Sir Keir Starmer repeated that “the UK would not join the offensive action, would not get dragged into this war” and that it was “monitoring” how the US is using its UK bases.
Speaking on ITV’s Talking Politics podcast he said the UK “would take action in collective self-defence of British lives, British interests and, of course, our allies here in the Gulf”.
Pressed to say how UK bases were being used, Sir Keir said: “I’m saying I’ve been really clear about the use of the bases for collective self-defence only and we are monitoring.”
The Prime Minister said: “Our principles are in place, really clear about that divide – no offensive action, not joining in the war, of collective self-defence only and that our bases will not be and are not being used for wider offensive.”
He said: “From the get-go we’ve been monitoring this situation, so I’m pretty clear in my own mind about what we’ve agreed and what the use of the bases are, and that is a really important point of principle because we have to learn the lessons of Iraq.
“We need to be clear where we stand as a country and I’m the British Prime Minister, I make decisions on what’s in the British national interest – and that is my focus.”
