London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

Jeremy Corbyn was wrong on Nato, says Sir Keir Starmer

Jeremy Corbyn was wrong on Nato, says Sir Keir Starmer

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer says his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn was "wrong" on Nato and that his party's commitment to the alliance is "unshakeable".

Mr Corbyn is a longstanding critic of Nato, although pulling out of it was never Labour policy when he was leader.

Speaking to the BBC, Sir Keir also said he supported Boris Johnson's actions on the Ukraine crisis but urged him to make better use of sanctions.

He was speaking to the BBC's Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg in Brussels.

The Labour leader earlier held a meeting with Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg about tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

He said it was "important for me to make clear that we stand united in the UK".

"Whatever challenges we have with the government, when it comes to Russian aggression we stand together."

'Threat of war'


He said there was "nothing" Russia wanted to see more than division between UK political parties, or division between NATO allies.

Mr Johnson also held a meeting with the Nato secretary general on Thursday and later met the Polish prime minister.

Speaking from Warsaw, Mr Johnson, said the UK stood "shoulder to shoulder" with Nato allies. He also warned Russia "if they want less NATO, this is entirely the wrong way to go about it."

Jeremy Corbyn is to address a protest calling for an end to Nato "expansion"


Asked whether he agreed with Mr Corbyn's stance on the military alliance, Sir Keir said: "Jeremy Corbyn had a very different view, he was wrong about that and I spoke out at the time about that."

Before becoming leader of the Labour Party, Mr Corbyn described Nato as "a major problem and a major difficulty".

Writing in the Morning Star newspaper in 2012, he argued that Nato's mission had been "thwarting the Soviet Union", and that the collapse of the bloc was "the obvious time for Nato to have been disbanded".

However, on taking charge of the party, he did not change its policy and Labour fought the 2019 general election on a pledge to maintain membership.

What is Nato?


Nato- the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation - is a military alliance formed in 1949 by 12 countries including the US, France and the UK.

They agreed to come to one another's aid in the event of an armed attack against any member state.

Its aim was originally to counter the threat of post-war Soviet expansion in Europe.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, a number of former Warsaw Pact countries became Nato members. The alliance now has 30 members.

Sir Keir, who served in Mr Corbyn's shadow cabinet, also criticised the former leader's position on the 2018 Salisbury poisonings, arguing that he "didn't respond appropriately".

At the time, Mr Corbyn was questioned for seeming to cast doubt on whether Russia was responsible.

In 2018, he told the BBC that it was "very clear" the nerve agent was "very similar" to those made in Russia but added that "absolute evidence" was still needed.

Mr Corbyn, who currently sits as an independent MP, is expected to address a Stop the War Coalition protest on Thursday evening entitled "No War in Ukraine: Stop Nato Expansion".

The group argues that the government is "ramping up the threat of war" and accuses Mr Johnson of trying to "distract from the implosion of his premiership".

Nuclear weapons


Sir Keir also sought to distance himself from the previous Labour leader on the topic of the UK's nuclear arsenal.

Pressed on whether he would be willing to use nuclear weapons, he replied "of course", adding "If you believe in the deterrent, that's the whole point".

However, he added it would be wrong to talk about the circumstances under which he would take such a step.

On becoming leader in 2015, Mr Corbyn said: "I am opposed to the use of nuclear weapons. I am opposed to the holding of nuclear weapons. I want to see a nuclear-free world. I believe it is possible."

Mr Corbyn was Labour's leader for four years, stepping down after the party's defeat at the 2019 general elections.


Sir Keir Starmer says former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had a "very different view" to him on Britain's relations with Nato.



Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
UK Prime minister, Mr. Keir Starmer, has stated that any peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine "MUST" include a US security guarantee to deter Russian aggression
×