SNP MP calls out Keir Starmer on weapon exports to Israeli government
Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Kirsty Blackman quizzed the Labour leader on the apparent contradiction between his Government's words and their actions.
On Tuesday, Foreign Secretary David Lammy called Israel's government 'extremists' and described the assault of Gaza – in which F-35 fighter jets are used – as 'monstrous' and 'indefensible'.
READ MORE: UK sends spy plane over Gaza hours after attacking Israel's actions as 'monstrous'
However, he also explicitly said that the UK Government was still sending parts for F-35 jets to Israel – and dismissed official export figures showing that Labour had licensed more military equipment to be sold to Israel in three months than the Tories did in four years as 'clickbait'.
Blackman said at PMQs: 'If the Prime Minister agrees that the Israeli government starving children to death is monstrous, why does he think it's OK for the UK to continue to sell Israel the equipment for the fighter jets to drop bombs on these starving children?'
Responding, the Prime Minister insisted that sending F-35 parts to Israel was essential to UK military operations.
'What we contribute into a pot is parts for fighter jets, and if we were to stop that, they couldn't be used by other countries in the other conflicts, including those in which we are involved,' he said.
READ MORE: Labour see 'massive increase' in UK military equipment sent to Israel
In response to an inaudible heckle from the backbenches, Starmer said: 'Doesn't know the detail at all.'
He then went on: 'They're not sold directly, they go into a pot.
'If we were to stop that, they wouldn't then be available to others around the world who desperately need them in the conflicts they're engaged in, and that's why we won't do it.'
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