Trump rebukes Starmer over UK refusal to back strikes on Iran

Trump rebukes Starmer over UK refusal to back strikes on Iran US president says ‘relationship is not what it was’ after PM defends decision not to allow use of British bases Middle East crisis – live updates US-Israel war on Iran: what we know on day four Donald Trump has criticised Keir Starmer again over the UK’s refusal to aid the offensive strikes on Iran, saying the “relationship is obviously not what it was”. Starmer had issued his strongest rebuke yet of Trump’s action in Iran , saying the UK did not believe in “regime change from the skies” and defended his decision not to allow the use of British bases to conduct the strikes. But the prime minister said the UK would allow the use of its bases for defensive action to protect allied forces and nations in the Gulf and Middle East who have been hit by a wave of retaliatory strikes after the US-Israeli attacks on Iran. Speaking to the Sun , Trump compared Starmer’s actions unfavourably with France’s support for the strikes and with the backing of the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte. “He has not been helpful. I never thought I’d see that. I never thought I’d see that from the UK. We love the UK,” he said. “It’s a different world, actually. It’s just a much different kind of relationship that we’ve had with your country before. It’s very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was.” Starmer has often been praised previously for his ability to maintain a relationship with the volatile US president but on Monday in the House of Commons, the prime minisiter expressed doubt about the US action in Tehran and its legality. “We all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have learned those lessons. Any UK actions must always have a lawful basis, and a viable thought-through plan,” he said. “That is the principle that I applied to the decisions that I made over the weekend.” Trump said he wished Starmer “a lot of luck” and said he had a “great relationship” with the people of the UK. He said the UK was ...