Sir John Major has attacked Donald Trump over the Iran war and accused Sir Keir Starmer of a “demeaning” policy of “tiptoeing” around the president.
The former prime minister said President Trump should have sought United Nations backing for the war and claimed it would not end hostilities in the Middle East.
In a hard-hitting speech, Sir John also bitterly condemned US vice president JD Vance and defence secretary Pete Hegseth for their “shameful” attacks on Europe and NATO.
Denouncing the president’s strategy, Sir John said: “There was no diplomatic attempt to obtain a UN resolution to give legality to the war. No nation – other than Israel – was even consulted.
“This was despite the fact that the war was bound have much wider repercussions across the Middle East and beyond. Many nations will pay a price for this war.
“Hostilities will not end when bombing stops. Old hatreds will linger. New hatreds will have been born. A new generation may have been radicalised. Retaliation may be deferred, but it is likely to come.”
In a lecture at King’s College, London, honouring Clement Attlee, the ex-PM said the Iran war’s aims have never been clear and have been changing by the day since the conflict began.
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“No exit strategy is known,” he said. “The president demanded surrender. He is unlikely to get it.”
In contrast, Sir John praised his relationship with George HW Bush, during the first Gulf War in 1990-91 and said they never held back in their discussions.
“But today, there is a tendency to tiptoe around the president to avoid upsetting him,” he said. “Although I understand that, I do not agree with it.
“Sovereign states that demean themselves will be seen as subordinates and not allies. That is not a role for the UK.
“If we disagree with American policy we should say so – as a friend that cares for the wellbeing of an ally. Statesmen do this in private ‒ not in public.”
Describing a “new tone from America”, Sir John said: “President Trump argues that America is being ripped off by trading partners and – without consultation – he raised tariffs on imports from wealthy and poor countries, whether friend or foe.
“When the Supreme Court ruled these to be illegal, he reimposed a 15% general increase using different powers not yet tested in courts.”
And he added: “Uncertainty was reinforced by the president’s dismissive attitude to Europe, his demands for the ownership of Greenland – the territory of a NATO ally.
“And his expressed view that the incursion of Ukraine by Russia was solely a problem for Europe. This is not the America we have known.”
Attacking vice president Vance, who he said accused Europeans of being a greater threat to freedom than Russia, Sir John said. “That was offensive and absurd in equal measure.
“It was President Putin who sent Russian troops to invade Ukraine ‒ not vice-versa.”
He said when President Zelenskyy visited the White House he was “ambushed” by President Trump, yet when President Putin arrived in Washington he was greeted with “a red-carpet reception”.
On NATO, Sir John said the vice president was on record as saying: “I just hate bailing out Europe again”, and the defence secretary was contemptuous of “vague notions of international law” and the “stupid rules of engagement”.
He said: “Such disregard of law is a shameful example for a law maker to set.”
On domestic UK politics, in a clear reference to Reform UK, Sir John said “populist insurgents” seek to “divide and not unite, cause strife, trade on grievances and exaggerate ills”.
He added: “They then blame those ills on minority groups of a different race or religion. It is ugly politics that deserves no place in our country.
“So – if you rejoice at the dire polling of Labour and the Conservatives ‒ beware of what you wish for.”
He also said MPs who defect should call a by-election and claimed Brexit had lost the UK £100m a year in trade and £40bn in tax, doing enormous damage to the lives and livelihoods of the British people.
