Row Erupts After Starmer And Commons Speaker 'Not Told' Before Latest Houthi Bombing

A row has erupted about Keir Starmer and Lindsay Hoyle denied being told in advance about the latest bombing of Houthi targets in Yemen.

Transport minister Huw Merriman insisted the pair were given advance notice of the military action before it took place last night.

However, sources close to both the Labour leader and Commons Speaker told HuffPost UK this morning that was untrue.

RAF fighters joined American jets in targeting the Houthis for a second time in retaliation for attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

Before the first bombings nearly a fortnight ago, both Starmer and Hoyle were informed, as is the convention to do so.

Appearing on Sky News this morning, Merriman said: “I can confirm that the leader of the Opposition and indeed the Speaker were again given that information in the same way that they were the first time.”

But sources close to both Starmer and Hoyle confirmed that they were not told in advance of the air strikes taking place.

On ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Merriman admitted he was only repeating what he had been told by Downing Street.

He said: “I can only pass on what I’ve been told, which is that I was informed that the leader of the opposition had been informed in the same way that he was when the first strikes were being put together, so that’s the information that I can convey over to you.”

Presenter Susanna Reid said: “Someone’s not telling the truth here.”