Kemi Badenoch has denied calling for the UK to join Donald Trump’s war against Iran, having previously said Keir Starmer should do more to “stop the people who are attacking us”.
Labor accused Badenoch of having a confusing position after the Conservative leader said she was not urging the government to join the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, but that the UK should “do more than catch the arrows” and “eliminate” the missile launchers.
On the BBC on Tuesday, Badenoch was asked whether it was “coherent to call for the UK to join the war, not question the final strategy and at the same time complain about rising energy bills”.
She responded that she had not asked for the United Kingdom to join the war, but that she supported the actions of the United States and Israel. “I said we support their actions. I never said we should unite,” Badenoch said. “I said that when British bases are attacked, we should do more than just catch the arrows. We should stop the people attacking us. Stop the archer.”
Pressed on what that meant, she said: “When missiles are fired, the launchers that are kept deep underground come out. If you take away the capability, that means they will stop sending missiles. So don’t just catch the arrows. Stop the archer.
“If all you do is try to catch arrows, they will hit you. I haven’t said that we should have gone in with the United States and with… Although I do say that when it comes to the two sides, I will always be on the side of the United States and Israel, not Iran.
“That doesn’t mean we should join… those strikes. It’s very, very important that we let people know what’s going on. The government is trying to muddy the waters and stop the criticism. I’m not going to accept that; I’m going to do my job and make sure they’re held accountable.”
Badenoch has repeatedly said he believes the UK should target Iranian weapons to prevent the country from threatening British bases, but has made clear he does not want to see “troops on the ground”.
Downing Street’s position is that the UK believes that eliminating Iranian launch sites would be legal as a defensive act, but the government does not plan to join this action other than allowing the use of its military bases by the United States.
