Starmer says UK-US relationship does not mean ‘hanging on to Trump’s words’

Sir Keir Starmer insisted the special relationship with the US would endure despite Donald Trump’s personal attack on him.

Mr Trump lashed out at Sir Keir over his initial refusal to allow British bases to be used for raids against Iran, saying “this is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with”.

But Sir Keir said “hanging on to President Trump’s latest words is not the special relationship in action”, indicating that military and intelligence co-operation with the US was continuing.

And he defended his decision not to allow the US to use British bases in the opening assault against the Tehran regime, suggesting it could have been unlawful and lacked a “viable, thought-through plan”.

He told MPs “the whole country is worried about the potential for escalation” in the Middle East, and “we need to act, therefore, with clarity, with purpose, and with a cool head”.

The UK’s airbases, including Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, were initially denied to the US for their strikes against the Iranian regime.

Sir Keir said: “What I was not prepared to do on Saturday was for the UK to join a war unless I was satisfied there was a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan. That remains my position.”

In response to Iran’s retaliatory actions, Sir Keir 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.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch asked why the RAF had not taken “offensive action” to destroy Iranian missile sites after British bases in Bahrain and Cyprus had been attacked.

Sir Keir told her: “The protection of UK nationals is our number one priority. 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.”

Western officials said on Wednesday that US bombers had not yet used Diego Garcia or Fairford but that the UK was ready to accept them and that they were expected to arrive within the next few days.

The Prime Minister’s efforts to build a strong personal relationship with Mr Trump have been severely damaged by the Iran crisis, with the president singling him out for attacks in the media.

But Sir Keir said the relationship with the US went deeper than the personal ties between the occupants of No 10 and the White House.

“American planes are operating out of British bases. That is the special relationship in action,” he said.

“British jets are shooting down drones and missiles to protect American lives in the Middle East on our joint bases. That is the special relationship in action.

“Sharing intelligence every day to keep our people safe. That is the special relationship in action.

“Hanging on to President Trump’s latest words is not the special relationship in action.”

The Government has also been criticised for failing to have enough military assets in the Middle East region after RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus was hit by a drone.

Air defence destroyer HMS Dragon will be sent to the eastern Mediterranean to help protect Cyprus, but the Type 45 warship is not expected to sail until next week.

Sir Keir said Wildcat helicopters with anti-drone capabilities would be on the Mediterranean island this week.

And he insisted action had been taken in response to rising tensions in the region before the war broke out.

“Radar systems were pre-deployed, ground-based air defence was pre-deployed, counter-drone systems were pre-deployed and F-35 jets were pre-deployed,” he said.

In other developments:

– A charter flight will leave Muscat, Oman on Wednesday night to bring back stranded Britons.

– Two further Government-charted flights will take off in the coming days.

– The US and Israel intensified their bombing attacks against Iran’s military and security apparatus.

– A US submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean.

– Iran continued to launch attacks at countries across the region, with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait targeted with missiles and drones.

– Western officials said that the rate of Iranian missile strikes has declined, assessing that Tehran has several more days of capability to continue based on the current firing rate – though they cautioned that the decrease could also be a result of Iran trying to hold back its stockpiles.

– Turkey said a “ballistic munition” launched from Iran towards it was intercepted by Nato air defences.

– Economic uncertainty continued over the conflict in a region which plays a pivotal role in international oil and gas supplies.

– Military experts with knowledge gained from the Ukraine war have also been sent to the Middle East by the UK to provide advice on the situation.