'Worried about legality': Trump accuses Starmer of dragging his feet over US use of UK bases
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump said on Monday, March 2, that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer delayed approving a US request to use British military bases for strikes targeting Iranian missile sites, suggesting the hesitation was linked to legal concerns.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Trump said that Starmer “took far too long” to agree to the request and claimed that such a delay had “probably never happened between our countries before.”
He added, “It sounds like he was worried about the legality.”
The UK government confirmed that permission was eventually granted for what it described as defensive operations, while maintaining that Britain was not involved in the initial strikes.
Trump questions UK delay over base access
Trump said that the United States had sought access to British bases to conduct what he described as “defensive” strikes aimed at stopping Iranian missiles at their source.
According to Trump, the UK’s response was slower than expected, given the close military relationship between the two countries.
A spokesperson for the prime minister responded by saying that Iran’s attacks on British interests led to a reassessment of the UK’s position.
The spokesperson described the UK and US as “staunch allies,” underscoring continued cooperation between the two governments.
Starmer later acknowledged that Trump had “expressed his disagreement” with Britain’s initial decision not to participate. However, he defended his approach, saying, “But it is my duty to judge what is in Britain's national interests.”
Keir Starmer defends legality and prioritizes protecting UK citizens
Addressing Parliament, Starmer said that the UK was not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and described the decision as "deliberate." He stated that US forces later requested access to British bases to prevent Iran from launching further missiles across the region.
The prime minister said that he accepted the request “in order to prevent Iran from firing missiles across the region” and killing civilians.
He emphasized that the UK was not joining the US and Israeli offensive strikes, and that British bases were being used strictly for defensive purposes to destroy weapons “at source.”
Starmer argued that the move was lawful under international rules because it constituted “collective self defence.”
He added, “And UK actions must always have a lawful basis and a viable thought-through plan.” Referring to past conflicts, he said, “We all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have learned from those lessons.”
He also highlighted growing security concerns, stating that Iran had launched “hundreds of missiles and thousands of drones at countries that did not attack them.”
The prime minister concluded that the long-term solution lay in a “negotiated settlement” in which Iran gave up “any aspiration” to develop a nuclear weapon and ended “its destabilizing activity” in the region.
