Badenoch denies calling for UK to join US-Israeli war on Iran

"I said that we support their actions. I never said we should join. I did say that where British bases are being attacked, we should do more than catch the arrows. We should stop the people who are attacking us. Stop the archer."

"When missiles are being fired, the launchers which are kept deep underground come out. If you take out the capacity, that means that they will stop sending missiles over. So don't just catch the arrows. Stop the archer. If all you do is try and catch arrows, you will get hit."

"Although I do say that when it comes to the two sides, I will always be on the side of the US and Israel, not Iran. That doesn't mean that we should join those strikes."

Kemi Badenoch, Conservative leader, denied accusations of calling for UK participation in military strikes against Iran. She clarified her position by distinguishing between supporting US and Israel actions and advocating for direct UK military engagement. Badenoch stated the UK should take defensive measures against Iranian threats to British bases, specifically targeting missile launchers rather than merely intercepting incoming missiles. She emphasized not wanting troops on the ground but argued for proactive defense against Iranian weapons capabilities. Labour criticized her position as confused, questioning the coherence of supporting strikes while complaining about rising energy bills and lacking clarity on endgame strategy.

Read at www.theguardian.com