Andy Burnham’s lack of foreign policy experience has triggered alarm and there are fears appointing David Miliband Foreign Secretary will fuel ‘psychodrama’
Andy Burnham is a former Health and Culture Secretary but as PM would face military dilemmas (Image: Getty)
Labour has failed to defend Britain against the threat from Iran and will soon be led by a prime minister who has “no experience of foreign affairs”, Dame Priti Patel has warned. She is alarmed by reports outgoing Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham – who is on the verge of moving into Downing Street – is considering choosing as his Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who was beaten by his brother, Ed, in the 2010 Labour leadership race. Dame Priti warned this would unleash “psychodrama” at the heart of Government.
There are fears of renewed conflict following an attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz which triggered US strikes on Iranian targets. Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti said the attack was a clear violation of the ceasefire and blasted the Labour Government for not doing more to tackle the threat from Iran.
She said: “Our brave security services have been busy busting potentially lethal Iranian plots on British soil, but our Government has not acted to ensure our long-term safety. They have failed to take the necessary action track down Iranian funding sloshing around in the UK which is used to undermine our security and funds the Iranian regime’s malevolent activity on UK soil. And at a time when Britain should be engaging with our partners in the region so that Iran’s nuclear programme is dismantled and lessons are learnt from how Iran circumvented parts of the 2015 nuclear deal, senior government ministers just bury their heads in the sand.”
Dame Priti described the potential appointment of David Miliband as Foreign Secretary as “concerning”, saying this could lead to a revive the “Miliband brothers’ psychodrama”. Mr Burnham is understood to be considering appointing Ed Miliband as his Chancellor.
David and Ed Miliband had the most famous case of sibling rivalry in British politics (Image: PA)
She said: “Whether it’s Keir Starmer, Andy Burnham or whoever else takes over the Labour leadership, nothing will change as their selfish and ideological ministers are simply incapable of putting our national interest first. As Shadow Foreign Secretary, I meet with representatives of our allies from across the world.
“And the hard truth is that because of this Government, we are no longer respected or trusted in the way we once were. Labour’s failure to fund our defence has alarmed our allies worried.
“The Mandelson-Epstein scandal has undermined our global reputation. And the abortive Chagos Surrender has made Britain a laughing stock to our rivals.
“Starmer’s resignation is unlikely to herald a change of course. Andy Burnham has no experience of foreign affairs.”
Dame Priti Patel argues the Iranian ceasefire has been violated and is appalled by Labour’s record (Image: Tim Merry)
Turning her guns on Labour, she said: “These self-serving, reckless Labour ministers are spending all their time jostling for jobs in anticipation of the socialist coronation of Andy Burnham, instead of serving the interests of Britain and supporting our allies in the region. The British interest has been left on the sideline.
“This pathetic Labour Government failed every step of the way to assist our friends, offer any real solutions to the conflict or be part of the negotiations.”
The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 17 which gives them a 60-day period for negotiations on the future of Tehran’s nuclear programme and a permanent end to the conflict. UK-US relations were damaged when Britain refused to join initial strikes on Iran, prompting President Trump to claim Sir Keir is “no Winston Churchill”.
Dame Priti said: “We cannot allow the Iranian regime to present peace as any kind of victory for them, nor a reward for suffocating the global economy through the Strait of Hormuz.”
The Foreign Office and Mr Burnham’s team have been invited to comment.
Andy Burnham and David Miliband stood in the 2010 Labour leadership race but lot to Ed Miliband (Image: Getty Images)
Comment by Shadow Foriegn Secretary Priti Patel: The ceasefire has been violated
Iran’s terrorist regime has inflicted suffering on its own people, destabilised the region, and threatened our country directly.
The brutal repression, murder and torture of its citizens. The attacks of its proxies, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. The antisemitism and terror plots it spreads in our country. All these things mean Iran is a danger that must be dealt with.
For years the regime has broken promises, threatened its neighbours and pursued nuclear weapons. And even now it is helping to fuel an illegal invasion on our own continent, supplying Putin’s illegal war with attack drones that rain down on innocent Ukrainians day after day.
We want a lasting end to the Iran War. But in the last ten days the so-called ceasefire deal has become nothing but words and has yet to benefit the security of Britain, our allies or ends the suffering of the Iranian people and end the ideological apparatus behind the radical clerical system which continues to threat and intimidate the world.
We cannot allow the Iranian regime to present peace as any kind of victory for them, nor a reward for suffocating the global economy through the Strait of Hormuz. The deal needs to represent a substantial change in the relationship between Iran and its neighbours and the rest of the world.
Action not words are also needed from Britain. These self-serving, reckless Labour Ministers are spending all their time jostling for jobs in anticipation of the socialist coronation of Andy Burnham, instead of serving the interests of Britain and supporting our allies in the region.
The British interest has been left on the sideline. This pathetic Labour government failed every step of the way to assist our friends, offer any real solutions to the conflict or be part of the negotiations.
Our brave security services have been busy busting potentially lethal Iranian plots on British soil, but our Government has not acted to ensure our long-term safety.
They have failed to take the necessary action track down Iranian funding sloshing around in the UK which is used to undermine our security and funds the Iranian regime’s malevolent activity on UK soil. And at a time when Britain should be engaging with our partners in the region so that Iran’s nuclear programme is dismantled and lessons are learnt from how Iran circumvented parts of the 2015 nuclear deal, senior government ministers just bury their heads in the sand.
Labour in government are the problem. Whether it’s Keir Starmer, Andy Burnham or whoever else takes over the Labour leadership, noting will change as their selfish and ideological ministers are simply incapable of putting our national interest first.
As Shadow Foreign Secretary, I meet with representatives of our allies from across the world. And the hard truth is that because of this Government, we are no longer respected or trusted in the way we once were.
Labour’s failure to fund our defence has alarmed our allies worried.
The Mandelson-Epstein scandal has undermined our global reputation.
And the abortive Chagos Surrender has made Britain a laughing stock to our rivals.
Starmer’s resignation is unlikely to herald a change of course. Andy Burnham has no experience of foreign affairs. The speculation he could appoint David Miliband as Foreign Secretary is concerning and would be a throwback to Blairite foreign policy and revive the Miliband brothers’ psychodrama
Labour should focus on key objectives. The Strait of Hormuz must not be treated as a bargaining tool again. The sanctions we have placed on Iran should remain, because we cannot give the regime breathing space to rebuild and grow its military stocks and re-arm.
The unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces has clearly violated the ceasefire. Iran’s dangerous behaviour continues to undermine freedom of navigation as commerce increasingly flows through the vital international trade corridor and these dangerous attacks must stop.
There are also serious questions that need answering about what the deal means for efforts to dismantle Hezbollah. And we need clarity on how the deal will be monitored and enforced.
We also need action on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. This arm of the Iranian regime is suppressing information, spreading propaganda, and facilitating proxy attacks across the globe. The State Threats Bill is a start, but it should be strengthened to ensure it properly tackles the issue. That is why we have tabled amendments to the Bill.
This is not a time to sit back and leave our security in the hands of others.
Right now, the peace is extremely fragile.
The Government must seek to rebuild our reputation and use British influence to ensure a future for the region that protects our interests.