A NUMBER of politicians have called on Rishi Sunak to recall Parliament after the UK launched targeted strikes against military facilities used by Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Speaking early on Friday morning, Rishi Sunak confirmed the UK had taken “limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence”.
He said the strikes came as the Houthis “have continued to carry out attacks in the Red Sea, including against UK and US warships just this week”.
Writing on Twitter/X on Thursday evening, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn was among those to call for Parliament to be recalled so a statement could be made.
“It is incumbent upon the UK Government to appraise Parliament as soon as possible and MPs must therefore be recalled to Westminster,” he said.
Humza Yousaf meanwhile said on social media that the UK “does not have a good record of military intervention in the Middle East” and that “it is therefore incumbent that Westminster is recalled”.
Elsewhere, Labour leader Keir Starmer said that while the strikes have his support, he believes “there needs to be a statement in Parliament,” which isn’t sitting on Friday.
He added that the statement should be made “as soon as possible at the first opportunity”.
Meanwhile, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said it was “utterly disgraceful” that Parliament has not been consulted on the strikes.
Writing on Twitter/X, he said: “Military action in Yemen by the UK & US government is a reckless act of escalation that will only cause more death and suffering.
“It is utterly disgraceful that Parliament has not even been consulted. When will we learn from our mistakes and realise that war is not the answer?”
Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie (below) meanwhile said "these are grave and deeply troubling new developments and the Prime Minister must explain his actions".
"The people of the UK will not stand another government taking it to war in the Middle East, or acting without even observing a basic democratic process," he said.
"The UK Government should not have acted without consulting Parliament and should recall MPs to address the actions that risk destabilising the region further.
"The public should not have to wait a weekend for the answers. We should all be deeply troubled by the UK's history of military interventions in the region, often making matters worse.
"The situation in the Red Sea is of course alarming, but this will increase tensions or widen conflicts further. The critical condition for de-escalating the conflict is an immediate ceasefire and an end to the killing in Gaza."
Alba MP Kenny MacAskill also spoke out against the air strikes and commented: "This is a foolish act of military aggression that will undoubtedly lead to an escalation in the entire region and that will only prolong war, resulting in more deaths and suffering.
"People across the UK must ask why the majority of countries across Europe are not providing military assistance to support this military action.
“The Westminster machine seems incapable of learning from its mistakes in its disastrous interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan. War is not the answer to the unimaginable suffering that is happening every day in the Middle East.
"This action could well be the catalyst that escalates tensions and results in our armed forces being dragged to another illegal war. Parliament is right to be appalled that military action has been carried out without its approval. This action has not been carried out in my name.”
The Liberal Democrats have called for a retrospective vote on military action in the Red Sea and also called for MPs to be recalled.
The party's foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Moran said: "Parliament should not be bypassed. Rishi Sunak must announce a retrospective vote in the House of Commons on these strikes, and recall Parliament this weekend.
"We remain very concerned about the Houthis' attacks. But that makes it all the more important to ensure that MPs are not silenced on the important issue of military action."
SNP MP Douglas Chapman also commented on the strikes, saying he was “genuinely surprised and concerned” that Flynn had not been consulted.
He described it as a “developing and dangerous situation”.
Other SNP MPs also took to social media to comment, including Ian Blackford.
Writing on Thursday night, he said: “Whilst political leaders must be briefed this evening, it is right that when Parliament meets that @RishiSunak makes a statement and then the whole house gets to respond in an appropriate manner in a considered but equally through demonstrating the right level of scrutiny whilst also critically we stand together for peace and security.
“Shipping lanes must operate without fear.”
Alison Phipps, a professor at the University of Glasgow, commented on social media last night: “Please God tell me they at least recalled Parliament before going to war.”
