Keir Starmer’s refusal to fully back US strikes on Iran has won public approval in the UK and put political rivals Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch on the back foot, according to allies of the Labour leader. Emily Thornberry, chair of the foreign affairs committee, said it was the first time a British prime minister had said no to an American president since the Vietnam War.
A YouGov survey found that six in 10 Britons oppose the military action, while a quarter support it. Starmer initially refused to let the US operate from British bases for offensive strikes, later permitting their use for defensive actions. This middle ground has drawn ire from Donald Trump but boosted Starmer’s standing at home.
In contrast, Farage and Badenoch initially urged stronger support for the US and Israel. However, as petrol prices rose and public opinion hardened, both adjusted their positions. Badenoch now denies she wanted the UK to join the war, while Farage held a stunt at a petrol station promising a fuel discount and arguing against foreign intervention.
One senior Conservative admitted the party’s messaging had been confused, but some on the right maintain Starmer was wrong to refuse Trump. Andrew Mitchell, a former deputy foreign secretary, called the decision a “very big mistake” and said it was not in the UK’s national interest.
Reform’s chief adviser Alan Mendoza defended the party’s stance, saying Farage would have said yes to the US request on day one while ensuring British bases were defended. He questioned whether opinion polls were asking the right questions about strategic interests.
