Louise Jones, Labour MP for North East Derbyshire, made a speech in the House of Commons following the disgraceful attacks on Group Captain Louise Henton, who is in command of RAF Brize Norton.
Group Captain Louise Henton has served at RAF Stations in the UK, and completed worldwide deployments and detachments. Ms Henton has completed command and staff appointments in personnel, media, recruitment, programmes and plans, and human resources.
On June 20th, 2025, two pro-Palestinian activists from Palestine Action breached security at RAF Brize Norton, the UK's largest RAF base in Oxfordshire. They entered the base undetected in the early hours, using electric scooters, and sprayed red paint into the engines of two Airbus Voyager aircraft, claiming to have put air-to-air refuelling tankers "out of service" to protest UK military support for Israel.
Louise Jones said in her speech:
The Minister will know from my earlier question about force protection how important it is to take that issue seriously, and it is right that that is the main focus today. But if I may, I want to address an issue that reared its head over the weekend, given that I am one of the only female veterans in this Parliament. Unfortunately, certain pathetic little people took the incident at Brize Norton and decided to come out of the woodwork to criticise people for doing their job while being female. As a woman serving in the armed forces, I know that every opportunity that has been given to women has been earned through our serving on operations and proving time and again that we are worthy to be there. When I was serving, I was very conscious that I had to be perfect, because any fault or flaw that I showed would be held not just against me, but against all the women I was serving with. Will the Minister stand up and say to every woman serving in the armed forces that we respect and recognise their service?
-- Louise Jones MP, 23rd June 2025
The Home Secretary , Yvette Cooper, plans to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist group, making membership illegal.
Deputy Leader of Reform UK, Richard Tice, posted to X to ridicule Ms Henton:
RAF BRIZE NORTON
Kept safe & secure by an HR manager……
Well done folks ….
-- Richard Tice, June 21st, 2025
Former RAF Senior Commander, Greg Bagwell, told Richard Tice that his post was "absolutely disgraceful".
This post is absolutely disgraceful. We know nothing around the facts of this case and Group Captain Henton would have been selected on merit for the full breadth of roles at Brize. If this is the face of Reform, I don’t think many would want to serve under them.
-- Former RAF Senior Commander, Greg Bagwell, June 22nd, 2025
Zia Yusuf was a second Reform UK MP who made reference to the Brize Norton break in and the fact that Group Captain Henton had Human Resource qualifications.
Zia Yusuf posted:
Starmer crows about spending billions more in defence.
Meanwhile an RAF base is penetrated by ragtag clowns…on e-scooters.
They caused critical engine damage to a £200m Voyager.
Turns out the RAF Commander in charge there is a “specialist in HR”.
Britain needs Reform.
-- Zia Yusuf, June 22nd, 2025
Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty took to X to criticise both Richard Tice and Zia Yusuf about their posts.
Mr Obese-Jecty posted:
It is deeply unedifying to see Reform UK’s @TiceRichard and @ZiaYusufUK singling out Group Captain Louise Henton due to her trade.
This is not how those with aspirations of high office should treat our service personnel, particularly given neither have ever served themselves.
-- Ben Obese-Jecty MP, June 22nd, 2025
https://twitter.com/TiceRichard/status/1936403403116077166
https://twitter.com/gregbagwell/status/1936687992032120867
https://twitter.com/ZiaYusufUK/status/1936768439680413993
https://twitter.com/BenObeseJecty/status/1936789962483228688
