Dear Editor
Sir Keir Starmer has shown his contempt for the sacrifices made by the British people to win the Second World War by inviting Ukrainian troops to be part of the VE Day British Armed Services personnel procession in London. This year the event seemed to be all about Ukraine. The government said that the Ukrainian troops ‘joining together with the British troops for the procession will symbolise the global support for Ukraine’s continued fight for freedom against Russia’s unprovoked illegal invasion’.
There are two things very wrong with hijacking this major commemorative event to promote the Government’s Ukraine proxy war agenda.
Firstly it is a day to commemorate our history and the sacrifices of our ancestors, not to commemorate the current tragedy of another nation. It has nothing to do with Ukraine. It detracts from the remembrance of our own people and our own story. Turning the spotlight on to foreign soldiers was an affront to many service personnel and veterans; their day was taken over to promote a political cause. It is yet another example of modern political obligations being dragged into places they don’t belong and a further demonstration of Sir Keir Starmer’s insensitivity to the British people.
VE (Victory in Europe) Day is intended to honour and respect the sacrifices of those who put their lives on the line to defend Britain and the Empire specifically against the Nazi menace – to celebrate the fortitude of civilians and service personnel who strove for five years to defend their freedoms and liberties.
Normally representatives of Russia are invited because they were a key ally whose support was vital to victory over Nazi Germany. Millions of Russians died in this conflict. This year, the government has snubbed Russia and thus diminished the importance of the Grand Alliance of Britain, the Soviet Union and the US in defeating Nazi Germany.
Unsurprisingly Russia has called the move by Starmer ‘blasphemous and disrespectful’. It is indicative of the poor standard of diplomacy exhibited by British politicians and the politicisation of national events which puts the UK in a bad light on the world stage.
Furthermore, given that Ukrainian forces and civilians actively participated in the Holocaust, helped to enable the Nazi invasion of Russia and made a significant contribution to the German war effort, the whole premise of celebrating the Allied victory over Nazism is subverted.
There is a new petition on the government website which urges British neutrality on Ukraine. It says: ‘We urge the Government to hold a national referendum on the UK being neutral in the war between Ukraine and Russia, and withdrawing from all bilateral agreements with Ukraine. We believe in peace and that the UK’s involvement in foreign wars must end.’
You can sign it here.
Anthony Webber
Please send submissions to info@conservativewoman.co.uk and put ‘Letter of the day’ in the subject bar.
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