Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp Leads Charge on Starmer's Iran War Stance.

The Iran War has to be one of the most dangerous and unnecessary wars this century so far. Trump has changed the narrative of why he and his partner in crime, Netanyahu, attacked Iran. First, it was to liberate the Iranian people. Then Iran's support for Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, etc. Then it's Iran enriching uranium and its ballistic missile programme. Since the war began, the Ayatollah Khamenei has been assassinated along with top military commanders. His son is now the new Ayatollah. A girl's school has been bombed, with 100 or so schoolgirls sent to Allah. Iran's infrastructure has been hit hard, as has its military and government. If they bombed the Founder of the Islamic Republic's mausoleum, Ayatollah Khomeini, it wouldn't surprise me. It seems the Americans and Israelis are hitting anything and everything across Iran. Similar to the levelling of Gaza by the IDF. Hundreds of Iranians have been killed and injured, civilian and military alike.

Iran has hit back with missiles and drones, causing death and destruction in Israel, the UAE, Kuwait, KSA, Qatar, Cyprus, and Azerbaijan. Many of these countries host US bases or are US Allies, hence the reason Iran attacked them. Many attack Trump and Netanyahu for launching this war, branding it illegal. Yes, Iran is a horrible regime where people suffer and are persecuted. However, like the 12-day war, Iran was negotiating with the US over its nuclear programme. Everyone, including the Omanis who were acting as go-betweens between the US and Iran, was hopeful that this time a deal was in sight. Then, like before, the US, along with Israel, attacked Iran without warning. This has brought us to where we are today.

The war on Iran has attracted supporters and detractors. One key Ally, the UK, which has mostly been at the US's side (in past conflicts) apart from Vietnam, has been hesitant to join this war. Sir Keir Starmer is well aware of what people thought of Tony Blair when he joined George Bush in invading Iraq. So he has been hesitant, and as an ex-barrister, he will be aware of any conflict following a legal framework. Patently, this war against Iran is not legal. Starmer's stance on the war has softened; he is sending a British warship, HMS Dragon, to Cyprus after a UK military base was struck by a drone, either launched by Iran or Hezbollah (Hezbollah is currently battling the IDF in a second front). Britain has also stationed Typhoon fighters to counter Iranian drones and missiles in the Middle East. Initially, Starmer refused to allow Trump the use of British air bases. Eventually, Starmer is now allowing the Americans to station their B1 and B-52 bombers at UK air bases before they fly and deliver their payload of death and destruction on Iran.

Sir Keir Starmer, who said he did not believe in "Regime change from the air", has earned the ire of Trump. Trump has insulted both the British Prime Minister and the UK as a nation over this. Trump said over Starmer's hesitant approach to the war that "We will remember. We don't need people that join wars after we've won". The nerve of Trump to claim he has defeated the Iranians. Yes, Iran is down but not out. If anything, Iran seems to be going through a blitz mentality similar to Britain during World War II. The severity of the US and Israeli actions is meant to break the Iranian regime and people, but so far, that has not happened. If anything, the Iranian people, even many opposed to the clerical regime, are rallying around the flag. Sometimes bombing a country to hell can have the opposite effect. Instead, in the case of Britain, when the Luftwaffe tried to bomb Britain into submission, the UK didn't give up and survived, eventually going on with the help of the Americans and others to defeat Nazi Germany.

I am not saying this is the case with Iran; the Islamic regime may crumble tomorrow, but it may not. If there is indeed a blitz spirit in Iran and the new Ayatollah turns out to be some clerical version of Churchill, Iran may come through this. Britain in World War II was helped by the US in various ways to keep it fighting. This may be the case with Iran as long as this war lasts. Might we even see China, North Korea, or Russia directly come into this war, just as the US did with the UK? I would say not now. Iran's Allies seem content with making protests about the war, sharing info about America's vulnerable targets, and just maybe sending arms. However, as each day of this war passes, things can change in the blink of an eye.

One also has to remember that Iran fought an 8 year war with Iraq. Iraq was the aggressor, backed by the West and other Arab nations. Iran was at a disadvantage in many respects, but the regime survived. So Iran knows what it is to endure a long war against a more powerful opponent. The US and Israel would do well to remember this.

The Arab countries are being hit by Iranian drones and missiles. Not only because the Americans have bases there, but also to cripple their oil industry. This is a deliberate policy to cause havoc in the West, and consumers are going to be hit hard, whatever our governments tell us. Could we see countries like KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) join the fight against Iran? Iran and Saudi Arabia have been rivals in the Middle East. The Saudis, like other Arab nations, have been shooting down Iranian projectiles. However, KSA has threatened to join the war if Iran keeps targeting it.

Meanwhile, Iran has closed the Straits of Hormuz. Although Professor Manrandi is a spokesman for the regime denied this, saying that Iranian missiles on the coast stand ready if the US gives tankers an escort through these perilous straits. A third American aircraft carrier is on its way to the Gulf, and some suspect that the US may be attempting to call Iran's bluff in the Hormuz Straits. Since the war, shipping entering the Straits has fallen. Flights have also dropped, understandably so.

Sir Keir Starmer, in his spat with Trump, seems to have damaged the so-called special relationship between the US and UK. I think, however, this war affects the relationship between Trump and Starmer; the days when Sir Keir Starmer was called "The Trump Whisperer" are over. Ironically, Sir Keir has struggled for popularity amongst the British public, but now, because of his stance on Trump's war, he has the backing of the great British public. As mentioned earlier, this is not the first time the UK has said no to helping the US. Harold Wilson in the 60s stayed out of the Vietnam War despite the US asking the UK to help.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has said Starmer's stance on the Iran War has indeed damaged the relationship between Britain and the US. Others, like Nigel Farage, who visited Mar-a-Lago at the weekend, were no doubt saying the UK should have stepped up and helped America and Israel. Others like Zac Polanski of the Greens, who openly does not like Keir Starmer's policies, may give him backing on his stance, but not so much the UK gradually getting involved.

For Trump, the UK finally getting off the fence and joining the war in a limited capacity is too little, too late. The one thing Trump needs to remember, though, is that the US was late in helping Britain in World Wars I and II. And I repeat, the UK didn't join America in the Vietnam War. And going back further, there have been times when America and Britain have been openly hostile to one another. One cannot forget the War of Independence and the 1812 War. So maybe Donny Boy needs to study his history.

Tony Blair, whose name is mud in the Middle East, is a member of Trump's so-called Board of Peace and criticised Starmer for not jumping to attention to Trump's words. Starmer is on the right of the Labour Party like Blair, and some have seen Starmer as a new Blair. However, not jumping into yet another Middle East conflict with another American President has shown a difference between what Blair did in backing Bush and himself with Trump now.

Despite this tiff that may last as long as Trump and Starmer are in power, the friendship between America and Britain, two nations that have much in common, will blossom again, however this war ends.