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KEIR Starmer has been slammed for his “pathetic” response to the Middle East crisis which critics warn is threatening the UK-US special relationship.

They lashed out as Donald Trump condemned the Prime Minister for initially blocking America from using British military bases to target Iran.

In fresh humiliation for Sir Keir, the President said he was “very disappointed”, complaining he took “far too long” to change his mind.

The under-pressure Labour leader has been desperately trying to avoid angering the White House and his own left-wing MPs since the onslaught began.

As well as Mr Trump, his response to the crisis – which included a retaliatory attack from Tehran on an RAF base in Cyprus – has been criticised domestically.

Kemi Badenoch accused the Government of “dither and delay” while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage warned Sir Keir has put Britain’s “special relationship” with the US at risk.

President Trump unleashed his devastating “Epic Fury” bombing blitz on Saturday – killing the Iranian regime’s despotic leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

But yesterday the US president expressed his surprise at the Prime Minister’s initial refusal to let US forces use the Chagos Islands base.

“That’s probably never happened between our countries before,” he said, adding: “It sounds like he was worried about the legality.”

The row led the president to withdraw his support for the Prime Minister’s controversial Chagos deal to hand over ownership of the Indian Ocean territory to Mauritius and instead lease back the military base.

Mr Trump said: “All of a sudden [Mauritius] was claiming ownership. He should have fought it out and owned it or make him take it, if you want to know the truth. But no, we were very disappointed in Keir.”

Referring to Sir Keir’s about-turn, he added: “It is useful. It took far too much time. Far too much time.”

Sir Keir has been cautious to enter the conflict, ensuring any action is compliant with international law.

Addressing the Commons yesterday (mon) the Prime Minister told MPs that he “stands by” his decision not to join in the US/Israel attacks on Iran.

“President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britain’s national interest,” he said.

Ruling out entering the conflict, he added: “I say again, we were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran, and we will not join offensive action now.

“But in the face of Iran’s barrage of missiles and drones, we will protect our people in the region and support the collective self defence of our allies, because that is our duty to the British people.”

Britain initially refused to allow the US to use British military bases, including Diego Garcia on the Chagos Islands, to launch the strikes.

Sir Keir eventually u-turned on Sunday night and to allow the use of RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire after the Iranian regime lashed out with retaliatory onslaughts that risked the lives of British citizens.

They include hotels across the Middle East and Gulf Region, where up to 300,000 UK nationals are currently trapped.

Iran also fired a drone at Britain’s RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus, which resulted in no casualties.

Mrs Badenoch said the Conservative Party supported US strikes against Iran.

She told the Commons: “Unbelievably in his statement today, the Prime Minister still cannot say whether he backs the strikes or not.

“Today, the president of the United States has taken the extraordinary step of rebuking the Prime Minister publicly, saying he took far too long to grant access.

“We are told that this dither and delay is because of concerns over international law, but I am afraid that explanation simply does not hold.”

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage earlier blasted Sir Keir for the government’s response.

“I do believe that Starmer’s actions don’t just threaten the special relationship, but probably he has posed or did pose a major threat to Nato,” he said at a press conference.

“I do believe the American president and the Israelis are right in what they are doing.

“I find the actions of our Prime Minister – or the inactions, perhaps I should say, of our Prime Minister – frankly pathetic.”

The US President’s blistering attack highlights the increasingly tense relationship between the Trump administration and Downing Street. It comes after previous clashes over Greenland and the Chagos Islands.

Pete Hegseth, the US Secretary of War, didn’t hold back on Sir Keir during a Pentagon briefing on the military operation.In a thinly veiled swipe at the flip-flopping PM he fumed: “Capable partners, as we’ve said since the beginning, are good partners.

“Unlike so many of our traditional allies who wring their hands and clutch their pearls, hemming and hawing about the use of force.”

President Trump has indicated that the US could continue pummelling Iran for up to four weeks in order to bring about regime change.

Iran has hit targets across the Middle East, including in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and there are fears Tehran has the ability to keep up its retaliatory actions for a week.

Around 300,000 Britons are believed to be in countries targeted by Iran, with 102,000 registering their presence with the Foreign Office as officials worked on contingency plans including a possible mass evacuation.
Sir Keir said the Government is “looking at all options to support our people”.