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‘Whose side are you on?’: how Keir Starmer alienated Britain’s allies over Iran
The Spectator ^ | 3/6/2026 | Tim Shipman

Posted on 03/06/2026 7:04:31 PM PST by MinorityRepublican

The American-Israeli attacks on Iran were publicly called Epic Fury, but behind the scenes it is Britain’s handling of the war which provoked that reaction – not just from Donald Trump but from the UK’s allies in the Gulf. A Labour peer was in Washington when the first missiles slammed into Tehran on Friday evening and Keir Starmer refused to voice support. A member of the Trump administration told the peer: “Britain used to not contribute that much, but you were a good ally. Now you’re contributing nothing and you’re not even a good ally.”

A version of events has quickly become established: a Prime Minister with a near-religious belief in international law hid behind the advice of his Attorney General, Richard Hermer, that the attacks were illegal.

The truth is more nuanced and highlights Starmer’s weakness. When the crunch came, in a National Security Council (NSC) meeting on Friday, the Prime Minister was not able to carry his own cabinet. While he did not want Britain to join the military action, he did think there was a case for allowing Trump to use the bases at Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford to launch the attacks. However, he was blocked by an alliance of Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary.

Hermer’s ruling – that international law does not permit preemptive strikes unless there is an “imminent” threat to Britain – was already established when the Americans contacted UK officials on February 11 to ask about the use of the bases – 17 days before the offensive began, 17 days in which Britain could have done much more to prepare.

(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.com ...


TOPICS: United Kingdom
KEYWORDS:
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1 posted on 03/06/2026 7:04:31 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Did we just attack and expect they would join in when we said? Or was the UK in on the planning?


2 posted on 03/06/2026 7:07:21 PM PST by DesertRhino (When men on the chessboard, get up and tell you where to go…)
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To: MinorityRepublican
Starmer is the definition of a weak sister.

3 posted on 03/06/2026 7:10:56 PM PST by Governor Dinwiddie ( O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and his mercy endures forever. — Psalm 106)
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To: DesertRhino

What’s the anti-Jew angle here anyway?

(Rolls eyes …)


4 posted on 03/06/2026 7:11:04 PM PST by Uncle Miltie (May we notice massive black violence without being labeled “racist!” so we can work on solutions?)
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To: MinorityRepublican

He’s on the side of the weak, woke, campus professor puke types.


5 posted on 03/06/2026 7:21:54 PM PST by vpintheak (The left is violence.)
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To: MinorityRepublican
Starmer is anti-UK, anti-US and anti-West. That much is clear.

6 posted on 03/06/2026 7:23:50 PM PST by BitWielder1 (I'd rather have Unequal Wealth than Equal Poverty)
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To: MinorityRepublican

That all reads about right to me. Thanks for posting.


7 posted on 03/06/2026 7:24:08 PM PST by Texas_Jarhead
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To: MinorityRepublican

8 posted on 03/06/2026 7:25:28 PM PST by MacNaughton
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To: MinorityRepublican
Epic Furry


9 posted on 03/06/2026 7:28:41 PM PST by yefragetuwrabrumuy ("AI;DR" calls out AI slop and warns other humans not to bother.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Starmer is on Obama’s side.
The side that will do anything to screw America.


10 posted on 03/06/2026 8:06:36 PM PST by doc maverick
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

Who emptied the asylum?


11 posted on 03/06/2026 8:08:03 PM PST by doc maverick
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To: MinorityRepublican

The man has steer karma.


12 posted on 03/06/2026 8:20:49 PM PST by TigersEye (Are the RINOs helping the Democrats with their color revolution?)
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To: DesertRhino
Or was the UK in on the planning?

That would be the right thing to do if you wanted the plan to be divulged.

13 posted on 03/06/2026 8:36:18 PM PST by MileHi ((Liberalism is an ideology of parasites, hypocrites, grievance mongers, victims, and control freaks.)
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To: BitWielder1
Starmer is anti-UK, anti-US and anti-West. That much is clear.

I wonder if British officers had to jack slap him, just to allow the U.S. restricted use of British air bases?

14 posted on 03/06/2026 10:04:30 PM PST by Mark17 (Retired USAF air traffic controller. 🎤 Father of USAF ISR pilot. ✈️ Aviation is in our DNA)
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To: MacNaughton

Is Norway against the removal too?


15 posted on 03/06/2026 10:07:14 PM PST by Mark17 (Retired USAF air traffic controller. 🎤 Father of USAF ISR pilot. ✈️ Aviation is in our DNA)
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To: Mark17
Google Gemini (AI) Search Assist:
Norway has expressed concern over the Iranian regime's human rights abuses and has aligned with EU sanctions against individuals responsible for mass killings in Iran. However, Norway's official stance emphasizes diplomacy and negotiations rather than direct support for regime change.
16 posted on 03/06/2026 10:20:52 PM PST by MacNaughton
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