Senior SNP figures urge PM to recall Parliament over Red Sea attacks speculation
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Senior SNP politicians have joined calls to recall Parliament if the UK Government is preparing to take military action against Houthi rebels before Monday.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is holding a full Cabinet call on Thursday evening amid mounting speculation that UK and Western allies could take action against Houthi rebels following attacks in the Red Sea.
The meeting was set to begin at around 7.45pm after Defence Secretary Grant Shapps warned his message to the Iranian-backed group was “watch this space” if disruption continues in the key global shipping route.
Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf took to X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday evening, calling for Westminster to be recalled.
He said the UK did “not have a good record” of military intervention in the Middle East.
He wrote: “The UK does not have a good record of military intervention in the Middle East. It is therefore incumbent that Westminster is recalled, MPs briefed and allowed to debate and scrutinise any decision to pursue military action that the UK Government is proposing.”
The SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn also said MPs should be recalled to Westminster, calling the situation in the Red Sea “complex and serious”.
On X, he wrote: “Based solely upon media reports this is quite clearly a very complex and serious situation that is developing at speed.
“It is incumbent upon the UK Government to appraise Parliament as soon as possible and MPs must therefore be recalled to Westminster.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and shadow defence secretary John Healey will be briefed after the Cabinet call, it is understood, while Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle was seen arriving at the Cabinet Office.
The Prime Minister used a conversation with the Egyptian president earlier on Thursday to discuss the disruption and emphasise that Britain would continue to “take action to defend freedom of navigation and protect lives at sea”, No 10 said.
It comes after UK and US naval forces destroyed “multiple attack drones” deployed by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, believed to be the largest attack yet from the Yemen-based force.
Mr Shapps has warned further action would be taken if attacks persist, amid growing global concern about the disruption in the key global shipping route.
He also said he believed the Houthis, a Shiite group which has held Yemen’s capital since 2014, were acting with the support of Iran.
“Be in no doubt at all, Iran is guiding what is happening there in the Red Sea, providing them not just with equipment to carry out those attacks but also often with the eyes and ears to allow those attacks to happen,” Mr Shapps told Sky News.
“We must be clear with the Houthis that this has to stop and that is my simple message to them today, and watch this space.”
The Royal Navy air defence destroyer HMS Diamond was involved in the response to the latest in a series of attacks, which the Houthis have claimed are a response to the Israeli bombardment of Gaza.
Mr Shapps also posted on X: “Overnight, HMS Diamond, along with US warships, successfully repelled the largest attack from the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Red Sea to date.
“Deploying Sea Viper missiles and guns, Diamond destroyed multiple attack drones heading for her and commercial shipping in the area, with no injuries or damage sustained to Diamond or her crew.
“The UK alongside allies have previously made clear that these illegal attacks are completely unacceptable and if continued the Houthis will bear the consequences.
“We will take the action needed to protect innocent lives and the global economy.”
It remains to be seen what form any further action from the US, the UK and other allies might take.
There has been speculation that a response could involve strikes on the Houthi command centres.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told reporters on Wednesday: “I am not going to speculate about how we will or will not respond to continued attacks.
“We do reserve the right to take further steps to protect commercial shipping and avoid the risk of further destabilising the region. That is something we will keep under review.”
