Devon MPs have pressed the Prime Minister over the safety of British troops and the risk of the UK being drawn into a wider war, as tensions with Iran escalate.
During a Commons debate on Monday, March 2, MPs from across the county challenged Sir Keir Starmer over missile strikes in the Gulf, the protection of service personnel and whether Britain could be pulled into direct conflict.
Rebecca Smith, Conservative MP for South West Devon, said she had heard from families whose loved ones were among 300 British personnel stationed at a base in Bahrain that was hit by Iranian missiles and drones.
She said: “Over the weekend, I heard from families in my constituency whose loved ones — also constituents of mine — are among the 300 service personnel in Bahrain who were within metres of the Iranian missile strike.”
Given the build-up of US forces in the region, she asked why work to decommission HMS Lancaster in Bahrain had continued and whether those works would now be paused, adding that she trusted it was “not an operational question”.
Sir Keir urged families to ensure their relatives register their presence with officials. He said: “May I ask her to urge them, if they have not already done so, to register their presence as quickly as possible so that we can give them the necessary advice, because this is about how we get people out in the coming days.”
The Prime Minister told MPs that 300 British personnel had been on the Bahraini base, some within a few hundred yards of the strike, and confirmed RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus was also hit by a drone. There were no casualties in Cyprus.
He reiterated that the UK was not involved in the initial US and Israeli strikes on Iran and would not join offensive action, but confirmed British bases could be used for what he described as “specific and limited defensive purpose” to intercept missiles and drones at source.
Richard Foord, Liberal Democrat MP for Honiton and Sidmouth, welcomed the decision not to participate in the initial strikes and asked for assurances that Britain would not be dragged into war under the banner of collective self-defence.
He said: “Can the Prime Minister assure the House that in the case of Iran, the UK is not going to get dragged into this war on the basis of collective self-defence in support of allies in the Gulf?”
Sir Keir replied that he had set out his position clearly and would keep it under review, adding that he would return to the House if it changed.
Ian Roome, Liberal Democrat MP for North Devon and a military veteran, said the safety of armed forces personnel and British citizens “should come first in any decision made in the future”. He urged the Government to expedite its promised defence investment plan so industry could “get on and make the capabilities that this country needs”.
The Prime Minister responded: “Yes, we are getting on with that as quickly as we can.”
David Reed, Conservative MP for Exmouth and Exeter East, focused on the legal basis for the Government’s decisions. He asked how many and which international lawyers had been consulted, citing differing interpretations from the Attorney General and shadow Attorney General.
Sir Keir declined to disclose full advice but said international law was “vital if we are taking action that involves our personnel”. He added that a summary of the legal advice had been published and that he would look at any alternative lawful basis put forward by the opposition.
Martin Wrigley, Liberal Democrat MP for Newton Abbot, said the Iranian regime was “utterly abhorrent” and added his thanks to service personnel “putting their lives at risk”. However, he warned of an “inevitable escalation in hostilities” and asked what the Prime Minister could do to persuade US President Donald Trump to pursue negotiations.
Sir Keir said the Government was working with allies at “every level” to de-escalate the situation and insisted that “ultimately, it will have to be a question of negotiation”.
In a wider statement to the House, the Prime Minister said Iran had launched hundreds of missiles and thousands of drones across the region, hitting airports and hotels where British nationals were staying. An estimated 300,000 British citizens are currently in the region.
He said the UK had put Typhoon and F-35 jets in the air as part of coordinated defensive operations and that British aircraft had already intercepted Iranian drones, including one heading towards a base in Iraq housing UK service personnel.
Sir Keir said the Government had learned the “lessons of Iraq” and insisted that any UK action must have a lawful basis and a clear plan. “We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran, and we will not join offensive action now,” he said. “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.”
