US air strikes on Iran were absolutely necessary, says Patel
It followed Operation Midnight Hammer last month, an air raid when US defence forces attacked Iranian nuclear sites near Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.
UK Attorney General Lord Hermer is reported to have raised legal concerns about any potential British involvement in the conflict beyond defending its allies.
'Two weeks have passed since the US air strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities,' shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti said.
Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel (House of Commons/PA)
'Does the minister have an assessment of their impact, and what is his response to the Iranian regime now prohibiting co-operation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) and their inspectors leaving Iran?
'Given Tehran's refusal to co-operate, is the minister and the department in discussions with the partners about snapback sanctions being applied (by reinstating UN sanctions on Iran removed through the 2015 Iran nuclear deal) and other measures?
'Is he concerned that demonstrates that Iran will continue to pursue nuclear weapons and their entire programme?
'And with the information received from discussions with America, Israel and other intelligence partners, will the Government finally come off the fence about those strikes and agree with this side of the House that they were absolutely necessary?'
Mr Falconer replied: 'I won't provide, I'm afraid, a detailed commentary from the despatch box on the extent of damage from the strikes, for reasons that I'm sure (Dame Priti) and the rest of the House will understand.
'I can confirm we are in discussions about the snapback mechanisms. As the Prime Minister (Sir Keir Starmer) has said, as the Foreign Secretary (David Lammy) has said, as I have said, we cannot see Iran get a nuclear weapon – snapback is an important lever.
'We're talking with our E3 partners and indeed the Americans about what role snapback can play.
'We hope to see a diplomatic solution. That is ultimately the most enduring way to ensure that Iran does not get a nuclear weapon, but we will continue to consider all diplomatic tools including snapback.'
US defence forces attacked Iranian nuclear sites near Fordo (Maxar Technologies via AP)
Andrew Murrison referred to comments which Defence Secretary John Healey made on social media website X, when the Cabinet minister said the 'US has taken action to alleviate the grave threat that Iran poses to global security'.
The Conservative MP for South West Wiltshire told the Commons: 'The Defence Secretary correctly has said that Operation Midnight Hammer has alleviated a grave threat, but the Attorney General appears to be less clear and wonders if it was illegal, whilst the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary appear to sit on the fence.
'Sorry to put the minister on the spot – does he agree with the Attorney General or with the Defence Secretary?'
Mr Falconer replied: 'The Defence Secretary and the Attorney General are doing rather different roles, and I don't think they're in disagreement – and in any case, collective responsibility would bind them both and indeed me.'
The Foreign Office minister, whose portfolio includes the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan, also referred to a 'gap' in the law which independent reviewer of state threats legislation Jonathan Hall identified in a 2025 report.
Mr Hall recommended that the Government should be able to issue 'statutory alert and liability threat notices' against foreign intelligence services.
'By way of example, this strong power would be available for use against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps', he wrote, referring to the Iran-backed organisation.
It would be a 'new proscription-type power', similar to existing terrorism legislation used to ban organisations such as Hamas and National Action, the reviewer said.
When Labour MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme Adam Jogee asked Mr Falconer to 'elaborate a little more on what that means', the minister replied: 'A state in this case has proved a persistent threat in the UK using methods unlike those usually employed by a state.'
He said the Government was 'seeking to fill' the gap in the law.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Belfast Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Senior Orangeman joins calls for unionist unity as DUP leader says division ‘has cost us dearly'
Harold Henning, the Orange Order's Deputy Grand Master, said cooperation between parties should be 'demanded', not just encouraged. It came as Gavin Robinson said division had cost unionism dearly. Although neither specifically mentioned electoral pacts, both want greater party co-operation in future elections. Northern Ireland is next due to go to the polls in the 2027 Assembly election. In some seats, such as Lagan Valley at the last Westminster poll, a split vote has seen a non-unionist candidate elected. Mr Henning, speaking at the Twelfth in Maghera, Co Londonderry, made a clear plea for unionist co-operation. 'I recognise that the Orange family is a broad church in terms of its political views - however, one thing all our members can agree on is that our interests are best served as citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,' he said. 'The leadership of this Institution remains consistent in its desire to see closer collaboration between the leadership of our pro-Union political parties so as to maximise unionist representation at all levels of government. 'Cooperation between our political representatives must be encouraged - more than that, it should be demanded, and country should always come before party or individual self-interest. 'Let's get that message out to our politicians – as a people, we want to see more unity of purpose across political unionism.' Twelfth celebrations get underway in Belfast Meanwhile, in a pre-Twelfth email to DUP members, Gavin Robinson said politicians must take note of the Orange Institution's "unifying power'. 'Across towns and villages, it brings together people from every walk of life, reminding us of the strength that comes when we stand side by side,' he said. 'That is a message unionism must learn from. We achieve more together than we do apart. 'Divided unionism has already cost us dearly. 'As we look ahead to Assembly and council elections in two years' time, we must explore how to maximise the pro-Union vote and return more unionist representatives, not fewer. 'The need for common purpose and cooperation has never been more obvious or more essential.' Meanwhile, South Antrim MP Robin Swann attacked the Windsor Framework during a speech at the Twelfth in Carnlough. In a direct message to Secretary of State Hilary Benn, Mr Swann said the Union is a commitment, not a convenience. 'The Windsor Framework does not restore our place fully in the UK internal market,' he said. 'It leaves Northern Ireland subject to foreign laws we cannot change. 'It carves a regulatory border between Larne and Stranraer, between Belfast and Ayrshire. 'It sends a message: That our place in the United Kingdom is conditional; that our rights as British citizens are somehow less equal than those across the water.' He added: 'The Framework may offer tweaks — but it does not solve the fundamental problem. Our economic, constitutional, and democratic rights remain compromised. 'So, we say to the Secretary of State, Hilary Benn - the Union is not a convenience - It is a commitment. 'And Northern Ireland must be fully, equally and permanently part of it, and you need to step up to the job you have been given.'
BBC News
9 hours ago
- BBC News
Stoke-on-Trent councillors back calls for larger homes
Councillors have backed calls for new housing to meet minimum size standards. Stoke-on-Trent City Council has yet to adopt the government's Nationally Described Space Standard (NDSS) into its local planning policies, making it harder for planning committee members to block developments where the homes are too unanimously supported a motion calling on the cabinet to formally adopt the NDSS into planning policies "without delay". Conservative group leader Dan Jellyman proposed the motion to Thursday's full council meeting, following a recent planning application from the council itself which included some homes which did not meet the NDSS. The plans for 117 council flats, houses and bungalows on the former Brookhouse Green Primary School site in Bentilee were approved in April, but 10 houses and four bungalows will be below the space the April meeting, Jellyman, who chaired the planning committee at the time, described the scheme as "incredibly poor" and an "embarrassment" to the proposing his motion to full council, he said he thought it was time to consider adopting the said: "We had this flagship social housing scheme that isn't actually flagship at all – it's too small. "We thought this was wrong, particularly from an administration that said they were going to invest well into social housing."The NDSS, established in 2015, sets different minimum internal floor areas for different properties depending on the number of bedrooms and acknowledged there could be issues with applying the NDSS to heritage building conversions but he said these could be taken into account by the Andy Platt, the current chair of the planning committee, agreed that the Bentilee scheme failed to meet space standards, although he noted that the plans had started under the previous said: "I do think national space standards are important. The national standards have got smaller and smaller over the years, but a lot of the council properties in the city meet the original ones from the 1940s, which were huge."Platt pointed out that some of the Bentilee properties had missed the standard by just one square metre. But Conservative councillor Dave Evans said that even one square metre could make a difference to young parents with a news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
NBC News
9 hours ago
- NBC News
American beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the West Bank
A 20-year-old American from Florida was beaten to death by Israeli settlers on Friday while visiting relatives in the occupied West Bank, according to his family and the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Sayfollah Musallet, known as Saif, was 'brutally beaten to death' in the town of al-Mazra'a ash-Sharqiya, north of Ramallah, the family said in a statement on social media and confirmed to NBC News, adding that for about three hours, a group of settlers blocked an ambulance and paramedics from reaching Musallet. After the settlers cleared, Musallet's brother was able to reach him and carry him to the ambulance, according to the statement. However, 'Saif died before reaching the hospital.' A second man, Mohammed al-Shalabi, 23, was also killed in the same clash with settlers, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Hundreds of thousands of Israeli settlers live in developments built in Palestinian territories and widely considered illegal by the international community. Since October 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, sparking the war in Gaza, violence perpetrated by settlers in the West Bank has surged, often aided or abetted by Israeli security forces. Settler attacks include raids on villages, arson targeting homes and farmland, and physical assaults on residents that have regularly turned deadly. It is currently unclear why the confrontation that killed Musallet and al-Shalabi began. NBC News has reached out to the State Department for comment. According to Reuters, a State Department spokesperson said it was 'aware of reports of the death of a U.S. citizen in the West Bank,' adding the department had no further comment 'out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones' of the reported victim. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Friday it was 'aware of reports regarding a Palestinian civilian killed and a number of injured Palestinians as a result of the confrontation, and they are being looked into by the ISA and Israel Police.' Israel Police did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for information on the incident or the settlers involved. Saif's cousin, Fatmah Muhammed, told NBC News on Saturday that Musallet worked in an ice cream shop run by his father in Tampa, Florida. He traveled to the West Bank in June to visit his mother, brother, and sister. Musallet's father was en route to the West Bank from Florida for his funeral, to be held on Sunday. 'This news has been devastating for the entire family,' Muhammed said. Nizar Milbes, a close family friend currently visiting the West Bank from California, told NBC News that many residents of al-Mazra'a ash-Sharqiya are Americans. The town was known for its rolling hills and olive trees where many modern Palestinian homes are built, including some of the West Bank's more opulent houses. Families gathered to barbecue and relax, many of them travelling from the U.S. for vacation, but Milbes said growing settler violence has transformed the area. 'There's nothing left over here for people to enjoy, the settlers have taken everything,' he told NBC News. 'People can't even go there anymore. The settlers have burned the vacation homes, they've encroached and put their stuff there.' In March, a United Nations report warned that settler violence had 'increased in a climate of continuing impunity.' Yesh Din, an Israeli human rights group, said settlers face minimal legal consequences for violence perpetrated against Palestinians. Between 2005 and 2023, more than 93% of all investigations were closed without an indictment and only 3% of investigations led to a conviction, according to a report by the organization. 'The low conviction rate sends the message that the law enforcement system, in its entirety, does not consider settler violence to be a serious issue, contributing to the perpetrators' sense of immunity,' the report said. Since October 2023, 961 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, according to a database maintained by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, a sharp rise from previous years. CAIR-Florida, the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a nationwide Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, condemned Israeli settlers 'backed and enabled by the Israeli government,' for Musallet's death, and called on President Donald Trump to 'put America first.' 'This murder is only the latest killing of an American citizen by illegal Israeli settlers or soldiers,' the statement said. 'Every other murder of an American citizen has gone unpunished by the American government, which is why the Israeli government keeps wantonly killing American Palestinians and, of course, other Palestinians.' In April, 14-year-old American Amer Rabee was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers. His family said he was picking almonds, the IDF said he was throwing rocks. In September 2024, Turkish-American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, was shot dead by an Israeli soldier during a demonstration against West Bank settlements. American citizens Mohammad Ahmed Mohammad Khdour and Tawfic Hafeth Abdel Jabbar, both 17, were killed by Israeli fire in separate incidents in February and January 2024.
