"Our number one priority is protecting our people, says Starmer, overlaid with the sound of electric guitars played by Dire Straits. Starmer refused to join the US and Israeli strikes on Iran but has since authorised defensive action."
"Al Pinkerton, a Liberal Democrat MP, said the choice of song when the military was crying out for the government's defence spending plan seemed particularly cloth-eared. Trump's illegal war in the Middle East is not a movie for promotion despite what [the president's] press channels may imply."
"Downing Street seems unable to avoid being sucked into the orbit of Trump's deranged confusion of blockbuster with international conflict. The Green party said the TikTok clip has echoes of videos coming out of the White House glorifying war."
Prime Minister Keir Starmer posted a TikTok video addressing the Middle East crisis, featuring Royal Navy helicopters, military jets, and drone footage accompanied by his voice discussing protecting British people, set to Dire Straits' 'Money for Nothing.' Liberal Democrat MP Al Pinkerton criticized the video as tone-deaf, particularly given military demands for increased defence spending. He compared it to White House social media posts celebrating Iran bombing with Hollywood film montages, suggesting Downing Street mimics Trump's conflation of entertainment with military conflict. The Green Party similarly noted echoes of White House war glorification videos. Starmer's spokesperson declined to discuss the music selection but referenced the prime minister's commitment to increased defence spending, with Starmer previously pledging 2.5% of national economic output toward core defence by April 2027.
#uk-defence-policy #social-media-politics #middle-east-conflict #political-criticism #military-spending
Read at www.theguardian.com
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