Britain Is Still Paying the Price for Trump’s War
There appears to be no end in sight to the crisis in the Middle East, and ordinary people across Britain continue to feel its effects in their everyday lives. Rising prices, economic uncertainty and growing financial pressure are fuelling mounting frustration, much of it now spilling onto social media.The conflict between the United States and Iran continues to exact a heavy toll on the British economy. According to current forecasts, two of the country’s poorest regions are expected to suffer significant job losses as a result of rising energy prices and the wider economic downturn. By the end of the year, some 5,700 jobs are expected to disappear in South Wales, with a further 2,800 losses forecast in the Humber region.
It Is Always the Most Vulnerable Who Pay the Price
As ever, those hardest hit are the people least able to absorb the shock — households with low incomes and little in the way of financial security. As Daniel Abbott, a former member of the shadow cabinet points out, ‘ordinary people will find themselves in a far worse position as a result of Trump’s bombing of Iran and his blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Food prices in the UK are set to rise by 50% since the start of the cost-of-living crisis.’
All our Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, can do is state the obvious. Back in April, he merely remarked that the consequences of war in Iran could affect the day-to-day spending of British households and that people might need to rethink their spending habits. In other words, rather than setting out concrete measures to shield the public from the impact of the crisis, the Prime Minister simply advised the country to brace itself for harder times ahead.
Holidays Are Becoming a Luxury
Starmer also suggested that families may need to reconsider their holiday plans. Given the soaring cost of air travel, that may not be much of a choice. As blogger and doctor Anthony Costello notes,’ Donald Trump’s war with Iran has led to a doubling of jet fuel prices. ‘Aviation kerosene accounts for 20–30% of an airline’s operating costs. Airlines all over the world are cancelling flights and raising prices.' Airlines have already announced the cancellation of some 13,000 flights from May schedules alone. British Airways has suspended most of its flights to the Middle East until at least June. And what has the Starmer government done in response? Has it secured alternative supply routes or sought to strengthen Britain’s energy resilience? No. Instead, it has merely authorised the rescheduling of flights in an attempt to conserve aviation fuel.
A Government That Appears Incapable of Action
That, many argue, is the central weakness of today’s Labour Party: plenty of rhetoric, but little meaningful action. Liz Webster, a long-standing critic of Brexit and founder of Save British Farming, writes that the EU’s energy market could have mitigated the impact. One may disagree with her broader argument, but she makes a fair point when she says: ‘We never managed to build anything better. So when global upheavals hit us, such as the crisis in Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, which is driving up gas prices, Britain suffers more than almost any other country.’
Meanwhile, Downing Street continues to issue upbeat press releases noting that Home Secretary Yvette Cooper discussed the situation in the Strait of Hormuz with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. And the result? Whilst Donald Trump criticises Britain for not offering sufficient support to Washington’s actions, Starmer merely nods along quietly rather than taking a firm position in defence of British interests — something many believe previous generations of British leaders would have done without hesitation.