Explosive ballot reveals what Brits actually take into consideration Donald Trump’s strikes on Iran
The unpredictable US President has launched an astonishing tirade against Keir Starmer – but new polling shows the PM’s actions are largely backed by the British public
US President Donald Trump has criticised Keir Starmer’s response to the crisis(Image: Getty)
Nearly half of Brits oppose Donald Trump’s strikes on Iran – while less than three in 10 are in favour, bombshell polling shows.
A snap poll by YouGov found 49% were against the unpredictable US President’s actions, with 28% backing him. It also showed 50% of voters oppose the US using RAF bases to launch attacks on the Middle East state, even if bombings are limited to missile sites.
Just a third, 32%, back the decision to allow the US military to do so. The poll of 4,132 adults also found 45% want the UK to neither praise nor condemn the US for the Iran attacks. It comes after Donald Trump lashed out at Keir Starmer for not falling behind the American military action sooner.
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Britain refused to let UK bases to be used in the initial strikes. On Sunday the PM granted the 79-year-old US commander-in-chief permission to use the bases to target Iran’s missile launchers and stores.
Trump criticised the PM after military action which killed the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and a number of senior Tehran officials. He told The Sun: “He has not been helpful. I never thought I’d see that. I never thought I’d see that from the UK. We love the UK.
“This was the most solid relationship of all. And now we have very strong relationships with other countries in Europe..”
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It came after Mr Starmer gave his strongest rebuke of the US President so far, saying the UK “does not believe in regime change from the skies”. He said Britain had learned its lessons from the Iraq war – warning he would not commit forces to miliarty action without a clear plan and lawful basis.
Mr Starmer told the Commons in an update on Monday: “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 – that there is a viable thought-through plan with an objective that can be achieved.”
But he said he had commited to allowing defensive strikes, saying his “first duty” is to protect British citizens in the region.
The Foreign Office is looking at all options to evacuate British nationals by air, land, and sea, with more than 102,000 people already registering their presence with the Government. “The situation on the ground may remain challenging for some time, so we’re sending rapid deployment teams to the region to support our British nationals on the ground,” the PM said.
The YouGov polling found 36% of Reform voters and 17% of Tories strongly support the military action the US has taken against Iran so far. That contrasts to 5% of Labour supporters, 3% of Greens and 4% of Lib Dems.
On Monday Nigel Farage branded the PM’s response to the crisis “frankly pathetic”. He criticised the decision not to allow British bases to be used to target Tehran.
Mr Farage went on: “I do believe the American president and the Israelis are right in what they are doing. I find the actions of our Prime Minister – or the inactions, perhaps I should say, of our Prime Minister – frankly pathetic.”
