It is ‘impossible’ for the UK to defend every ship from Iran, the Royal Navy is ‘too small’ and admirals need more cash, says defence minister Tobias Ellwood amid Iran crisis
- The Stena Impero oil tanker was stormed by Iranian Special Forces on Friday
- Tobias Ellwood denied that the UK had taken its ‘eye off the ball’ over Gulf crisis
- Question’s have been raised as to why British vessels were not being escorted
A top defence minister warned it was ‘impossible’ for the UK to protect every ship from Iranian forces in the Gulf today as he demanded more money for the Royal Navy.
Tobias Ellwood denied that the UK had taken its ‘eye off the ball’ and said the Government was looking at a ‘series of options’ after Iranian forces seized a UK-flagged tanker.
The Stena Impero oil tanker carrying 23 crew was stormed by Iranian Special Forces, on Friday, sparking an international crisis.
Questions have been raised as to why British-flagged vessels were not being escorted through the area, following threats from Tehran after an Iranian ship was impounded in Gibraltar last week.
Appearing on Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday this morning Mr Ellwood said the UK had three or four warships going through 100 nautical miles of waterway every day, adding: ‘It is impossible simply to escort each individual vessel.’
Mr Ellwood said the UK had three or four warships going through 100 nautical miles of waterway every day, adding: ‘It is impossible simply to escort each individual vessel’
The Stena Impero oil tanker carrying 23 crew was stormed by Iranian Special Forces, on Friday, sparking an international crisis
Asked if sanctions were off the table, Mr Ellwood said: ‘Cobra was taking place yesterday, so we’re looking at the operational responsibilities from that but, yes, we are going to be looking at a series of options.’
Mr Ellwood also called for more money to be invested in defence if Britain wants to continue to play a role on the international stage.
He said: ‘If we want to continue playing a role on the international stage – bearing in mind that threats are changing – all happening just beneath the threshold of all-out war, then we must invest more in our defence, including our Royal Navy.
‘Our Royal Navy is too small to manage our interests across the globe if that’s our future intentions and that’s something the next prime minister will need to recognise.’
A former head of the Royal Navy said the UK should not ‘pretend we’re surprised’ that Iran has seized two British oil tankers in the Gulf.
Lord West of Spitfield told Sky News: ‘What I find extraordinary is that we knew that the Iranians would try something like this a few days ago.
‘I’m absolutely amazed that we haven’t implemented some sort of control of red ensign shipping within the region whereby no tanker would go in to what is clearly a dangerous zone without an escort, and I find it bizarre that we seem to have ships doing exactly that.’
West accused the British navy had ‘too few ships’ and would find it ‘extremely difficult’ to provide escorts to merchant vessels.
The Royal Navy has since deployed frigate HMS Montrose to the Gulf and destroyer HMS Duncan is on her way to join her.
HMS Montrose, which is patrolling the Persian Gulf, raced towards the scene after the British-flagged tanker diverted from its planned course.
Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon said the UK risks being drawn into a conflict between Iran and the US as ‘Donald Trump’s sidekick’.
Speaking on Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Mr Burgon said: ‘If we end up in a conflict backed by Donald Trump then I think it would not only be comparable with Iraq, in fact it could be even worse than Iraq, and that should really scare everybody.’
He added: ‘We need sensible negotiations. We’ve got a really important part to play diplomatically in this. We can use our negotiating weight.
‘I think that our Government has international respect and this country has international respect in a way that Donald Trump doesn’t. I think we need to use that for the purposes of conflict resolution and for the purposes of making sure this doesn’t escalate out of control.’
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