Downing Street refuses to support former MP fighting in Ukraine

Yahoo

04-02-2025

Downing Street has refused to support a former Tory MP who went to fight in Ukraine.
Jack Lopresti, 55, is part of the Ukrainian International Legion, a unit of ground forces made up of foreign volunteers, after arriving in the country on Jan 15.
He made the decision to sign up after he lost his seat of Filton and Bradley Stoke in the general election last year.
Under the Foreign Enlistment Act of 1870, it is illegal for British citizens to enlist in an international legion, but the Government has not threatened its enforcement since the Spanish Civil War.
Asked if the Prime Minister supported Mr Lopresti's decision to serve in the Ukrainian army, a Downing Street spokesman said: 'Our long-standing position on this is that we advise against travel to Ukraine, except in some western regions of the country.
'Obviously, the Government is supporting Ukraine wherever we can,' the spokesman added. 'We want to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position, we're continuing to provide essential military equipment to Ukraine, and this year, we'll provide £4.5 billion of military aid to support forces on the front line in this critical year.'
The Foreign Office website warns: 'If you travel to Ukraine to fight, or to assist others engaged in the war, your activities may amount to offences under UK legislation. You could be prosecuted on your return to the UK.'
Mr Lopresti, a former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party and parliamentary chairman of Conservative Friends of Ukraine is not currently involved in face-to-face combat, but said that he would be willing to fight on the front line if that was needed.
The veteran told The Telegraph on Monday: 'I am a soldier. If I'm asked and needed to do any particular task, I will do it to the best of my ability. It would be very strange for me to serve in the Ukrainian military and not say this. I am here and I will do my best.'
In February 2022, Liz Truss, the then foreign secretary to the UK, said that she would 'absolutely' support Britons fighting in Ukraine 'if that's what they want to do'.
Dominic Grieve, the former attorney general, contradicted this at the time and said that Britons who fought in the war would be violating the 1870 act 'and committing a criminal offence'.
However, Sir Bob Neill, the former chairman of the Commons justice committee, said the Foreign Enlistment Act had not been enforced since 1896, according to the Guardian.
He pointed out that it had been described by the judicial committee of the privy council as an 'antiquated piece of legislation', adding: 'What's good enough for fighting Franco is good enough for fighting Putin.'
Speaking about his decision to join the Ukrainian army, Mr Lopresti said: 'I don't think breaking the law would apply in this case, the UK is fully behind what the Ukrainians are doing here.'
He added: 'If it was illegal I'd still do it. The Ukrainians are fighting our battles for us – we're talking about the Western World.'