Sir Keir Starmer is treading a characteristically cautious diplomatic path in his response to the attacks on Iran by the US and Israel.
He’s under pressure from those on the left of British politics to condemn US President Donald Trump‘s actions as “illegal” and unjustified – while those on the right want to see him offer his open support.
Military intervention in the Middle East is clearly a sensitive issue for a Labour party haunted by the Iraq war.
While British planes are now in the sky to defend UK interests in the region, Starmer made it explicitly clear that such defensive activity is “in line with international law” – and that the UK wasn’t involved in the American/Israeli attacks.
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Indeed, the PM is thought to have previously blocked the US from using UK bases – reportedly over concerns about breaching international law – despite Mr Trump making it very clear that he wanted to do so.
In his televised statement, the prime minister was vehement in his condemnation of the “utterly abhorrent” Iranian regime, which has “murdered thousands of [its] own people, brutally crushed dissent and sought to destabilize the region”, as well as posing “a direct threat” in the UK.
US President Donald Trump announces the attack on Iran in a video on Saturday. Pic: Truth Social/Donald Trump
While he didn’t express any direct backing for Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iran, he made it plain that he agreed with the rationale.
Keir Starmer concluded by urging the Iranians to “give up their weapons programmes and cease the appalling violence and repression”, although he stopped short of echoing the President’s desire for regime change.
The overall impression was of a UK government applauding the ends, but not necessarily the means.
Not for the first time, the prime minister is balancing on a diplomatic tightrope in order to maintain a close relationship with the White House.
He’s always put the so-called special relationship at the very heart of his foreign policy – and doesn’t want to risk antagonising Donald Trump (any more than he already has done recently, in refusing the use of British military bases and signing the Chagos deal with Mauritius).
Now, alongside Turkey and Kuwait, the PM has been rewarded with a Trump phone call.
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The details are sketchy; we’re told they “discussed the situation in the Middle East” and the “defensive operations” being carried out by UK forces in the region”.
It sounds brief, with no indication of any particular cordiality, but Downing Street will be relieved the call has happened.
The Conservatives are accusing Starmer of sitting on the fence.
But as a former human rights lawyer, Starmer has a live understanding of the legal and moral questions raised by these unilateral attacks.
As a Labour leader, he’s all too conscious of the unforeseen consequences of military intervention across the world – and the chaotic uncertainty engendered by a violent transfer of power.
For now, he’s decided the fence is the safest option.
