On October 7 last year, on the first anniversary of the Hamas atrocities, Keir Starmer penned an article expressing his support for Israel. And explicitly, his support in the confrontation with Iran.

‘We must also stand with Israel in the face of Iranian aggression,’ he wrote. ‘Iran’s support for terrorism and armed groups across the region has long menaced the Middle East. And its outrageous attack on Israel last week brings us to a dangerous inflection point. A direct Iran-Israel conflict would have devastating consequences for the people of the Middle East and across the world. All sides must do everything in their power to step back from the brink and avert it.’

That inflection point has now been passed. Iran, having been given multiple opportunities over a period of decades to relinquish its offensive nuclear ambitions, had reached the threshold where the International Atomic Energy Agency concluded it had amassed sufficient uranium to potentially make nine nuclear bombs. This was, the IAEA said with classic diplomatic understatement, ‘a matter of serious concern’.

Different intelligence sources have reached conflicting assessments on how long it would take the Iranian regime to construct a deliverable weapon. Some believe it would take years. Others, including analysts from US Central Command, told CNN that ‘Iran could obtain a usable nuclear weapon more quickly if it were to sprint towards that goal’.

But either way, the issue is now moot. Israel has taken the understandable decision that rolling the dice on its own nuclear annihilation isn’t an option. The conflict the Prime Minister hoped to avoid is now underway.

So where is Britain? Do we still stand with Israel? In a direct confrontation between one of our most important regional allies, and a despotic regime that promotes global insurrection and terror – including against the United Kingdom – whose side are we actually on?

Keir Starmer refuses to say. As Israel was striking the leaders of the Iranian nuclear programme with a series of sophisticated and targeted assassinations, and Iran was responding by hurling ballistic missiles randomly into Israeli population centres, the best he could do was issue a tweet that said: ‘The reports of these strikes are concerning and we urge all parties to step back and reduce tensions urgently. Escalation serves no one in the region.’ It was quickly followed up by a second tweet on hydrogen investment.

Which is strange, because back in December the Prime Minister was being much clearer – not to say gung-ho – about which side of the fence he stood. ‘I will not turn a blind eye while Iran seeks to destabilise the Middle East,’ he told the Labour Friends of Israel annual dinner. ‘When Iran attacked Israel with ballistic missiles in April – the Labour Party stood with Israel, as our RAF shot down Iranian drones. When they did the same in October, our RAF stood ready to play their full part once more. And we will continue to do so.’

Following the October 7 atrocities Keir Starmer, pictured attending the G7 summit in Canada, penned an article expressing his support for Israel

Following the October 7 atrocities Keir Starmer, pictured attending the G7 summit in Canada, penned an article expressing his support for Israel

Iran, led by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has responded to Israel's strikes by hurling ballistic missiles into cities including Tel Aviv

Iran, led by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has responded to Israel’s strikes by hurling ballistic missiles into cities including Tel Aviv

But we’re not. British forces – unlike their American counterparts – have had no role to play in defending Israel from the ongoing Iranian assault. And the Prime Minister has conspicuously dodged questions about whether he intends to honour December’s commitment to again deploy the RAF, simply saying British assets would be sent to protect our own interests in the region.

Ministers claim this studied neutrality is the best response to a conflict that has the potential to jeopardise the security of the Middle East, and possibly the world. And they point to the fact it was Israel, not Iran, that fired the first shot.

But whilst ‘you started it!’ may have its place in the school playground, it is no foundation for international diplomacy. And it is certainly not the basis for choosing whether to align yourself with either a vital strategic partner, or a despotic Islamic theocracy.

Nor is it clear that Britain is actually being as neutral as Keir Starmer is attempting to make out. At the G7 summit in Canada he was asked about reports emanating from Washington that Donald Trump was also preparing to authorise offensive military operations against Iran. ‘There’s nothing the President said that suggests he’s about to get involved in this conflict,’ he replied. ‘On the contrary, throughout the dinner, yesterday I was sitting right next to President Trump, so I’ve no doubt, in my mind, the level of agreement there was.’

The fact the Prime Minister set himself up with such a staggering hostage to fortune was bad enough. But by talking down the possibility of American intervention, he was actively undermining the strategy currently being pursued by Israel and the US.

Trump’s comments and social media musings should always be taken with a pinch – or very large bag – of salt. But it’s clear he is deliberately raising the threat of directly participating in attacks against Iran’s nuclear facilities and surviving members of the regime in an attempt to force Tehran to deliver concrete concessions. And by publicly casting doubt on that commitment, Starmer is directly giving succour to the Iranian hard-liners.

It’s true that not everyone within Government is comfortable with the boiler-plate characterisation of Israel as a steadfast ally. One intelligence source who contacted me yesterday told me: ‘Those of us who have spent our lives working in and around national security have never believed it. In the whole of my career to my knowledge the Israelis never provided a single piece of intelligence of real value to the UK.’

But whatever the view of some officials, the Government’s stated policy is clear. Israel is a friend, and it needs to be defended from Iranian aggression. So as the Supreme Leader’s missiles continue to slam into downtown Tel Aviv, the time has come for the Prime Minister to stop vacillating and pick a side.

No-one wants to see a return to the days when Britain blindly paid the ‘blood price’ to sustain its global alliances. But this is not Iraq.

It has been verified that Iran genuinely is developing weapons of mass destruction. The world cannot wait until the leading sponsor of global fundamentalist terror physically acquires them. And as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz correctly stated yesterday, the West should now acknowledge Israel is ‘doing the dirty work’ necessary to keep us safe.

If Keir Starmer cannot take that step, then it will be all too clear why. A fear of offending his increasingly restless Left-wing MPs and activists. The mounting terror that the perception of his proximity to Israel will lead to a further fracturing of his party’s Muslim base. The spectre of intervention in the Middle East returning to haunt a new Labour Government.

But this is no moment for cowardice. Israel is literally fighting for its life. Indeed, in its struggle to prevent Iran obtaining a nuclear bomb, they’re probably fighting for all our lives.

Last year Keir Starmer said ‘I stand with Israel’. It would be nice if just for once our Prime Minister could say something, then show he actually means it.

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