But Brit PM says he is providing ‘calm, level-headed leadership’ while Trump has plunged Middle East into ‘chaos’
Keir Starmer admitted he has had the silent treatment from Donald Trump since the US President blasted his dithering over the Iran war. The Prime Minister said the pair have not spoken since the first day of the conflict.
Trump has since accused Starmer of taking ‘far too much time’ to act, branded him a ‘loser’ in private, ‘no Winston Churchill’ in public and claimed he has plunged the two nations’ ‘special relationship’ into meltdown.
The PM yesterday announced Britain would be sending four Typhoon jets, missile-destroying helicopters and drones to the Middle East. But they will not arrive until tomorrow – a week after the war started.
And warship HMS Dragon – needed to protect drone-bashed RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus – will not get there for a fortnight as it is undergoing welding work in Portsmouth.
But addressing the nation a defiant PM insisted he was providing ‘calm, level-headed leadership’ while accusing Trump of plunging the Middle East into ‘chaos’.
He said the UK had been deploying anti-aircraft missiles to the region since December and – though he and Trump have not talked personally – Transatlantic ties were still working despite the spat.
“While the region has been plunged into chaos my focus is providing calm, level-headed leadership in the national interest,” Sir Keir said. This conflict could continue for some time.
“The long-standing British position is that the best way forward for the regime and the world is a negotiated settlement with Iran where they give up their nuclear ambitions.
“It’s for me as the British PM to take the decisions that I consider to be in the best interests of the UK.”
The duo fell out after Starmer initially refused to let US troops use Brit air bases in the Middle East for Operation Epic Fury – reportedly on the advice of Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.
Starmer u-turned 24 hours later after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran double the size of the 2003 shock-and-awe barrage of Iraq.
That conversation on Saturday was the last time the pair spoke.
Trump said Starmer ‘took far too long’ to change his mind and sources claim the US has kept Britain in the dark over its war campaign ever since.
Starmer’s bid yesterday (thurs) to get back on the front foot took two massive blows.
The UK Government’s first repatriation flight to evacuate frightened Brit tourists from holiday hotspot Dubai via Oman could not take off after it took so long processing passengers the pilot needed a nap.
Passengers were ordered back to the terminal and packed off to hotels while it was delayed by a day – sparking more panic.
Then it was announced more European countries are having to deploy forces to safeguard RAF Akrotiri after Cypriot high commissioner to the UK Kyriacos Kouros said Britain’s response was ‘disappointing’.
Spain is to join France, Italy and the Netherlands in sending its navy as the UK has no vessels nearby and Type 45 air defence destroyer HMS Dragon – which will take up to seven days to get there – cannot set off until next week.
Madrid said the frigate Cristobal Colon would join a growing international armada in the eastern Mediterranean to ‘offer protection and aerial defence’ and ‘support any evacuation of civilians’ from the island.
RAF Akroitiri was hit by an Iranian drone fired from Lebanon on Sunday raising major concerns about the standard of local air defences.
The drone hit a hangar used by the US for U2 spy planes flying high-altitude reconnaissance missions.
After France agreed to send its ships to protect the island Sir Keir ordered HMS Dragon to sail to the region once it has been repaired.
Other Brit allies Bahrain and Kuwait have accused the UK of not doing enough to protect them.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said Britain has been ‘humiliated’ by the Government’s response to the conflict.
He said Starmer was a ‘follower not a leader’ who was ‘incapable of making a decision’.
“What was for centuries the greatest naval nation on Earth is now unable, for up to a fortnight, to send a Type 45 to Cyprus to defend British sovereign territory,” Farage said.
“We’ve managed to upset the Cypriots, we’ve managed to upset the Americans, we’ve managed to upset the UAE, Bahrain and all the other Gulf states that are on our side.”
Top 10 dithers:
1 – Britain reportedly snubbed Pentagon requests to use UK bases for Operation Epic Fury three weeks ago arguing it was against international law.
2 – UK failed to dispatch military back-up to Middle East to protect Brits ahead of imminent US-Israeli attacks.
3 – Starmer once again refused to allow use of bases the day before the attacks began.
4 – After the first day PM u-turned and granted US forces use of bases for defence operations.
5 – France had to step in to guard RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus after it was hit by a drone with no Brit warships nearby.
6 – Starmer sent HMS Dragon to protect base but it is undergoing welding work in the UK and will not get there for two weeks.
7 – After 130,000 Brits registered with Government to escape the Middle East the first repatriation flight did not arrive in Oman until the fifth day of war.
8 – That flight was then delayed for 24 hours because it took so long to process passengers.
9 – Stranded Brits are so desperate to escape they have been driving to freedom across the deserts of Oman and Saudi Arabia.
10 – A week into conflict Starmer finally sends Typhoon jets, drones and missile-zapping choppers.