Starmer to chair Cabinet after Trump attack on UK’s response to Iran war
Sir Keir Starmer will hold talks with his Cabinet after Donald Trump again lashed out at the UK as European countries resisted immediately agreeing to US calls for assistance in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The Middle East crisis, and the domestic impact of soaring oil prices triggered by the conflict, is likely to top the agenda as the Prime Minister chairs a weekly meeting with his senior ministers on Tuesday.
It comes after the US President said he was “not happy” with Britain as allies including the UK mulled how to respond to Iran’s blockade of the strait, which is a key global shipping route for oil and gas.
Sir Keir Starmer has insisted the UK will not be drawn into a “wider war,” and said he was working with partners including in Europe on a “viable collective plan” to free up navigation in the strategic sea passage.
Britain could potentially provide mine-hunting drones to the mission rather than a warship, although the Prime Minister insisted no final decisions had been made.
“It is a discussion, we are not at a point of decisions yet, I want to really stress that,” he said on Monday.
Speaking at a press conference later, Mr Trump said the US had considered the UK the “Rolls-Royce of allies” but that its response to the war had been “very disappointing.”
He appeared to criticise Sir Keir for seeking the advice of aides on the issue of Hormuz following a call between the two leaders on Sunday, claiming the Prime Minister had said he was “meeting with my team” before making a decision.
“I said you don’t need to meet with your team, you’re the Prime Minister, you can make your own… why do you have to meet with your team to find out whether or not you’re going to send some minesweepers to help us or to send some boats,” Mr Trump said.
UK Government sources said the Prime Minister had referred to wanting to speak to partners and military planners, rather than No 10 advisers.
European countries, including Germany, have expressed a desire for more clarity over the military aims of the conflict. Many are also keen to know when the war will end.
Mr Trump has asked partners — including France, China, Japan, South Korea and Britain — to help secure the strait, and claimed the US was talking to “about seven” countries but would not say which ones.
He also gave no indication of when such a coalition might be formed.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said allies appeared “worried about how slow” the Prime Minister is.
She told the Press Association: “I’m worried that he’s not deep enough in conversations with the US. But before we start sending ships out, we need to know what the plan is.”