It has come to light that cabinet ministers debated the potential benefits of aligning with Donald Trump before ultimately deciding against his request to use British bases for bombing Iran.
Reports indicate that Ed Miliband, Rachel Reeves, and Yvette Cooper advised Sir Keir Starmer to distance himself from the U.S. military actions, particularly as Labour faced increasing pressure from left-wing rivals like the Greens.
Security insiders noted that Miliband adopted what they described as a ‘petulant, pacifist, legalistic, and very political approach’ during a National Security Council meeting last Friday. This meeting took place just a day before the U.S. launched its attack and shortly after Labour suffered a significant by-election defeat to the Greens in Gorton and Denton.
Both Miliband and the Chancellor reportedly posed challenges for the Prime Minister, while Cooper leaned towards the more cautious stance traditionally held by the Foreign Office.
The Prime Minister’s decision on whether maintaining close ties with the U.S. was in the national interest seems to have been influenced by Labour’s internal challenges.
According to a source, the discussion focused on the legal implications of the proposed military action and whether maintaining a strong relationship with the U.S. was advantageous for the party at that moment. The consensus among many was that it was not.
Insiders disputed claims that Sir Keir had floated the idea of letting President Trump use bases on UK territory before being blocked by fellow ministers.
The PM is said to have been on the receiving end of several ‘very angry’ phone calls from Mr Trump over the use of Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire to mount bombing raids.
Ed Miliband, Rachel Reeves and Yvette Cooper are said to have urged Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) to have nothing to do with the US assault on Iran
Security sources said Mr Miliband (pictured) took a ‘petulant, pacifist, legalistic and very political approach’ at a meeting of the National Security Council last Friday – the day before the US attack began
Insiders disputed claims that Sir Keir had floated the idea of letting President Trump (pictured) use bases on UK territory before being blocked by fellow ministers
But it is understood that he did not believe the action was lawful and that legal objections set out by his Attorney General Lord Hermer were made clear to the US days before the final decision.
In a partial U-turn, ministers have now said US planes can use British bases for the ‘limited’ purpose of mounting ‘defensive’ attacks against Iranian missile batteries threatening the region.
A Downing Street spokesman said: ‘We never comment on the content of National Security Council meetings.
‘The decision had the full support of the Cabinet, including all the members of the National Security Council.’
However, the revelations, reported by The Spectator magazine, are likely to further anger Mr Trump and raise fresh questions about whether Sir Keir is capable of rebuilding the special relationship with the US that underpins the UK’s security.
The White House hit back again at Sir Keir last night after he suggested Mr Trump’s attack on Iran was illegal and unplanned.
The PM took a rare swipe at the US President yesterday after Mr Trump publicly humiliated him by saying he was ‘no Churchill’.
The PM told MPs he was not willing to join military action without ‘a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan’.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt ‘completely rejected’ Sir Keir’s suggestion of illegality last night, saying President Trump believed Iran had posed an ‘imminent and direct threat’ to the US and its allies.
Sir Keir insisted the special relationship did not ‘hang on President Trump’s latest words’.
But Tory MP Gareth Bacon suggested the PM’s ‘dithering’ over the use of British bases had damaged relations with the US.
Sir Keir responded: ‘American planes are operating out of British bases – that is the special relationship in action.
‘British jets are shooting down drones and missiles to protect American lives in the Middle East on our joint bases – that is the special relationship in action.
‘Sharing intelligence every day to keep our people safe – that is the special relationship in action.
‘Hanging on to President Trump’s latest words is not the special relationship in action.’
Deputy PM David Lammy played down the row last night, but acknowledged that Labour’s £35billion Chagos Islands giveaway to Mauritius might have to be abandoned, telling ITV’s Peston show: ‘It’s just not clear at the moment whether we’re going to be able to transfer it.’
Last night Mr Trump said the US was in a very strong position on Iran, adding: ‘Somebody said, “On a scale of ten where would you rate it?” I said, about a 15.
‘We’re in very good shape. It’s a great display of military strength.’
