Politics latest: Starmer accuses Badenoch of ‘mother of all U-turns’ over US-Iran war support – UK Times

Sir Keir Starmer has once again criticised Kemi Badenoch for her changing position on the war in Iran, accusing her of a “screeching U-turn”.

It comes after the Tory leader initially signalled her support for the UK joining Israeli and US strikes on Iran, but on Tuesday appeared to row back from her position.

Taking aim at Mrs Badenoch, Sir Keir told the Commons: “If she were prime minister… we would be in the war, and she would be coming back to Parliament a week later to say, oh, sorry, I got that one wrong.”

Kemi Badenoch asks how an increase in fuel duty is going to help with the cost of living.

She asked the prime minister: “The Prime Minister told us at the start of the year that the cost of living was his number one priority. So can he explain how a rise in fuel duty helps with the cost of living?”

Sir Keir Starmer responds: “Fuel duty is frozen. It’s going to remain frozen until September, and we will keep the situation under review in light of what’s happening in Iran.”

Sir Keir Starmer has accused Kemi Badenoch of performing the “mother of all u-turns” on her position on the UK’s involvement in the war in the Middle East.

He said Ms Badenoch “relentlessly” attacked him for refusing to join initial US-Israel strikes, before changing her position.

“Yesterday, in the wake of the economic consequences the leader of the opposition totally abandoned her position,” he said.

“She told the BBC I never said we should join.”

He added: “That is the mother of all u-turns on the single most important decision a prime minister ever has to take – whether to commit the United Kingdom to war or not.”

He said she and Nigel Farage had been “spooked” and were now “furiously trying to backpedal” on their stance.

Kemi Badenoch has seized upon calls to scrap the planned 5p increase in fuel duty this autumn, asking: “Why does the prime minister think now is the right time to increase the cost of petrol?”

Responding, Sir Keir Starmer said: “Mr Speaker, we are not increasing the cost of petrol. We are absolutely clear in taking the measures that are necessary to deal with the impact of the conflict in Iran.

“We’re dealing with that with other allies, we’re taking the necessary action. But the best thing that we can do is to work with others to de-escalate the situation.”

He added: “Fuel duty is frozen. It is going to remain frozen until September. And we will keep the situation under review in light of what is happening in Iran.”

Sir Keir Starmer has stood up to face this week’s PMQs ahead of the release of the Peter Mandelson files.

The prime minister began with updating the Commons on the UK’s response to the ongoing war in the Middle East.

He said the RAF have flown over 200 hours of defensive operations, and thanked armed forces for their efforts.

He will now face questions from the leader of the opposition Kemi Badenoch ahead of the release of the first tranche of files.

Sir Keir Starmer is due to arrive shortly at Prime Minister’s Questions, where he is due to face Kemi Badenoch ahead of the release of the Mandelson files.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews has welcomed the decision to ban the Al Quds Day march planned for Sunday.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood approved the Metropolitan Police’s request on Tuesday evening.

The board said in a statement: “The right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression are fundamental in a democratic society, and restrictions should not be imposed lightly.

“However, in this case, we welcome the Home Secretary and the Metropolitan Police’s decision to ban the Iranian regime-backed Al Quds Day marches – something we have long called for.

“While a one-month ban is an important step, they should be made permanent.

“Britain’s streets should not be used as a platform for antisemitism, extremism or support for terrorism.

“We continue to also press for the full proscription of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, whose ideology and influence underpin Al Quds Day.”

The Government is working with the Competition and Markets Authority on “any price gouging” in heating oil as households have seen prices doubled, the Chancellor said, adding that she would meet the competition watchdog and petrol retailers on Thursday.

Amid calls for her to scrap the planned 5p increase in fuel duty this autumn, Rachel Reeves reiterated that Treasury policies are always “under review”.

She said: “We always keep all taxes under review, but it is much too early – when those changes are not due to come into effect until September – to guess where petrol prices will be then.

“But I’m very loath to spend Government money on something that the market should be doing, and that’s why greater competition and greater transparency about pricing is so important.

“I would rather we have a properly functioning market where customers have decent information about prices at different petrol forecourts, rather than subsidising the money, which often actually just goes to the retailer.”

The quicker we can de-escalate in Iran, the better it will be for the British economy, the chancellor has said.

Addressing the Treasury Committee, Rachel Reeves said: “It’s certainly not good for the British economy to have trade disrupted, and especially when so much oil and gas comes from that part of the world.

“But the best thing that we can do as a government is to seek to de-escalate this conflict.”

She added that “the quicker we can de-escalate, the better it will be for all of those different economic variables”.