One MP has accused the prime minister of ‘abandoning international law’ to ‘appease’ Trump
Labour MPs have said Keir Starmer should condemn Donald Trump’s attack on Venezuela and the removal of its president on Saturday.
Several left-wing MPs have criticised the UK government’s refusal to say whether striking Venezuela and capturing the Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the first lady Cilia Flores was illegal.
Trump has said the US will run Venezuela until “safe, proper and judicious transition” of power can be ensured.
Starmer and his chief secretary, Darren Jones, have said it is up to the Americans to decide to lay out the legal basis for their actions.
Senior Labour MP Emily Thornberry told BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour that Trump’s strikes on Venezuela were “not a legal action” and that she “cannot think of anything that could be a proper justification”.
Richard Burgon MP has accused Starmer of abandoning international law “to appease Donald Trump”.
In a post on X, he said: “The Prime Minister is the one who chose to abandon international law over the attack on Venezuela in order to appease Donald Trump.
“Other ministers are simply following his script. So the Prime Minister himself should come to Parliament today to explain that appalling decision.”
Responding to Jones’ interview on LBC this morning, Labour MP John McDonnell said: “When you listen to the prevarication of Keir Starmer and his ministers on a basic point of international law we need to be ruthlessly honest and recognise that effectively our country has been rendered up as a Trump colony.”
In the interview, the prime minister’s secretary refused to say whether he would urge the US President not to abduct other foreign leaders.
The Labour MP for Norwich South, Clive Lewis, said: “Trump has launched an illegal act of aggression against Venezuela.
“A clear breach of the Nuremberg principles – which the UK helped write. Now a Lab govt won’t even defend them. This silence isn’t diplomacy. It’s the moral equivalent of a white flag.”
Green Party leader Zack Polanski responded to the interview, stating: “Darren Jones saying repeatedly the Labour Government won’t comment on a hypothetical.
“It’s not hypothetical – Trump is saying very loudly repeatedly what he’s done and boasting about it.
“And yet the UK Government won’t even say it’s a breach of international rules. Shameful.”
The foreign secretary Yvette Cooper will address MPs on the US operation in Venezuela today.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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