Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of trying to emulate Donald Trump after posting a dramatic TikTok edit showing Britain’s military response to the war in the Middle East.
The prime minister posted a video showing British Wildcat helicopters and military jets in action, accompanied by the song ‘Money for Nothing’ by Dire Straits.
The edit has been mocked by social media users and MPs alike, who have accused the prime minister of trying to copy the White House, which has recently come under fire for its own TikTok clips related to the war.
Al Pinkerton, a Liberal Democrat MP, compared the post indicated Sir Keir has been “sucked into the orbit of Trump’s deranged confusion of blockbuster with international conflict”.
“Trump’s illegal war in the Middle East is not a movie for promotion despite what [the president’s] press channels may imply,” he told The Guardian.
The Green Party told the paper the post “has echoes of videos coming out of the White House glorifying war”.
TikTok users also chimed in, with one commenting: “Not the UK Government [trying to] do a White House style TikTok.”
The UK has been criticised for failing to have air defence measures in place to sufficiently protect RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, which was hit by a drone earlier this week.
The prime minister was forced to reject criticism from opponents and allies that Britain had not acted fast enough when fighting began, amid concerns that air defence destroyer HMS Dragon is not expected to sail to the eastern Mediterranean until next week.
On Thursday, Sir Keir announced that an additional four British Typhoon fighter jets are being deployed to Qatar to strengthen “defensive operations” in the region, but said that he “stands by” his decision not to join the initial strikes on Tehran over the weekend.
Part of Sir Keir’s address from earlier this week features in the clip, as the prime minister can be heard saying: “Our number one priority is protecting our people.”
However, his voice voice is largely drowned out by the Dire Straits soundtrack, a choice which has been ridiculed by critics.
Asked whether Sir Keir approved his TikTok audios before they were posted, his official spokesperson said he wouldn’t “get into internal processes” and said: “The PM’s position on defence spending has been set out very clearly.”
The Middle East war entered its eighth day on Saturday as an American bomber landed in Britain amid US warnings of a “surge” in strikes on Iran.
The 146ft B-1 Lancer arrived at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on Friday evening after Sir Keir granted permission for “defensive” US action against Iranian missile sites from UK bases.
Armed forces chief Sir Richard Knighton said he would expect the US to launch missions from the Gloucestershire base “within the next few days”.
Meanwhile, a second Government charter flight carrying British citizens from Oman landed at Gatwick Airport at 12.30am on Saturday as efforts to help people trapped in the war zone continue.
The Titan Airways flight departed from Muscat International Airport at 5.30pm before a short layover in Cairo, Egypt. The latest arrivals join around 6,500 Britons who have returned from the United Arab Emirates since widespread conflict began in the region.
