Keir Starmer's turned the UK into a limp has been - and now he's making Macron look good
HMS Dragon has finally hobbled out of Portsmouth and Giles Sheldrick says it is too little far too late.
Sir Keir Starmer has been missing in action for approaching two years. And just look at us now. Adrift. Lost at sea.
Britain was once a country looked upon with envy.
Now we stand as a basket case nation. A bystander on the world stage. An irrelevance.
It is approaching a fortnight since the US-Israeli bombing blitz of Iran started and while the world acted back home Labour’s dithering and delay has seen the UK diplomatically marooned.
Britain’s once proud Royal Navy, now reduced to a laughing stock, finally limped out of Portsmouth headed for the Eastern Mediterranean to belatedly join the global task force after Starmer's pathetic will he, won't he act.
Well, one ship - HMS Dragon.
The response is an embarrassment for a country that was once the world's preeminent naval superpower for more than a century, dominating the high seas from the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 until the early 20th century.
But to compound our shame, if that was possible, it gave pound shop Napoleon Emmanuel Macron a chance to stick the knife in and twist it, showing the world the state of Britain's military impotence and our prime minister's non-existent political judgement.
And the French president couldn’t resist.
The man who has done less than nothing to stem the migrant crisis launched from his shores (except trouser hundreds of millions of pounds of UK taxpayers’ cash) was an unashamed poseur aboard the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier yesterday.
Suited, strutting around like a peacock, and clutching his aviator shades the midget militarian starred in a glossy video plastered across social media showing his glad-handing Gallic armed forces belting out the national anthem La Marseillaise as he puffs his chest out to declare: “Your presence demonstrates the power of France.”
While this virile and swashbuckling Europhile showed off his hardware Britain stands as a limp and lame has-been, unable to even mount a show of strength to protect RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. We're being governed by loose cannons who certainly don't know the ropes.
But that did not stop Defence Secretary John Healey from claiming the departure of HMS Dragon was some seismic intervention.
Incredibly he said: "I have only praise for our Royal Navy personnel and civilian teams who have worked flat out to prepare HMS Dragon for deployment to the Eastern Mediterranean.
"What is normally six weeks of work was completed in just six days - a remarkable effort delivered around the clock. They are the very best of Britain in action."
The truth is what is happening in Iran has been plain to see. In fact the UK's ambassador to Israel notified ministers weeks ago that an attack on Tehran by US and Israeli forces was highly likely.
First they ignored the crisis, then they refused to participate when UK sovereign interests were targeted, then they performed an about-turn. It has been a farcical Hokey Cokey led by our constipated PM Starmer.
In every sense, these are classic hallmarks of a Labour government that is so far out of its depth that each passing day brings further ignominy.
HMS Dragon will arrive (although given the parlous state of our stripped down Armed Forces there is no guarantee in that) off the coast of Cyprus sometime in the next seven days - well after the Italian, French, Spanish and Netherlands. Thanks for popping by.
When it eventually gets there it will be able to defend against drone and missile attacks from Iran or its proxies in Lebanon or Iraq.
The sight of Cypriot president Nikos Christodoulides warmly greeting Mr Macron and lavishing praise for France's “constant support for our country” would have sent Horatio Nelson spinning in his grave and should be the final humiliation for political pygmy Starmer.
Mr Christodoulides told Mr Macron: “As you have pointed out, when Cyprus is attacked, it is all of Europe that is attacked, and France's unwavering support illustrates our partner's commitment in the face of the challenges affecting our region and Europe.”
Under Starmer there is no esprit de corps. We cower while others deliver.
This government's ludicrous response to the global crisis is symptomatic of the rot that has set in under Labour.
It has failed Britain and turned us into a global laughing stock.
