The prime minister was slammed by a former NATO advisor.
Keir Starmer was torn apart on TalkTV (Image: Getty)
Keir Starmer was torn apart by a former advisor to NATO, who condemned his recent actions regarding the conflict in the Middle East. Gwythian Prins, also a former adviser to NATO, the UN, and British Chiefs of the Defence Staff, called out the prime minister for destroying the UK’s relationship with the US, going as far to describe his behaviour as “traitorous” in a furious rant.
TalkTV presenter Jeremy Kyle highlighted the Labour leader’s remarks about not wanting the UK involved in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, but then let Donald Trump use UK military bases. “Does that not mean we’re in the war? Do we not need, very quickly, our prime minister to be more vocal and more available and more willing to talk about this?” he asked Prins.
He responded: “There’s a very old saying usually attributed to [Leon] Trotsky, ‘You may not be interested in war but war is very interested in you.’ Mr Starmer hasn’t got that message.”
Prins, who is regarded as a leading expert in military strategy and decision making, issued a scathing verdict on the prime minister, branding him an “utter disgrace”.
He said: “I think that the sum total of Starmer’s behaviour, not only over this, but over foreign policy and our alliances in general, I would describe as traitorous. I think he has worked against the interest of the people of the United Kingdom.
“He has trashed our most important alliance. He has let down our friends in the free world. He is letting down the Japanese over the joint programme which we have to build a fighter aeroplane and I’m sure he’s about to let down the Australians over the submarine programme.”
Prins added: “It is an utter disgrace and as your colleague Samara pointed out, we are now in a situation where we are spending on hyper welfare.
“The current budget that is behind spent, combined on the national health service, on welfare and on the interest payments, on the borrowing of the country is seven times the defence budget.”
Prins’ appearance on TalkTV came shortly after it was announced that the prime minister was travelling to the Middle East after the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire.
He is expected to “discuss diplomatic efforts to support and uphold the ceasefire” before returning to the UK on Friday.