Sir Keir Starmer has told MPs that “hanging on to President Trump’s latest words is not the special relationship” after criticism of his approach to the Iran conflict. The prime minister’s remarks came during heated prime minister’s questions, a day after Donald Trump dismissed him as “not Winston Churchill” over the UK’s refusal to allow US forces to use British bases for initial strikes.
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, pressed Starmer on his decision not to launch offensive strikes against Iranian missile bases, asking: “Why is he asking our allies to do what we should be doing ourselves?” Starmer said the situation was “extremely serious” and that he would not join a war “unless I was satisfied there was a lawful basis and a viable thought-through plan”. Badenoch responded: “Our bases have already been attacked. Iran is trying to kill our servicemen and women. He is catching arrows rather than stopping the archer.”
On the evacuation of British nationals, Starmer said the first charter flight was due to leave Oman on Wednesday evening, with two more flights in the coming days. More than 1,000 British nationals had already returned on Tuesday, and eight commercial flights were due to leave the UAE for the UK. He said getting British nationals to safety was the priority.
Starmer defended the UK’s military role, noting that American planes were operating out of British bases and that British jets were “shooting down drones and missiles to protect American lives in the Middle East on our joint bases”. He said the special relationship was demonstrated through intelligence sharing and joint operations, not by “hanging on” to Trump’s latest words.
Details emerged of UK deployments, including radar systems, ground-based air defences, counter-drone systems and fighter jets. Multiple F-35s and Typhoons have been operating since Saturday, with Typhoons defending Qatar and F-35s defending other regional parties. Wildcat helicopters with anti-drone capabilities are to arrive in Cyprus this week, and HMS Dragon will be deployed to the Mediterranean. A suspected Iranian drone hit the British base at Akrotiri on Sunday, causing no casualties and minimal damage.
Separately, Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, met oil and gas companies on Wednesday to discuss volatility in prices following the conflict. The prime minister’s spokesperson said Starmer would “only take decisions that are in Britain’s national interests and which will keep British people safe”.
