LONDON (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Wallace stated that the United Kingdom would send more weapons to Ukraine. According to him, the government is deploying a small number of Javelin anti-tank missiles and is considering sending Starstreak high-velocity manned portable anti-air missiles. The UK has already provided 3,615 anti-tank weapons, he said.
On the 17th of January, he had informed the House of the government’s plan to provide military assistance to Ukraine’s armed forces. 2,000 new light anti-tank guns, smaller armaments, and ammo were to be delivered first. As a result of Russia’s continued hostility, the supply has to be expanded.
He informed the House that the UK has provided 3,615 NLAWs (anti-tank missiles) to date and was going to continue doing so. The UK will begin delivering small consignments of anti-tank Javelin missiles in the near future.
The government was constrained by the choice to deliver defensive systems and not escalate the conflict, according to Wallace.
He added, in response to a request from Ukraine, the government has decided to investigate the possibility of donating Starstreak high-velocity manned portable anti-air missiles. This system will fall under the criteria of defensive weaponry while also allowing the Ukrainian military to better defend their skies.
The UK will also increase medical equipment, rations and other non-lethal military aid supplies.
The true figure is expected to be significantly higher, and he was worried worse was going to come, he said, adding that the Ukrainians estimate the number of people dead or injured to be above 1,000.
He predicted that Russia’s effort will grow “more brutal and indiscriminate.”
He stated that 1,000 British troops were ready to assist in the humanitarian response in countries bordering Ukraine.
Following No 10’s indications, Kwarteng dials back his anti-fracking rhetoric. A U-turn could be on the way.
Kerry McCarthy (Lab) warned Kwasi Kwarteng in the Commons that he had twice ignored concerns about the government’s fracking policy. She encouraged him to try again.
This time, Kwarteng addressed the problem. He stated he was the energy minister at the moment the government announced its stance on fracking.
He went on to say that the government has always had a clarity that they will take a cautious approach to shale gas exploration and will only support it if it can be done safely and sustainably. That is still the stance. And the decisions will be made based on evidence.
He added, this is what was written, and said in 2019 and what they continue to believe in it.
That is very different from the tone used by Kwarteng in a weekend article in the Mail on Sunday (quoted by Jim Pickard at 2.21pm). That’s what he wrote at the time.
On the other hand, onshore fracking is a different story. Those asking for its reintroduction are misinformed about the circumstance they were in.
To begin with, there are no gas supply difficulties in the United Kingdom. Even if they repealed the fracking prohibition tomorrow, extracting adequate volumes would take a decade – and at a significant cost to communities and the precious countryside.
Second, no amount of shale gas from hundreds of wells strewn over rural England could ever bring the European price down. And, despite their best efforts, private corporations will not offer shale gas to UK customers at a lower price than the market price. After all, they aren’t charities.
