Keir Starmer, Trump And Britain’s Iran Crisis | Isabel Oakeshott says Britain is “not a reliable ally” episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 9, 2026 · 45 MIN

Keir Starmer, Trump And Britain’s Iran Crisis | Isabel Oakeshott says Britain is “not a reliable ally”

from Back of the Stand with Mark Saggers

Jeremy Kyle speaks to Talk International Editor Isabel Oakeshott from Dubai as the Iran conflict deepens and Donald Trump turns on Sir Keir Starmer. Oakeshott says Britain’s response has looked “woefully lacking”, with HMS Dragon still in Portsmouth and the UK appearing unable to match the pace of allies in the Middle East. The episode asks whether Starmer’s handling of Iran has weakened Britain’s standing with Washington and damaged the special relationship.Oakeshott argues Starmer has landed in “the worst of all worlds” by trying to please everyone while showing no real strength. She says he is “completely insufficiently robust on every level” and warns the US now sees Britain as “not a reliable ally”. Jeremy and Isabel discuss Trump’s criticism, the pressure on UK diplomacy, and why Britain’s military capability is now being exposed in full view.The conversation also widens into a row about British identity and national priorities, from defence readiness to culture war flashpoints at home. Oakeshott says Britain must rediscover confidence in its values and stop looking weak while the world becomes more dangerous. For listeners searching for Iran war, Keir Starmer, Donald Trump, UK defence, HMS Dragon and the UK-US special relationship, this episode is a sharp analysis of a government under fire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Keir Starmer, Trump And Britain’s Iran Crisis | Isabel Oakeshott says Britain is “not a reliable ally”

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