Keir Starmer, the leader of the opposition, has announced that MPs will have a say in the deployment of British troops to Ukraine. This move is intended to align with the 'recent practice' of seeking parliamentary approval for military action. The announcement comes as the UK and France have pledged to deploy troops to deter Russia from further attacks on Ukraine, should a peace deal be reached. Starmer did not specify the number of troops that could be deployed, only that it would be 'in accordance with our military plans'. During Prime Minister's Questions, Starmer stated that British personnel would conduct 'deterrence operations' and protect new military 'hubs' in Ukraine. The prime minister did not confirm whether a vote would take place before troops are sent, but his press secretary later indicated that Parliament would have a say ahead of any 'long-term deployment' of UK forces. However, the press secretary did not comment on the potential impact of a rejected vote on the government's proposals. It's important to note that Parliament does not have a legal role in approving military action, which is formally authorised by the prime minister on behalf of the monarch. In recent years, a convention has developed that MPs should have the opportunity to debate deployments, although this principle has been applied inconsistently. For instance, in 2013, MPs voted against possible UK military action against Syria to deter the use of chemical weapons, with David Cameron becoming the first British leader to lose a vote on military action since the late 18th Century. Similarly, in 2014 and 2015, MPs were given a say on action against the Islamic State group (IS) in Iraq and Syria, respectively. However, in 2018, Theresa May took action in Syria without consulting MPs, and more recently, Rishi Sunak and Starmer have authorised RAF air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen without doing so. On Tuesday, the UK and France signed a 'declaration of intent' on deploying troops in Ukraine in the air, on land, and at sea after a summit in Paris. The statement also mentioned that Ukraine would authorise the UK, France, and other allies to use 'necessary means, including the use of force' within its territory. Allies also agreed on security guarantees for Ukraine and proposed that the US would take the lead in monitoring a truce. This comes after nine months of planning talks by a group of countries, known as the Coalition of the Willing, over security guarantees to be offered to Ukraine in the event of a deal, alongside separate talks over ending the war itself. Starmer emphasised that a deal to end the war 'will not happen' without such guarantees in place, 'backed by the United States'. Moscow has repeatedly warned that any foreign troops in Ukraine would be a 'legitimate target'. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
