Defence Secretary John Healey accused Tory leader Kemi Badenoch of disrespecting British servicemen and women after she claimed RAF planes were ‘just hanging around’ – despite pilots being active
Kemi Badenoch has been accused of insulting British servicemen and women after claiming RAF jets are “just hanging around” as the Iran crisis deepens.
Defence Secretary John Healey hit out at the Tory leader after she made the remark during a TV interview. Mrs Badenoch made the comment as she called on Keir Starmer to step up assaults on Iran – and was schooled by host Charlie Stayt.
British F-35 and Typhoon jets have been in action shooting down Iranian missiles in recent days. But moaning that the UK was not being more active in joining US and Israeli strikes in Iran, Mrs Badenoch told BBC Breakfast: “What else are the jets doing, just hanging around there?” In a statement Mr Healey said he was appalled by the comment.
He shot back: “I was on the ground in our British base in Cyprus yesterday. I saw how our British forces are working round the clock, in the face of repeated air raid sirens, to protect British lives and British interests.
“And to suggest they’re ‘just hanging around’ to score political points insults the men and women of our Armed Forces. She should apologise and withdraw her comments.”
The Conservative leader was challenged by BBC host Mr Stayt, who told her: “Can I just pick up on a phrase you used a moment ago? You said, ‘What are our jets – British jets, RAF jets – doing there at the moment?’ You just said: ‘They’re just hanging around.'”
And he continued: “Now, the evidence we have from the British government and the British military is that they have been involved in shooting down missiles and drones. You just said, ‘What are they doing there? They’re just hanging around.'”
He went on: “You mentioned before about the issue of all of us, to a degree, not having operational knowledge, because that’s the way these things work. But you have characterised what is already happening by the British military, by the RAF, as just hanging around.”
The Conservative leader responded: “What I said is that they’re catching arrows. They need to get the archer.” Mr Stayt interjected: “You use the phrase catching arrows. What they’re actually doing is shooting down drones, which will cause damage, and they’re shooting down missiles that are heading to the Middle East.”
Ms Badenoch backed the idea of RAF jets striking Iranian missile sites, saying: “You can’t always wait for people to attack you. Sometimes you have to make sure that you get there first to stop their ability to hurt your citizens.”
Earlier Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy stressed that F-35 and Typhoon jets were currently only shooting down missiles and drones fired by Iran at allies in the region. But he said there was a legal basis for them to do more and strike directly at the Iranian bases being used to launch attacks.
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The UK has already given the US permission to use British bases to carry out defensive strikes against Iran’s missile facilities. He told BBC Breakfast: “It is entirely legal to protect our people and protect our staff, and therefore all operational capability is available to us in those circumstances.”
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