As Trump shows lack of direction on Iran, even Badenoch distances herself

"At the end of last month, when the first bombs and missiles fell on Iran, Badenoch was adamant that Starmer should have let the US use UK airbases for the pre-emptive attack, one that Starmer was advised most likely breached international law. The Tory leader said she stood with our allies in the US and Israel as they take on the threat of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its vile regime."

"Ten days later, as it became increasingly apparent that the US campaign had no apparently agreed goal or endpoint, and after polls showed steady opposition to it among the British public, Badenoch denied that she had wanted the UK to take part. I said that we support their actions. I never said we should join, she told an interview, to some head-scratching by pundits and MPs in response."

"Badenoch's position, as explained by her allies, is that she never wanted actual UK involvement in the strikes. Once Iran began retaliating, they say, her only point of difference from Starmer was to call for UK military efforts to seek out missile sites targeting British targets in the Middle East rather than just intercepting missiles and drones—stopping the archer rather than just catching the arrows."

Kemi Badenoch, Conservative leader, faced criticism from Prime Minister Keir Starmer over her apparent change in position regarding US-Israeli attacks on Iran. Initially, Badenoch advocated for allowing the US to use UK airbases for pre-emptive strikes against Iran. However, as public opposition to the campaign grew and its objectives became unclear, Badenoch denied ever supporting UK participation, claiming she only supported allied actions. Her clarifications became increasingly ambiguous, with her spokesperson stating the UK was "in the war" but not "joining the war." Badenoch's allies later explained her actual position involved calling for UK military efforts to target missile sites rather than merely intercepting them, distinguishing her approach from Starmer's defensive strategy.

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