FORMER Wells MP James Heappey has joined condemnation of comments from US Vice President JD Vance branding UK and French troops as “from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years”.

It came after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer repeatedly pledged UK ‘boots on the ground’ as part of a potential peacekeeping force between Ukraine and Russia.

In an interview with Fox News, Mr Vance said: “If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine.

“That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years.”

The UK fought alongside US troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan, with some 636 losing their lives in the fighting.

Around 18,000 French troops fought in the first Gulf War, as well as contributing to the war in Afghanistan.

Members of Somerset-based 40 Commando in Iraq

Somerset-based 40 Commando were the first conventional troops on the ground in Iraq in 2003, and returned to the country the following year as part of a multi-national division peace-support operation. Numerous county servicemen and women gave their lives in the fighting.

Mr Heappey was among those to slam Vance’s comments.

“Serving with America and France were defining moments of my military career,” said the former MP, himself a veteran who served as Armed Forces Minister in the Conservative government between 2020 and 2024.

“Sad to hear the relationship reduced to this.”

Fellow veteran and former Conservative Veterans Minister, Johnny Mercer, said: “This clown needs to check his privilege. I read (JD Vance’s) book, making the mistake of finding him quite interesting.

“By his own admission he spent his time in the Marines ‘writing articles and taking pictures’.

“Perhaps if he had got his hands dirty serving his country like so many of his fellow American and British veterans, chasing his own country’s crazy foreign policy ideas, he might not be so quick to dismiss their sacrifice.”

MP Helen Maguire served with the Royal Military Police in Iraq and Bosnia

MP Helen Maguire (Lib Dem, Epsom & Ewell) – a former Captain who served in Bosnia and Iraq – added: “JD Vance is erasing from history the hundreds of British troops who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I saw first-hand how American and British soldiers fought bravely together, shoulder to shoulder.

“Six of my own regiment, the Royal Military Police, didn’t return home from Iraq. This is a sinister attempt to deny that reality.”

They were joined by SAS veteran and best-selling author Andy McNab, who fought in the First Gulf War.

He said: “He needs to read the names of the dead who have fought and shed blood alongside US troops.”

Former Army chief, General Sir Patrick Sanders, said: “I fought alongside the US in Iraq and Afghanistan over almost two decades so I obviously don’t agree with Vance’s remarks.”

And ex-First Sea Lord Admiral, Lord West, said: “We lost over 450 men and women, plus 3,000 very badly injured when we went into Afghanistan post 9/11, with America as its allies. NATO had invoked Article 5.

“It is utterly disgraceful that Vance ignores that and says such things. He is a ghastly man, I am afraid.”

After the backlash in the UK, US vice president Vance said: “I don’t even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond.

“There are many countries who are volunteering, privately or publicly, support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful,” he added.