Corbyn tables bill on foreign use of UK military bases

Independent MP Jeremy Corbyn has tabled a Presentation Bill today titled the Military Action (Parliamentary Approval) Bill. The bill would require MPs to exercise stronger oversight over how foreign states use UK military bases.

The MP for Islington North has spoken up against the US-Israel war since it began. He provided a damning statement on 2nd March regarding the UK PM’s inability to stand up to Trump, seen below:

Statement in full:

Allowing British bases to be used in an illegal war of aggression is a catastrophic and historic mistake.

Britain has been dragged into another war because our Prime Minister would rather appease Donald Trump than stand up for international law.

War is not a game. This shameful decision makes Britain complicit in the devastating consequences ahead – and jeopardises the safety of us all.

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Corbyn gets cross-party support from Labour and Green Party

This bill comes as we understand the US have far more presence in the UK via military bases than was previously known. This has raised concerns about the UK becoming a vassal state for Trump and the US, who are now working in tandem with Israel in its illegal bombing campaign on Iran. So far, almost 800 people have been killed in Iran, with more people murdered in Israel’s bombing of Lebanon.

Rogue states

Corbyn has tabled the bill following Keir Starmer’s clear, public commitment to allow the US to use UK military bases in US and Israel’s illegal war on Iran for ‘defence’ purposes.

Because these two rogue states break international law daily, we must apply rigorous oversight and scrutinise government decisions that make us complicit in a war of aggression on Iran.

The full title of the bill is:

Bill to require parliamentary approval for the deployment of UK armed forces and military equipment for armed conflict; to require parliamentary approval for the granting of permission by Ministers for use of UK military bases and equipment by other nations for armed conflict; to require the withdrawal of that permission in circumstances where parliamentary approval is not granted; to provide for certain exemptions from these requirements; to make provision for retrospective parliamentary approval in certain circumstances; and for connected purposes.

The bill is supported by 11 co-sponsors, from Labour, Green Party and Independents:

• Diane Abbott
• Bell Ribeiro-Addy
• Brian Leishman
• John McDonnell
• Adnan Hussain
• Ayoub Khan
• Richard Burgon
• Kim Johnson
• Apsana Begum
• Ellie Chowns
• Hannah Spencer

Your Party MP Zarah Sultana was not contacted to support the bill, hence her name is not included. However, she has also been outspoken against imperial aggression being seen to batter Iran, and the weak, spineless behaviour on show by Starmer and co:

Proving it is indeed possible, Sultana referred to Spain’s principled decision to kick out the US military:

Featured image via the Canary