He described the Prime Minister’s trip to the Middle East this week as ‘far too little, far too late’
The UK’s standing on the world stage is in freefall according to former Foreign Secretary Sir James Cleverly, who claims Donald Trump has “zero respect” for Sir Keir Starmer.
Speaking to reporters outside Westminster on Wednesday (8 April), he claimed the “special relationship” between Britain and the US is under unprecedented strain at the moment.
As the Prime Minister touches down in the Gulf today, his mission to secure the permanent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is being overshadowed by a firestorm of domestic criticism. While Sir Keir hopes to capitalize on the fragile two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, his detractors at home are calling the diplomatic push a “complete irrelevance”.
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The Conservative MP for Braintree accused Starmer of being fundamentally “indecisive” in his dealings with the White House, arguing that the damage extends far beyond a personality clash between two leaders. Mr Cleverly claims the Prime Minister’s lack of action is threatening the very foundations of the UK-US intelligence and defence apparatus.
“You can’t talk out of both sides of your mouth at the same time,” he told the Press Association. “The US has seen that. It’s quite clear now that President Trump does not respect Keir Starmer at all.”
Mr Cleverly continued: “He (Starmer) has flown off to the Gulf for a photo opportunity to try and reclaim some kind of credibility, but the simple fact of the matter is he has painted the UK out of the picture.
“As a former foreign secretary, I find that genuinely heartbreaking.”
The criticism follows a string of public humiliations from the US President, who recently mocked Starmer’s leadership style.
Trump recounted a request for British aircraft carriers to support US strikes, impersonating the Prime Minister as a dithering bureaucrat who “has to ask his team” before making a move.
The backdrop to this political infighting is a volatile situation in the Middle East.
While Trump recently threatened that “a whole civilization will die” if shipping lanes weren’t secured, the last-minute armistice has provided a brief window of stability.
The Prime Minister has consistently tried to walk a fine line since the conflict in Iran broke out on 28 February. The UK has permitted the US to use strategic bases like Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford for “defensive” strikes.
Simultaneously, Starmer has repeatedly told the public: “This is not our war”, a stance Cleverly argues makes the UK look weak to its most important ally.
It isn’t just the Conservatives taking aim at the current diplomatic climate.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey described Trump’s recent behaviour as a “classic cycle of destruction”, warning that the American leader is no longer a reliable partner for the UK. Davey linked the geopolitical chaos directly to the pockets of British citizens, citing the rising costs of petrol and diesel as a byproduct of Trump’s “idiotic war”.
Even Nigel Farage, long considered Trump’s closest British ally, has shown signs of unease.
While Farage defended the President’s goal of bringing Tehran to the negotiating table, he admitted that Trump’s rhetoric regarding the total destruction of Iranian civilization went “way too far”.


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