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Sir Keir Starmer has defended the decision not to join in the US-Israeli strikes on Iran at the weekend, after Donald Trump said he was “very disappointed”.
“President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britain’s national interest. That is what I’ve done, and I stand by it,” he said.
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, the US president said Starmer “took far too long” to change his mind to allow them to use bases such as the Chagos Islands to conduct strikes.
He said: “That’s probably never happened between our countries before.
“It sounds like he was worried about the legality.”
Other MPs have called on Starmer to fully support Trump’s action against Iran, after an attack on a Royal Air Force airfield in Cyprus where an “unmanned drone” hit the runway at RAF Akrotiri.
Around 300,000 Britons are believed to be in countries targeted by Iran, with 102,000 registered with the Foreign Office for updates as officials examine all options, including a potential mass evacuation.
Analysis: Starmer’s reaction to the attack on Iran has bolstered his position with Labour MPs
The Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
Donald Trump, Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch may not like Keir Starmer’s decision not to allow the UK to take part in attacks on Iran but it is clear that his own Labour MPs strongly approve.
As the statement to the Commons goes on this afternoon Labour MP after Labour MP have got to their feet to thank Sir Keir for his reliance on international law and responsibility in the face of “an illegal act of aggression” by President Trump.
His early reference to the Iraq War and learning the lessons, his decision to stand up to Trump’s criticism and his agreement that offensive action needs a vote in parliament presses all the right buttons for Labour MPs.
Suddenly, a prime minister who Labour MPs were plotting to replace seems to them to be the right man at the right time in Downing Street, praised by them as a statement in uncertain times.
What this means is that there will be no serious leadership talk now until after the local and devolved elections on 7 May despite the humiliation of the Gorton and Denton by-election last week.
Shaheena Uddin3 March 2026 01:00
PM has ‘humiliated us on the international stage’, Deputy Reform leader says
Deputy leader of Reform UK, Richard Tice, claimed the Prime Minister has “humiliated us on the international stage” by failing to support US strikes on Iran.
Mr Tice said: “The truth is this dreadful Iranian regime has been a permanent threat to British interests, British citizens, both domestically and abroad – attacking us, they’re spreading their extremist ideology.
“And surely the Prime Minister understands that actually the United States and Israel has done the West a huge, huge favour in degrading the military capability of this terrible regime?
PM has ‘humiliated us on the international stage’, Deputy Reform leader says (Getty)
“And does he not understand that after 10 years of negotiations that have failed, actually the West was left with no alternative? And does he understand also that, actually, in refusing to support the US, he has humiliated us on the international stage?”
Sir Keir Starmer agreed that the Iranian regime is “abhorrent”, but added: “I think he’s saying that, because of that, it is perfectly right for a British prime minister to deploy and take action which would not be lawful.
“I simply and fundamentally disagree. I think it’s a very important principle when we’re talking about our personnel, that we ensure that what we’re asking them to do, and they’re being asked to put their lives at risk, that we ensure that it is lawful. I believe in that fundamentally. I’m surprised if he doesn’t.”
Shaheena Uddin3 March 2026 00:30
Former Tory minister who served in Iraq claims comparisons to Iran are ‘false’
A Conservative former minister who previously served in the Iraq war said comparisons between the situation in Iran and the UK’s war with Saddam Hussein’s country are false.
Tom Tugendhat, former security minister, said referencing Iraq was false as there are no plans to deploy troops to Iran.
Mr Tugendhat said: “The comparisons between this and that vote are absolutely zero. The reality is nobody is talking about ground troops, nobody is talking about a land invasion. What we’re talking about here is striking those targets that are targeting our friends and allies.
“In the last few hours we know of over 500 rockets that have struck the United Arab Emirates, and no doubt many have struck bases around the area. Will he be deploying HMS Dauntless and HMS Duncan out to the Gulf right now, they’re both at a state of readiness, and I’m sure the Defence Secretary could give that order this afternoon?”
Sir Keir Starmer replied: “Nobody is making the comparisons with Iraq, there is a question of drawing the lessons from Iraq and the lessons that I draw is that there must be a lawful basis for the action that we take, and there must be a viable plan. On the question of operational matters, I won’t go into that across the despatch box.”
Earlier Conservative former deputy prime minister Sir Oliver Dowden questioned why the attack on RAF Akrotiri would not form the basis “for legal military action against the Iranians”, to which Sir Keir replied: “We are in the sky, taking action defensively.”
Shaheena Uddin3 March 2026 00:00
Watch: Starmer rejects Trump criticism and confirms UK will not join US-Israel strikes on IranStarmer rejects Trump criticism and confirms UK will not join US-Israel strikes on Iran
Shaheena Uddin2 March 2026 23:30
We should be grateful that ‘statesman Starmer’ is still in charge
Our columnist Victoria Richards writes…
Today, all that is little more than the throwaway “And finally…” bit on the evening news, the world’s eyes being fixed anxiously on Iran.
Shaheena Uddin2 March 2026 23:01
Recap: UK is not at war with Iran after RAF base hit by drone, minister says
The UK is not at war with Iran, a Government minister has said, in the wake of an attack on an RAF base in Cyprus.
Middle East minister Hamish Falconer told BBC Radio Scotland an “unmanned drone” had hit the runway at RAF Akrotiri and inflicted “relatively limited damage”.
But asked if the UK was now at war, he said: “The UK is not at war.“Let me be really clear, the UK took a deliberate decision not to be part of the first wave of strikes conducted by the United States and Israeli governments.
“But in the face of reckless attacks from Iran on a whole range of allies in the region – those are Gulf allies in which there are many, many UK nationals, probably 300,000 – and in response to requests from those Gulf allies… we took the decision, as the Prime Minister announced last night, to support the US’s request to use our bases in order to conduct defensive actions.
“There are ballistic missile launches in Iran, pointed at the Gulf and it is vital that those missile launches are taken out in the face of these completely reckless attacks.”
Shaheena Uddin2 March 2026 22:30
Starmer he UK doesn’t in believe ‘regime change from the skies’
Sir Keir Starmer said service personnel “deserve to know that their Prime Minister cares and pays attention to whether what I am asking them to do is lawful”.
As he responded to MPs, the Prime Minister told the Commons: “This Government does not believe in regime change from the skies.”
“The lessons of history have taught us that it is important when we make decisions like this, that we establish there is a lawful basis for what the United Kingdom is doing. That is one of the lessons from Iraq.”
He added: “I am not prepared to commit our military service people to action unless I am sure that what they are doing is lawful and has a viable basis.
“We can discuss what the law is on another occasion, but the law is what it is, and they deserve to know that their Prime Minister cares and pays attention to whether what I am asking them to do is lawful, and I will always do that.”
Tom Barnes2 March 2026 22:27
British Airways owner IAG sees stock price plummet as FTSE 100 falls in wake of Iran strikes
In London’s main index, British Airlines owner IAG was one of the biggest fallers in morning trading, falling up to 7 per cent before clawing back some ground, though was still down 5 per cent approaching noon GMT.
Shaheena Uddin2 March 2026 22:00
Scotland’s First Minister not sure “anybody knows what the gameplan is” in Iran
Scotland’s First Minister has said he is not sure “anybody knows what the gameplan is” in Iran.
John Swinney said the attacks over the weekend and the growing conflict have “destabilised” the Middle East.
Scotland’s First Minister not sure “anybody knows what the gameplan is” in Iran
He added: “I’m obviously very concerned about the whole situation, I don’t know what the gameplan is – I’m not altogether sure anybody knows what the gameplan is in relation to this.
“What I do know is that everybody needs to step back and to get around the negotiating table and resolve these issues, because this intervention has destabilised the Middle East and that’s in nobody’s interests.”
Shaheena Uddin2 March 2026 21:20
Watch: US unleashes B-1 heavy bombers to strike ‘deep inside Iran’US unleashes B-1 heavy bombers to strike ‘deep inside Iran’
Shaheena Uddin2 March 2026 21:00