Sir Keir Starmer faces mounting demands to limit American use of British military bases after Donald Trump threatened to destroy 'a whole civilisation' if Iran did not comply with his demands. The Liberal Democrats, Greens, and several Labour MPs have urged the Prime Minister to block US forces from launching missions from UK airbases, warning that failure to act could make Britain complicit in war crimes.
Downing Street has so far allowed US forces to use British bases only for defensive operations, such as targeting missile sites, and has ruled out involvement in attacks on civilian infrastructure. However, critics argue that Trump's explicit threats against Iranian civilians cross a red line. Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, called for an immediate halt to US missions from bases including Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford, stating that the UK must not become 'an accomplice to war crimes'.
Senior Labour figures have also voiced alarm. Stella Creasy, a prominent Labour MP, said the threat to 'destroy an entire civilisation' was 'beyond unconscionable' and accused Trump of ripping up international law. Another Labour backbencher, speaking anonymously, said the bare minimum was to follow Spain's lead and ban US aircraft from using UK infrastructure for what he described as 'very clearly a threat of war crimes'.
Even Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader and a close ally of Trump, condemned the president's remarks as going 'way too far'. Emily Thornberry, chair of the Commons foreign affairs select committee, questioned how the UK could verify that US forces were adhering to the restriction on defensive missions only.
Downing Street declined to comment directly on Trump's remarks. The Prime Minister's official spokesperson said he would not provide a 'running commentary on our allies’ operations' and would not engage with 'a hypothetical' scenario of US forces targeting civilian infrastructure. He reiterated that UK bases are available only for defensive missions, in accordance with international law, and that Britain remains committed to defending its interests without being drawn into a wider conflict.
