RAF must strike Iran to prevent more attacks on UK bases, says Badenoch
Britain “will be in a lot of trouble” if it does not join bombing raids on Iran after UK bases in Bahrain and Cyprus were attacked, Kemi Badenoch has said.
The Tory leader argued the RAF must take offensive action to destroy Iranian missile sites and prevent further such attacks, as she warned allies in the region “think that we’re abandoning them”.
The government in Cyprus has expressed disappointment at the UK’s response to defending the island after an Iranian-made drone hit the British base RAF Akrotiri, with Defence Secretary John Healey travelling there to ease tensions.
The Government’s failure to have enough military assets in the Middle East region and the speed of its response have been criticised, as the HMS Dragon warship being readied to help protect Cyprus is not expected to set sail until next week.
Wildcat helicopters with anti-drone capabilities are expected to arrive on the Mediterranean island this week.
Mrs Badenoch told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Once our bases had been attacked, I think we became part of this, whether we liked it or not.
“I don’t want to see an escalation. But I think it is very important that where we have put bases in other people’s countries and they are being attacked, we do what we can to stop those attacks from taking place.”
Asked about concern over her enthusiasm for British involvement in the bombing of Iran, the Conservative Party leader said: “Being realistic is not gung ho…
“But sometimes the best way to de-escalate a situation is to try and finish it quickly, rather than let it drag out because you don’t want to get involved.”
She continued: “If your principle is, we will only wait until we are attacked rather than dealing with imminent threats properly, then we will be in a lot of trouble.”
Mrs Badenoch said the UK should listen to concerns from allies in the region, where Britain “used to be a powerful force”.
She added: “Cyprus feels that we have not been helpful. It is extraordinary that Bahrain and Kuwait in the UAE are publicly criticising us.
“They think that we’re abandoning them.”
The Tory leader also criticised the Government for initially not allowing the US to use UK airbases, including Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, for its strikes against the Iranian regime.
Sir Keir Starmer argued he had not been willing for the UK to enter the conflict on Saturday because he was not satisfied there was a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan.
In response to Iran’s retaliatory actions, the Prime Minister has given the US permission to use British bases for the limited purpose of attacking missile launchers and infrastructure, but RAF jets have not been involved in striking Iran.
Western officials said on Wednesday that US bombers had not yet used Diego Garcia or Fairford, but the UK was ready to accept them and they were expected to arrive within the next few days.
Sir Keir argued at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday that the Government must keep “a cool head”, responding to Mrs Badenoch’s calls for offensive action by saying: “We’re taking action to reduce the threat with planes in the sky in the region intercepting incoming strikes, deploying more capability to Cyprus, and allowing US planes to use UK bases to take out Iran’s capability to strike.”
Radar systems, ground-based air defence, counter-drone systems and F-35 jets had all been deployed to the region in advance, he said.
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Please get her to stop.
As someone who used to work in government I’m wholly alive to the need for effective opposition but she’s not it.
Though as with good government it’s been increasingly difficult to find it anywhere in recent years
Why is she so desperate to get in with Trump? What help has the US president promised the leader of the UK opposition to do this destabilising attacks? That is two leaders now in the HoC that appear to be in the pocket of foreign hostile governments.
Yesterday she fibbed about the Navy destroyer capability, almost as if Hegseth had said it.
Trump started this, let it destroy trump. Along with his poodles in the UK, Kemi and Nige.
They are all ‘fibbing’ when it comes to ‘Our Navy’…
On Kemi Badenoch’s premise we should attack anyone who MIGHT be a threat to the UK. But basically what she wants is to suck up to the orange tosspot who is leading the USA on a path of destruction and widening wars
Bloody our hands to be one of the gang, so Tory, so Fat Shanks, the club ‘made’ up of the guilty men and women that profit from the billionaire serial killers who rule the world…
Perhaps she should spend a few minutes in a war zone and take in the sights, smells and sounds of civilians caught up in the penis measuring exercises of the rich.
UK forces are treated like absolute dirt, their kit is still well below the standard of most of the world, and their accommodation and facilities are worse. They are not there for psychopaths like her to use for political point scoring.
Disgusting human being.
So Bad Enoch you want the R A F to attack Iran do you not listen and read to get informed the M O D have said the missiles did not come from Iran but from somewhere else i can think of from where Americas new puppet