Starmer Accused of ‘Complacency’ as MPs Grill PM Over UK’s Unpreparedness for Middle East War

London — Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of, "complacency", by senior MPs during a high-stakes interrogation over the UK’s lack of military readiness as conflict intensifies in the Middle East.

Appearing before the Commons liaison committee on Monday, the prime minister faced a barrage of criticism from both Labour and Conservative committee chairs. The session turned volatile as Starmer was challenged with assertions that the United Kingdom, "is at war", following recent regional escalations.

The bruising appearance came just hours before the prime minister was set to chair an emergency meeting on Monday afternoon. That meeting is expected to focus on the domestic impact of the conflict, specifically regarding the cost of living. Despite President Donald Trump’s recent declaration of a ceasefire in the region, Starmer admitted to MPs that he was unable to provide any definitive timetable for an end to the hostilities.

The political pressure in Westminster mirrors growing anxiety among the British public. New polling by Ipsos, released shortly before the committee hearing, revealed that public concern regarding national defence has more than doubled in the last month. The data shows that those worried about the UK’s defence capabilities jumped from 16 per cent to 31 per cent, making it the third most pressing issue for voters, trailing only immigration and the economy.

A central point of contention during the hearing was the perceived failure of the Royal Navy to project power in the Mediterranean. MPs questioned why the UK appeared so ill-prepared to protect its sovereign bases in Cyprus when President Trump launched military actions against Iran.

The committee highlighted a, "deeply embarrassing", situation in which the French and Greek governments were able to deploy naval assets to defend the waters around Cyprus before the UK could mobilise. While the destroyer HMS Dragon has since been deployed, it emerged that the vessel required six days of hurried preparations before it could depart, leaving a vacuum in the region during the initial outbreak of hostilities.

The Prime Minister became visibly angry when a committee member reminded him that Winston Churchill did not require a lengthy defence review to manage Britain’s security during the Second World War.

In a sharp retort, Sir Keir pointed the finger at the previous Conservative administration. He cited former Conservative Defence Secretary Sir Ben Wallace, who had previously admitted that the British armed forces had been, “hollowed out and underfunded”, during his party's time in power.

However, the Prime Minister also faced scathing criticism from within his own party. Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, the Labour chair of the Defence Select Committee, slammed the government’s lack of preparedness. Mr. Dhesi raised urgent questions regarding in-year savings to the defence budget and demanded assurances that the government remains on track to meet its commitment of spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence and security by 2034.

As the Prime Minister headed into Monday afternoon’s meeting, the consensus among the chairs of the parliamentary select committees remained one of deep skepticism regarding the government's ability to navigate the burgeoning international crisis.