Politics LIVE: David Lammy races to Washington amid US-Iran war fears

US involvement could require the use of the UK-controlled Diego Garcia base in the Chagos Islands.

The B-2 stealth bombers based there are capable of carrying specialised “bunker buster” bombs which could be used against Iran’s underground nuclear facility at Fordo.

Miatta Fahnbulleh, energy minister has told Times Radio tha Keir Starmer's priority is to de-escalate the situation in the Middle East.

She said "The priority must be to de-escalate the situation, to get people around the negotiating table."

She added: "The prime minister is all across this. He is talking to his allies and his partners. He is using his influence in order to urge calm, cool heads, and urge people around the table."

Shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel said the Conservative Party would support the Government in joining the military fight against Iran if it was deemed necessary.

Asked whether she would agree if the UK joined the offensive, she told Good Morning Britain: “While we want peace in the region, we’re crystal clear that Iran should not be able to obtain nuclear weapons.

“And if the Government judges that such action is necessary to avoid that then we would absolutely support the Government if it deemed it necessary to ensure that we can defend our country, our citizens and effectively a lot of our strategic equities in the Middle East region.”

She added that she believed the Opposition would be able to hold the Government to account without a vote in Parliament on such a decision.

Ms Patel also told the programme that the Government needs to “step up” the evacuation of British nationals in Israel.

Keir Starmer knew Israel was planning to attack Iran as far back as December, according to a report today - and had some of the details four days before they began.

Tim Shipman, Political Editor of the Spectator, makes the claim. He wrote: "Ministers have been expecting an Israeli offensive since December. David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, led a cross-Whitehall tabletop war-gaming exercise into how events might unfold on Monday last week, four days before the first air strikes."

He also says Starmer has received legal advice warning that the UK should not assist Israel. This could become a problem though if the US does take part in the conflict, as America may want to make use of British resources.

President Trump has approved plans for a US attack on Iran but was waiting to see if Tehran agrees to scrap its nuclear programme before giving the final order, according to leading US newspaper the Wall Street Journal

The Foreign Secretary's talks in Washington will cover the deteriorating situation in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine, as well as the UK-US trade deal, parts of which were finalised by Sir Keir and Mr Trump at the G7.

Meanwhile, nuclear talks with Iran and senior diplomats from the UK, Germany and France as well as the EU will take place in Geneva on Friday, a European official told the Associated Press.

In his comments outside the White House, Donald Trump had suggested the US could still hold talks with Iran.

"I can tell you this, Iran has got a lot of trouble and they want to negotiate," he said.

He said "it's very late to be talking", but "we may meet".

If the US decides to go ahead with strikes, it could seek to use the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, which the UK would reportedly need to sign off on.

The UK could be dragged closer to the war if the US asks to use the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia.

Washington could target the heavily reinforced Fordow nuclear site if they were to join the war.

Only American forces have bunker busting bombs that can penetrate Fordow and destroy the key facilities. They are launched from American B2 stealth bombers.

Washington moved at least six B2 bombers to Diego Garcia in March as it increased pressure on Tehran to agree a nuclear deal.

Sir Keir Starmer will be a "cool, calm head" guided by international law in response to the Israel-Iran crisis, a Government minister said.

Attorney General Lord Hermer is reported to have raised concerns about any potential UK involvement in the conflict beyond defending its allies, something which could limit any support for the US if Donald Trump decides to bomb Iranian nuclear sites.

Energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh told Times Radio: "Legal advice is for the Prime Minister, and I think that's where it will stay and you can understand why I won't comment on that.

"But what I will say is that we have a Prime Minister who is a lawyer and a human rights lawyer, he will obviously do everything that is in accord with international law.

"No-one wants an escalation. No-one wants this to erupt into a major conflict in the region that is hugely destabilising for every country involved and for us, globally.

"So the most important role that the Prime Minister can play, and is playing, is to be that cool, calm head, to urge all partners around the negotiating table and to find a diplomatic route out of this."