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Sir Keir Starmer delivered a powerful rebuke to US vice president JD Vance at Prime Minister’s Questions, opening the session with a roll call of the 642 British soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The US vice president was accused of erasing the experiences of Britons who served overseas after his latest tirade against America’s European allies, where he suggested Britain hadn’t fought a war in more than 30 years.
Addressing the Commons on Wednesday, the day after Mr Vance’s comments, Sir Keir said: “Tomorrow marks 13 years since six young British soldiers were on patrol in Afghanistan when their vehicle was struck by an explosive tragically killing them all.
“These men fought and died for their country, our country. And across the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, 642 individuals died fighting for Britain alongside our allies, many more were wounded.
“We will never forget their bravery and their sacrifice, and I know the whole House will join (with) me in remembering them and all those who serve our country.”
In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Mr Vance had warned Volodymyr Zelensky that if he wanted “real security guarantees” to deter future attacks by Vladimir Putin, he would have to “give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine”.
“That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that has not fought a war in 30 or 40 years,” Mr Vance added.
So far, only Britain and France have publicly said they are prepared to put troops on the ground as part of a peacekeeping force in the event of a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
Sir Keir’s comments also put Tory leader Kemi Badenoch in a difficult position, after she sought to play down his remarks claiming they were taken out of context.
“I don’t think he actually said that, a lot of people are getting carried away… let’s keep cool heads,” the Tory leader said.
Liberal Democrat defence spokesman Helen Maguire, a former captain in the Royal Military Police who served in Iraq accused Mr Vance of “erasing from history the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan”.
“I saw firsthand how American and British soldiers fought bravely together shoulder to shoulder. Six of my own regiment, the Royal Military Police, didn’t return home from Iraq.”
Ms Maguire called on Lord Mandelson, Britain’s ambassador to the US, to force an apology from the vice president.
Meanwhile, Tory former veterans minister Johnny Mercer, who served three tours in Afghanistan, called the vice president a “clown” who needs to “check his privilege”.
He added: “I read JD Vance’s book, making the mistake of finding him quite interesting. By his own admission he spent his time in the Marines ‘writing articles and taking pictures’.
“Perhaps if he had got his hands dirty serving his country like so many of his fellow American and British veterans, chasing his own country’s crazy foreign policy ideas, he might not be so quick to dismiss their sacrifice.”
But the US vice president said on Tuesday it was “absurdly dishonest” to suggest he was referring to the UK or France. “Both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond,” he wrote on X.
He did not clarify which nations he was referring to specifically, but added: “But let’s be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful”.
Asked whether the prime minister was directing his comments directly at Mr Vance, his spokesperson said: “It’s totally normal to mark anniversary of the deaths of young British soldiers fighting for our country.”
Pressed on whether or not the PM was convinced by Mr Vance’s claim that he was not referring to Britain and France in his remarks, the spokesperson said: “You have the prime minister’s words in the House. It’s perfectly normal for the prime minister to pay tribute to British soldiers.”
“You can draw your own conclusions”, the spokesperson added.
