STATEMENT FROM THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS ON THE RUSSIAN SUBMARINE INCIDENT

With the address to the House of Commons of what has transpired in the Firth of Forth, the Liberal Democrats would like to give the following statement. We commend the swift actions of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, particularly to the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force helicopter pilots who assisted in evacuating the Submarine’s crew. We thank the Prime Minister for his Government’s measured response thus far, that said we call for the Government to look to ensure cooperation between them and the Russian Defence Ministry to ensure the safe return of the vessel. We also call on the Russian Government to provide a more truthful explanation for the Submarine being in British Territorial Waters.

The tensions between Russia and the UK have been rising these past few years, with several events that have caused tensions between both countries. We call upon the Government of the Russian Federation and of the United Kingdom to cooperate, to work together to ensure that the safety of our people is the number one priority. The rising tensions between both countries cannot not be standing in the way of the safety of our people and of the continent.

We also call upon the Prime Minister to work together with the Scottish Government as the citizens in Scotland are the first people that are noticing the effects of the stranding of the submarine on the coast of Scotland. Scotland cannot do this alone, we need to show the strength of our union in these times.