Prime Minister Keir Starmer has told MPs that “hanging on to President Trump’s latest words is not the special relationship,” following criticism of his approach to the Iran conflict. The remarks came at Prime Minister’s Questions, where opposition leader Kemi Badenoch attacked Starmer’s decision not to launch offensive strikes against Iranian missile bases.
Badenoch pressed Starmer on why the UK had not joined US strikes, asking: “Why is he asking our allies to do what we should be doing ourselves?” Starmer responded that he was “not prepared to join a war unless there was a lawful basis and a viable thought-through plan.” He emphasised that getting British nationals to safety was his priority.
The first evacuation flight for British nationals from the Middle East was due to leave Oman at 11pm local time, with two more flights in the coming days. Over 1,000 British nationals returned to the UK on Tuesday, and eight commercial flights are scheduled to leave the UAE for the UK on Wednesday.
Starmer highlighted British military deployments, including F-35s and Typhoons operating in the Middle East and Cyprus, and noted that “American planes are operating out of British bases,” describing this as the special relationship in action. He added that British jets were shooting down drones and missiles to protect American lives.
A suspected Iranian drone hit the British base at Akrotiri in Cyprus on Sunday, causing no casualties and minimal damage. Two more drones heading for the base were intercepted on Monday, and there was an alert on Wednesday morning. The Ministry of Defence confirmed the incident.
