Starmer warns Middle East battle ‘critical and risky’ | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated the state of affairs within the Middle East was “serious and volatile” and the Government was targeted on “protecting British lives” and “bringing our people home”.

The UK will ship helicopters with counter-drone capabilities and air defence destroyer HMS Dragon to guard British army personnel in Cyprus, the Prime Minister has stated.

Speaking firstly of Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmer stated: “This Government will be resolute in our focus, protecting British lives, bringing our people home, and safeguarding our national interest.”

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

Sir confronted a Commons grilling over his selections on the Middle East battle after Donald Trump launched a private assault towards him over the refusal to permit preliminary US strikes on Iran from British bases.

Conservative Party chief Kemi Badenoch requested why the RAF had not taken “offensive action” to destroy missile websites after British bases in Bahrain and Cyprus had been attacked.

Sir Keir replied: “This is obviously an extremely serious situation and I know the whole country is worried about the potential for escalation. They’re worried about the impact on their lives, particularly when they see what’s happening with energy.

“The family and friends of those who are caught in the region will be worried sick about them and, of course, we’ve got civilians and military personnel at risk in the region.

“We need to act therefore with clarity, with purpose and with a cool head.

“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.

“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.”

Her assaults got here after the US president stated on Tuesday he was “not happy with the UK” over the extent of its help and that “this is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with”.

Sir Keir had in a while Sunday agreed to permit America to make use of British army bases, however just for “defensive” strikes on Iranian missile websites to guard nations being focused by Tehran.

Downing Street has insisted the US stays a “staunch” ally regardless of the remarks from Mr Trump, who criticised the Prime Minister in interviews with the Telegraph and Sun newspapers.

Sir Keir has sought to restrict UK involvement within the battle, however selected Sunday that the joint British-US Diego Garcia website within the Chagos Islands and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire could possibly be used defensively by the US.

Meanwhile, HMS Dragon, one of many Royal Navy’s six Type 45 air defence destroyers, is being readied to depart for the Mediterranean to defend Cyprus after RAF Akrotiri was hit by a drone.

The warship will likely be accompanied by two Wildcat helicopters geared up with so-called “drone busting” Martlet missiles.

Facing questions from broadcasters on Wednesday, Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray insisted the UK had been build up defensive functionality in latest weeks amid criticism of an absence of air defence within the area.