Nigel Farage says Britain "humiliated" by Royal Navy's slow Iran response as HMS Dragon sets sail
Britain has been left “humiliated” by the Royal Navy’s delayed response to the conflict in Iran, according to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
The Clacton MP, who visited Portsmouth this afternoon (Tuesday, March 10) laid blame at the feet of successive governments for the navy’s inability to react quickly to the war, and to come to the aid of British nationals in the Middle East.
A joint operation is ongoing between the USA and Israel, which led to the death of Iranian Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. In response, Iran has launched a series of attacks on the likes of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia - and attempted a drone strike on Cyprus.
While Farage maintains the position that the UK should “not get ourselves involved in another foreign war”, he told The News that the country has fallen short of its duties to British citizens who now find themselves in the firing line.
He said: “It’s humiliating - we’ve been humiliated. Three weeks ago we could see the American fleet massing, and knew some type of attack was happening.
“The navy told this government that we needed assets in the Mediterranean, but we are led by a man of indecision.
“British sovereign territory is attacked, and it takes us a fortnight to get HMS Dragon into position.”
As reported by The News, Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon is set to be deployed off the coast of Cyprus as a protective measure. At the time of publication, she has just started to set sail.
Farage - who has been on a campaign trail ahead of the local elections in May - added that he believes fault lies with the current Labour government for failing to respond, and the previous Conservative administration for not funding the Royal Navy.
“The indecision and dithering comes from Sir Keir Starmer,” Farage said. “But the lack of assets is firmly in the hands of the Conservatives.
“We can’t even send a Royal Navy vessel to defend an RAF base, while the French are sending an operational fleet to help get oil moving out of the Strait of Hormuz.”
Issuing a statement on Farage’s visit, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said: “From crank conspiracy theorists to their ex-Leader in Wales convicted of taking pro-Russian bribes, Reform is full of people you wouldn’t want anywhere near power. And their record at council level shows that when they do get into office they make a mess of it.
“They don’t stand up for working people in Portsmouth and their policy priorities are all wrong. They don’t believe in the NHS and they want to rip up protections for children online. They stand up for Russia instead of working people in the UK. And their immigration policy is extreme: not fair rules properly enforced, but deporting people who have lived here legally for years.
“As we see today in Portsmouth, his party isn’t offering new ideas or new people, but pushing even further on the same discredited policies that have failed in the past. They’re simply not fit to govern.”