Bid to require Parliament vote on foreign use of UK bases amid Iran conflict

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has tabled a bill that would require parliamentary approval for the use of UK military bases and equipment by other nations for armed conflict.

It comes after the Prime Minister gave permission for the US to use British military bases for “defensive” strikes on Iranian missile sites to protect countries being targeted by Tehran.

The Military Action (Parliamentary Approval) (No.2) Bill would also require the withdrawal of permission to use UK bases where parliamentary approval is not granted.

The Bill, which is expected to be laid later on Wednesday, is co-sponsored by Labour MPs Diane Abbott, John McDonnell, Richard Burgon, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Brian Leishman, Apsana Begum and Kim Johnson.

It is also co-sponsored by the new Green MP for Gorton and Denton Hannah Spencer, the Green Party’s Westminster leader Ellie Chowns, and independent MPs Ayoub Khan and Adnan Hussain.

Mr Corbyn, also an independent MP, said on X on Wednesday: “We must learn from the lessons of the past – and stop our Prime Minister from dragging Britain into another catastrophic, illegal war.”

Mr McDonnell, who was shadow chancellor under Mr Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party for five years, pressed Sir Keir Starmer on Tuesday on whether MPs will get a vote on offensive action.

The Hayes and Harlington MP said: “When he (Sir Keir) stood for the leadership of the Labour Party, he very clearly set out that there would be a vote in this House on any decision about military action.

“Can I ask him to assure us, so that we don’t drift into this war, as we have in the past, that there will be a vote in this House?”

Responding, Sir Keir said: “On the question he raises about a vote, that is of course, a vote on offensive action, deploying our troops or military, and that is not this situation.”

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Callum Miller has tabled two bills related to the conflict in the Middle East.

The United States Military and Security Operations (Oversight) Bill would confer oversight and reporting functions on the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) in relation to the use of bases or facilities located in the UK or under UK jurisdiction for military and security operations conducted by the US.

The State Actors (Proscription) Bill would would require the Government to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.