Defence Secretary Demands Kemi Badenoch Apologise After Criticising UK Troops
The defence secretary has called on Kemi Badenoch to apologise after she claimed British troops were “just hanging around” the UK’s military base in Cyprus.
The Conservative leader caused a stir on Friday morning when she called for Britain to take stronger action against Iran after its strikes against RAF Akrotiri.
Badenoch claimed that at the moment British jets are just “hanging around” the Middle East, even though the US “has been mobilising” in the region for months.
“Our guys, our government, were just sitting there shrugging their shoulders,” the leader of the opposition said.
But Presenter Charlie Stayt jumped in, pointing out: “The evidence we have from the British government and the British military is they have been involved in shooting down missiles and drones.”
“You have characterised what is already happening by the British military, by the RAF, as ‘just hanging around’,” he added.
Badenoch hit back: “What I have said is they are catching arrows. They need to catch the archer.”
But cabinet minister John Healey slammed Badenoch, pointing out that he was on the ground in the UK’s base in Cyprus on Thursday.
He said: “I saw how our British forces are working round the clock, in the face of repeated air raid sirens, to protect British lives and British interests.
“And to suggest they’re ‘just hanging around’ to score political points insults the men and women of our Armed Forces.
“She should apologise and withdraw her comments.”
Iran launched a drone strike on the UK’s RAF base in Cyprus on Sunday shortly after Keir Starmer gave his permission for US forces to launch limited and defensive attacks on Iran from two British military sites.
While sending more military personnel to the region to protect the British citizens in the area, the prime minister has made it very clear that the UK is still only acting in a defensive capacity.
He has insisted Britain will not be joining the US and Israeli’s offensive strikes against Iran.