Labour civil conflict as MPs slam Starmer’s ‘shameful and reckless’ Venezuela assertion | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Sir Keir Starmer has been blasted by his personal MPs after he issued a “shameful and reckless” assertion that failed to speak about Donald Trump following his assault on Venezuela, which noticed the nation’s President, Nicolas Maduro, captured and reportedly taken to the US.

The Prime Minister issued an announcement on the social media platform X saying: “The UK has long supported a transition of power in Venezuela. We regarded Maduro as an illegitimate President and we shed no tears about the end of his regime.” He added: “I reiterated my support for international law this morning. The UK Government will discuss the evolving situation with US counterparts in the days ahead as we seek a safe and peaceful transition to a legitimate government that reflects the will of the Venezuelan people.”

But the assertion drew blistering criticism from his personal MPs, with Richard Burgon slamming the assertion as “shameful”. Mr Burgon claimed that “international law is being cast aside to appease Donald Trump.”

He added: “The world will see this hypocrisy for exactly what it is. Contrast it with the principled words of Brazil’s President Lula (below). That’s real leadership.”

Sir Ed Davey, chief of the Liberal Democrats, lampooned the assertion as a “cop out”, including: “Standing up for international law means condemning leaders when they break it, whether that’s Vladimir Putin or Donald Trump.”

The assertion from the Prime Minister got here late within the day, after he stunned his MPs by saying he could be ready for President Trump’s assertion earlier than making certainly one of his personal.

Mr Starmer’s perceived slowness in responding to the assault drew criticism from his personal MPs earlier on Saturday. One backbench Labour MP demanded that the Prime Minister “stand up to Trump’s gangster politics”. Richard Burgon, a critic of Mr Starmer, added that he ought to “respond to an illegal bombing and kidnapping by Trump in exactly the way he would if Putin had carried it out”.

He was supported by a set of different backbench Labour MPs, Jon Trickett, Kim Johnson and Kate Osborne. Mr Trickett shared a tweet on-line quoting the Defence Minister of the South American nation which mentioned “we will not negotiate, we will not surrender, and we will ultimately triumph”.

The chief of the Green Party, Zack Polanski additionally condemned the assault, and later Mr Starmer after the Prime Minister’s assertion saying: “How quickly Keir Starmer has tried to change the narrative from an illegal kidnapping & oil grab to “lengthy supported a transition of energy.”.”

Sir Ed Davey, the chief of the Liberal Democrats, additionally condemned the strikes, and referred to as on the Prime Minister to do likewise. He mentioned: “Keir Starmer should condemn Trump’s illegal action in Venezuela. Maduro is a brutal and illegitimate dictator, but unlawful attacks like this make us all less safe.”

He added: “Trump is giving a green light to the likes of Putin and Xi to attack other countries with impunity.”