Sir Keir Starmer faced criticism from prominent figures in the United States and Israel over his initial hesitation to support air strikes on Iran.

A Republican senator from the U.S. described his stance as “pathetic,” while an Israeli minister suggested that the UK’s lack of decisive action reflected a “nation in decline.”

These remarks followed comments from Defence Secretary John Healey, who declined to affirm the legality of the military action, despite Canada and Australia offering their support.

Amid ongoing strikes across the Middle East, Sir Keir engaged in discussions with regional leaders, including the King of Bahrain, the Sultan of Oman, the Crown Prince of Kuwait, the King of Jordan, and the President of Cyprus. He conveyed “solidarity” amidst what he termed as “dangerous Iranian escalation.”

However, opposition Members of Parliament labeled his response as “feeble” for not taking a definitive stand, and former security officials criticized him for what they called “government by international lawyers.”

There was mounting pressure on Sir Keir to align with the U.S. and Israeli military efforts, particularly after the Defence Secretary repeatedly avoided clarifying the UK’s stance on the issue.

Asked six times by the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg if the UK supported the strikes or believed they were legal, Mr Healey declined to give a direct answer. 

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer pictured holding a series of calls with international leaders in his office in 10 Downing Street yesterday

‘Britain played no part in the strikes on Iran,’ he said.

‘We share, however, the primary aim of all allies in the region and the US that Iran should never have a nuclear weapon.’

He later added: ‘It is for the US to set out the legal basis of the action that it took.’ However, Mark Carney, prime minister of Canada, said he supported ‘the US action’ to ‘prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon’ and continuing to threaten ‘international peace and security’.

And Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese used similar language, while Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, also supported the action.

Meanwhile the UK, in a joint statement with France and Germany, condemned Iran’s retaliation and urged Tehran to return to the negotiating table, but did not openly back the strikes. 

Lindsey Graham, a Republican US senator, said the UK was ‘pathetic’ for refusing to take sides.

‘To our European allies: you have gone pathetically soft and lost your zeal for confronting evil apparently unless it’s on your front porch,’ he said. 

‘It is so sad to see Western democracies lose their passion for justice and a sense of right and wrong.’

He added that the leaders were wrong to suggest the US ‘negotiate with religious Nazis’ and observed: ‘How far Western Europe has fallen.’

British Defence Secretary John Healey arrives at 10 Downing Street ahead of Sir Keir Starmer’s statement yesterday

Amichai Chikli, Israel’s minister of diaspora, said: ‘I am deeply saddened to see this great nation in decline. I hope soon we will see the old British lion awaken and fight first and foremost for the British Isles, and immediately thereafter against the forces of darkness that seek to bring devastation upon the entire West.’

Donald Trump said last month that he was considering using the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, in the Chagos Islands, or RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire to launch strikes on Iran.

But Sir Keir is said to have warned Mr Trump that the UK would not allow the use of British facilities for any pre-emptive military action. 

His refusal to allow the US to use UK military bases reportedly came after a legal opinion – drafted for Sir Keir by Attorney General Lord Hermer – emphasised the primacy of international law.

Mr Healey’s remarks were seized on by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch who tweeted: ‘Britain’s Defence Secretary can’t tell us if our Government supports the strikes on Iran. We are not being governed.’ 

Mrs Badenoch said that she stood with the US and Israel as they ‘take on the threat’ of Iran.

And Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel described Labour’s position as ‘feeble’ as she accused ministers of ‘sitting on the fence’.