared. So that is the information I can pass on to you.”
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman later admitted that Starmer and Hoyle only learned of the attacks at 10pm last night, when the bombings took place.
He said: “The entire cabinet was informed about the strikes, as were the opposition leader and the speaker of parliament.”
When asked why they were not informed in advance, the spokesman said: “We will always prefer to inform the Leader of the Opposition and the Speaker of Parliament in advance where this is possible for reasons of operational security and the strike schedule.”
“That was not possible in this case.”
When asked directly whether Merriman’s comments this morning were incorrect, the spokesman replied: “I believe, as he later said, they were informed around 10 p.m., for operational security reasons.”
Rishi Sunak is making a statement to Parliament on the military action and is likely to come under pressure to allow MPs to vote before any future attacks.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said: “Liberal Democrats are concerned about the Houthis’ attacks in the Red Sea and so we support limited attacks, as long as they remain limited.”
“However, it is absolutely necessary that Parliament has the opportunity to express its opinion through debate and vote.
“The Prime Minister has so far granted neither. It is deeply disappointing that elected representatives are being ignored on such an important issue as military action.”
