'Stick to what we believe is right,' Labour MPs urge PM

Cooper tells Blair: ‘We have to learn the lessons from Iraq’

- ATHENA STAVROU DAVID MADDOX

Senior Labour MPs are urging Sir Keir Starmer to “hold his nerve” and “stick to what we believe is right” in the face of another furious rant by Donald Trump.

The US president launched another broadside at the prime minister on Saturday, writing on Truth Social that the US does not need anyone to “join wars after we’ve already won”.

Sir Tony Blair also weighed into the debate, arguing that Sir Keir had made a mistake by not joining in the war on Iran from the outset.

Despite the ongoing spat, a Downing Street spokesperson said the two leaders spoke yesterday afternoon. “The leaders began by discussing the latest situation in the Middle East and the military cooperation between the UK and US through the use of RAF bases in support of the collective self-defence of partners in the region,” they said.

“The prime minister also shared his heartfelt condolences with President Trump and the American people following the deaths of six US soldiers.”

In a row that has been brewing for over a week, Labour MPs had called on the PM to stick to his policy of defensive action.

Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper warned that Labour “needs to learn the lessons of Iraq” in a put-down to Sir Tony. She was reflecting the continued anger over the way the former prime minister led Britain into that disastrous Middle East war in 2003, and is now criticising Sir Keir.

However, figures connected to the Trump administration are now warning that the ill feeling over the UK’s refusal to get involved in direct attacks from Iran at the start will impact trade between the two countries.

It reflected claims by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage after a meeting with the US president last week, declaring: “The relationship between Starmer and Trump is over.”