Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks to the media at Downing Street, in London, March 16, 2026. (Brook Mitchell/Pool Photo via AP) Keir Starmer has been accused of the “mother of all U-turns” after giving the US the green light to expand their use of RAF bases to bomb Iran. Downing Street announced that American jets will be allowed to use British bases to strike sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz . It marks a significant shift in the government’s approach to the UK’s involvement in the war. Starmer initially refused Donald Trump’s request to use RAF bases to bomb Iran at the start of the war. However, the prime minister then decided to allow them to launch “defensive” missions against missile launch sites. A Downing Street spokesman said those attacks can now be expanded as part of efforts to re-open the Strait of Hormuz, which carries around one-fifth of the global oil supply. Its closure due to attacks by Iran on oil tankers has sent the price of oil soaring and sparked fears of a global economic crisis. The No.10 spokesman said: ”[Ministers] confirmed that the agreement for the US to use UK bases in the collective self-defence of the region includes US defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz. “They reaffirmed that the principles behind the UK’s approach to the conflict remain the same: the UK remains committed to defending our people, our interests and our allies, acting in accordance with international law and not getting drawn into the wider conflict. “Ministers underlined the need for urgent de-escalation and a swift resolution to the war.” Despite the shift in the UK’s position, Trump told reporters Starmer “should have acted a lot faster”. Posting on X, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the PM had performed “the mother of all U-turns”. Mother of all U-turns. https://t.co/kYsUcrMD1i — Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) March 20, 2026 Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge added: “After weeks of dither and finger pointing, the prime minister has once again changed his mind and performed yet another screeching U-turn. “The prime minister had the Navy’s only active minesweeper taken out of the Gulf a week before the war began. He dithered about sending a warship to help defend our base in Cyprus. And where we have been clear from the outset that we would have allowed our closest military ally to use our bases, Starmer has been all over the place. “When we need strong leadership in challenging times, Starmer is weak and indecisive.” Related... 'This Is Mayhem': BBC Expert Explains Why The Iran War Is Going Wrong For Donald Trump Trump Blames Starmer For Breakdown In US-UK Relations In Latest Bizarre Rant Keir Starmer Resists Trump's Call For Royal Navy Warships To Be Sent To Strait Of Hormuz