“But to condemn Nato is to condemn the guarantee of democracy and security it brings, and which our allies in eastern and central Europe are relying on, as the sabre-rattling from Moscow grows ever louder.”
He added: “NATO is just one part of the rules-based international system that allows for collective action, but it is a vital one.
“It should be supported, and its resolve strengthened, not undermined by ill thought-out opposition.
“That is why Labour’s support for Nato remains as unwavering today as it was when we played an instrumental part in its formation.”
He has also criticised his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn and has backed the Prime Minister’s stance on the UK’s NATO membership and its expansion into Ukraine.
In Prime Minister’s Questions today, Boris Johnson said he was “genuinely grateful” for the Labour backing of its stance on Russian aggression.
