Key facts
- UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, pledging continued support.
- Burnham is facing pressure to allow US use of British bases for strikes on Iran.
- The UK government argues US attacks on Iranian missile sites are defensive.
- Iran's IRGC accused the UK of being an accomplice and considers UK bases legitimate targets.
- The UK is considering leading a naval mission to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Burnham's government is also facing calls from within his party to take a firmer stance on Israel's actions in Gaza.
New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who aimed to prioritize domestic policy, has been drawn into the escalating US-Iran conflict within his first week in office. Despite public opposition, Burnham decided to allow the US to use RAF Fairford for strikes on Iranian missile sites, a continuation of his predecessor Keir Starmer's policy. This decision aims to avoid a public spat with US President Donald Trump, who had previously criticized Starmer over the same issue.
Burnham has engaged in calls with leaders of Britain's Gulf allies, including the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait, discussing security and the presence of British citizens. However, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has accused the UK of complicity and deemed UK bases legitimate targets.
UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting affirmed Britain's readiness to respond to Iranian attacks but stated the UK is not joining offensive US military actions, emphasizing alignment on securing maritime freedom in the Strait of Hormuz. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly urged the UK to host a summit on a multinational maritime coalition for the Strait of Hormuz.
The government's stance is that US attacks are defensive, but Iran views UK bases as targets. Burnham faces criticism from the Green Party for not taking a stronger stance against the US military presence and from within his own Labour party for not adopting a firmer position on Israel's actions in Gaza. Analysts suggest Burnham will likely maintain a similar policy to Starmer, avoiding direct offensive military engagement but allowing limited use of UK bases and potentially a defensive role in the Strait of Hormuz.