Members of Parliament across the area have made multiple recent comments on the Iran conflict; including the leader of the opposition, the leader of Reform UK and more.
The developments come as Iran has launched missiles and drones across the Middle East following the death of its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
He was killed during strikes launched by the US and Israel on Saturday.
Iran has responded by launching missiles and drones across the region, targeting Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus and ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has now allowed the US to use specific British bases for “defensive” strikes on Iranian missile sites.
See below to see what your MP has said on the developments.
Just yesterday, Patel launched an online attack on prime minister Sir Keir Starmer for disappointing Donald Trump and harming the ‘special relationship’.
Her X post said: “It is no surprise that our closest and most important ally is so disappointed. The Labour Government’s response to the crisis in Iran has been shameful.
“We should have been supporting our allies, not making it harder for them.
“Even now Starmer is still trying to sit on the fence, which is a complete failure of leadership.
In an interview with GB News she was asked the Ayatollah’s office in the UK capital should be closed, she said: “It should be shut down. And the representatives there should be expelled from our country.”
Priti Patel (Image: Jeff Overs/BBC/PA Wire)
“I think it’s astonishing that our own Foreign Secretary hasn’t taken any action whatsoever, or expelled the Iranian representatives that are based in this country representing the regime.
“Iran is a threat to our country.”
She added: “This is a serious moment. Iran is a threat to our country. Threat to our military bases, our personnel, and to our citizens around the world. And the Government now needs to step up and take action. It has sat on the fence for far too long.”
The leader of the opposition has written an extended X post criticising what she called a ‘scared’ Labour party.
In it she said: “We knew on Saturday that our allies in Canada and Australia had backed the action taken by the United States and Israel. Yet Keir Starmer still couldn’t tell the British people where our country stood or whether the UK would allow the use of our own airbases.
“It took Iranian missiles hitting allies in the Middle East and a UK base in Cyprus before Starmer finally approved the use of our bases, and this morning the Foreign Secretary still can’t say if the Labour government supports the action against Iran.
“Iran’s regime has funded international terrorism, attacked British nationals, brutally repressed its own citizens calling for freedom, and continues to try and develop a nuclear weapon.
“It should not be beyond our government to say they welcome the US-Israel taking action.
“But, particularly in the wake of the by-election last week, the Labour government are too scared to say what is obvious to the rest of us.
Kemi Badenoch (Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire)
“In towns and cities across Britain there are large blocs of voters – that Labour see as their voters – whose political loyalties are swayed by conflicts in the Middle East, not the British national interest.
“So we watch our Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers squirm and obfuscate in interviews, because they cannot say what needs to be said because too many of their voters do not want to hear it.
“It isn’t ‘international law’ or principle. It’s pure, partisan, political calculations from a party that has surrendered its right to govern our country. I will always act in our national interest.”
Farage shared Patel’s sentiment on understanding why Donald Trump was left feeling disappointed. At a press conference he said: “I do believe the American president and the Israelis are right in what they are doing.
“I find the actions of our Prime Minister – or the inactions, perhaps I should say, of our Prime Minister – frankly pathetic.”
“I do believe that Starmer’s actions don’t just threaten the special relationship, but probably he has posed, or did pose, a major threat to NATO.”
Nigel Farage (Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
He also slammed the defence secretary in a post on X saying: “Iran fires ballistic missiles towards Cyprus, home to a RAF base, yet the Defence Secretary says they “were not targeting the island.” Really?
“Does John Healey think Iran just accidentally fired ballistic missiles in that direction? This Labour government is totally rudderless.”
In an interview with GB News, he said: “If there are refugees leaving Iran, they will be housed in the middle east.
“We can’t take any more refugees from these conflicts, we simply can’t”
When asked if he thought Iranians should be forced to go back if their country becomes safe, he said: “I’m not suggesting that.”
When approached for comment on the situation, Goldman said: “Anyone looking at events in Iran and the wider Middle East will be incredibly concerned. This has such huge potential to escalate even further than it already has.
“My Liberal Democrat colleagues and I are particularly worried about Keir Starmer’s decision to allow the United States to use UK bases to launch what he’s calling defensive strikes against missile sites in Iran.
“It doesn’t really matter how the prime minister tries to redefine offensive as defensive, this is a really slippery slope.
“We also are extremely concerned that he’s going to let Donald Trump drag Britain into another prolonged war in the Middle East.
Marie Goldman (Image: Lucy North/PA Wire)
“That’s why Liberal Democrats are calling on the prime minister to set out the full legal basis for these actions and to give MPs a vote.
“Of course, we have a duty to protect British troops and citizens in the region and that must be at the heart of any UK operations.
“But it is vital that Britain is not complicit in any illegal military action.
“This is a deeply worrying situation.
“We must of course support our brave military personnel and our assets abroad, and we must have a clear, credible plan for repatriating the tens of thousands of British citizens currently stuck in the Middle East.
“My thoughts are with the innocent civilians caught up in this.
“We must do everything within our power to help de‑escalate the situation and bring everyone back to the negotiating table.”
Following an approach for comment, Whittingdale said: “The Iranian regime represents a direct threat to the people of Iran, to the whole of the Middle East and to the world.
“It has been responsible for acts of terrorism on UK soil and is supporting Russia in its war in the Ukraine.
“The removal of the Islamic regime is clearly in the interests of the UK and our national security and I am deeply disappointed that our own prime minister, unlike those of Canada and Australia, is unwilling to say so.
Cleverley has shared Trump’s frustration along with many figures on the right of British politics.
He reposted a post by the political editor of the Times, Steven Swinford that outlined the frustrations of Trump and the situation.
Cleverley captioned the post: “Keir Starmer; a day late and a dollar short.
“His hand-wringing and indecision has alienated the USA and Arab allies.
He also mocked John Healey for an interview he did, with an X post saying: “John Healey was humiliated on the media this morning because the PM can’t make a decision.
“There are legitimate arguments to support the military action against Iran, and legitimate arguments to oppose it (which I don’t agree with).
“It’s not legitimate to have no position.
“The job of the Prime Minister is mainly about making difficult decisions, effectively communicating those decisions, and ensuring the decisions get implemented.
“Starmer seems incapable of any of those functions.”
Pam Cox has not made any public comments on the recent developments but has been contacted for comment.
Bernard Jenkin has not made any public comments on the recent developments but has been contacted for comment.
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