Starmer’s latest Press conference 10:30am today

Trump is proving, yet again, that he’s a dangerous egocentric bully whose impulsive behaviour is risking ww3.
Of course he wants others to join his illegal war , thank goodness Starmer continues to resist

The sooner Trump decides to give this up as a bad job the better

Ships that try to pass through the strait of Hormuz will not be insured as they will be attacked.
Why would other countries send their ships on this dangerous mission created by a man who hasn't a clue what he's doing.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c80j4rln8zmo
Iranian attacks on ships in the Straits of Hormuz.

Trump wanted China to send ships but they have free passage from Iran.
Trump calling on other countries because he can't cope and has caused this mess is ludicrous.
I don't think he will get the response he hoped for and bullying isn't working.
He didn't listen to advice about the strait of Hormuz even though it was obvious Iran would close it.

That appears to be true Maremia.
maritime-executive.com/article/as-iran-lays-mines-two-gulf-based-minesweepers-were-moved-to-malaysia

Actually it isn’t mined as yet, as ships belonging to Iran friendly countries are going through unscathed.

The Naval ships can be moved around, I really don’t think that’s the problem at all.I think the US wants as many countries involved as possible to avert the risk of the Strait being mined and for Iran to realise that if they hit ships with missiles they then face retaliation from many countries.

Actually glad that our vessels are 'not available '.

Where are the USA naval mine sweepers just now?
Saw a Facebook post that very recently they had been sent to the Pacific. But that could just be 'chatter'.

Oreo

Iam64

Are you suggesting Starmer is to blame Oreo? He’s been consistent in saying our military needs to be strengthened.

No, it isn’t just Starmer obviously.
It’s over 20 years of underfunding. Starmer talks big about defence spending but puts it off until the end of his political term.The two child cap should have been left as it was and that money given to defence just for a start.

👏👏👏👏👏👏

Oreo

Casdon

I saw a funny story last night. Trump made a lot of noise a few weeks ago about sending a military hospital ship from USA to help those poor Greenlanders(!). It transpired that he can’t - the US own two military hospital ships, and both are in dry dock undergoing refurbishment……

I daresay Trump had no idea about that fact, or did but thought nobody else knew.
The US Navy is still pretty impressive tho, unlike ours!

It’s just another proof that he hasn’t got a grip. He never checks the facts before he speaks, which is why he looks a fool so often. I don’t think he even read a briefing paper explaining the impact of invasion on the Strait of Hormuz, or the likelihood of ordinary people in Iran standing up to be shot in the name of freedom from the current regime.

The US does have an impressive navy, but it is highly dispersed, some to other countries where Trump has threatened sovereignty. He clearly doesn’t have the available naval resources to manage the Straits of Hormuz without help, which must stick in his craw.

I agree with yiu keep the two child limit Oreo. There are many areas needing the cash, it’s popular with many Labour voters, thigh not this one. Both my daughters would have had a third child but couldn’t afford it.

Casdon

I saw a funny story last night. Trump made a lot of noise a few weeks ago about sending a military hospital ship from USA to help those poor Greenlanders(!). It transpired that he can’t - the US own two military hospital ships, and both are in dry dock undergoing refurbishment……

I daresay Trump had no idea about that fact, or did but thought nobody else knew.
The US Navy is still pretty impressive tho, unlike ours!

I thought Keir Starmer came over well today 👏

Iam64

Are you suggesting Starmer is to blame Oreo? He’s been consistent in saying our military needs to be strengthened.

No, it isn’t just Starmer obviously.
It’s over 20 years of underfunding. Starmer talks big about defence spending but puts it off until the end of his political term.The two child cap should have been left as it was and that money given to defence just for a start.

I saw a funny story last night. Trump made a lot of noise a few weeks ago about sending a military hospital ship from USA to help those poor Greenlanders(!). It transpired that he can’t - the US own two military hospital ships, and both are in dry dock undergoing refurbishment……

Are you suggesting Starmer is to blame Oreo? He’s been consistent in saying our military needs to be strengthened.

It’s scary how our Navy has become.
HMS Dragon could be diverted I suppose and not go to Cyprus after all 🤔

But not even one to send right now.

Oreo Not as many as we would like maybe but ….

“As of March 2026, the Royal Navy operates a total surface fleet of roughly 57-63 commissioned vessels, but the number of major, active combat warships (destroyers and frigates) is significantly lower, with reports indicating only about 13-14 in service, often with many in maintenance.
UK Parliament
UK Parliament
+2
Surface Combatant Breakdown (2026):
Destroyers: 6 Type 45 Guided-Missile Destroyers (often only 2 are considered fully operational/deployable at any one time due to maintenance).
Frigates: 7-8 Type 23 Frigates.
Aircraft Carriers: 2 Queen Elizabeth-class carriers.
Wikipedia
Wikipedia
+4
Operational Reality & Challenges:
Availability: Reports as of March 2026 suggest that out of the major surface combatants, only about 8 to 13 are immediately available or active, with the rest in long-term maintenance or refit.
Fleet Size: The number of destroyers and frigates has hit a historic low (14), the smallest since the 19th century.
Submarines: In addition, the Royal Navy operates 10 nuclear-powered submarines (4 ballistic missile submarines, 6 fleet attack submarines).
Future Fleet: New Type 26 and Type 31 frigates are currently under construction or in development to replace the aging Type 23s.”

Trump is happy and willing to align himself with the like’s of Netanyahu and Putin, he deserves all he gets, is not a well man and is incapable of running a bath, let alone an entire huge and powerful country.

He’s utterly irrelevant in respect to whether we think our own leader a taking the right stance on this (illegal) war, by attempting to address the cost of energy/oil and by making it clear the UK will continue to support Ukraine.

In the last few weeks my respect for Starmer, his approach, his calming demeanour and his speeches has grown and I think he’s both a good leader and a Statesman. Showing his true colours at long last in a very positive way.

AGAA4

I'm glad Starmer isn't allowing Trump to bully him into joining in with this unplanned illegal war.

He can’t….we don’t have any warships to send.

MaizieD

'deference' or 'defence' ?

Defence, and Iran not Iraq.

It hasn't been reported yet, that any country has responded to Trump's bullying.