SIR KEIR STARMER’S claims that he’s “fed up” of Donald Trump’s wars ramping up the cost of living ring hollow until he stops the US using British military bases and arming Israel, anti-war campaigners said yesterday.

The Prime Minister compared the US leader with Russian President Vladimir Putin as he expressed frustration over skyrocketing global oil prices following Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for US-Israeli bombings.

“I’m fed up with the fact that families across the country see their bills go up and down on energy, businesses’ bills go up and down on energy, because of the actions of Putin or Trump,” he told ITV’s Talking Politics Podcast.

A spokeswoman for Stop the War Coalition told the Morning Star: “Keir Starmer continues in his cowardly appeasement of Donald Trump, even in his failure to stand up for working people as the economic crisis caused by the US’s illegal war on Iran hits home. 

“He may be ‘fed up’ but he remains complicit until he stops allowing US planes to use British bases and stops arming Israel.”

And CND general secretary Sophie Bolt said: “Starmer’s attempt to present to the British people he is standing up to Trump whilst pretty much doing as he’s told is untenable as a foreign policy.

“While both he and Cooper attempt to cover it up, British bases like RAF Lakenheath were being used from the very preparatory stages of this illegal war on Iran, and the government are unable to guarantee that the twice daily bombing missions from RAF Fairford are not resulting in war crimes. Starmer needs to rip off the band aid and end this toxic ‘special relationship’ which ties us to a political leader dragging the world towards nuclear war.”

And Communist Party leader Alex Gordon said: “Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s wished for ‘30-nation military coalition’ with Donald Trump to ‘force open’ the Strait of Hormuz exposes Britain as the poodle of brutal US imperialism.”

A Momentum spokesman added: “If the war on Iran continues, it will only exacerbate the cost-of-living crisis and those on the lowest incomes will pay the price. 

“The UK must stand firm against Trump’s reckless actions and stop all British bases being used in this illegal war.”

Sir Keir spoke to Mr Trump shortly after his criticisms, as the US president continued to step up threats to pull out of the Nato.

The PM said that the military alliance was “in America’s interests” but European members must strengthen their commitment in the wake of the Middle East ceasefire.

He added that he spoke to the US President about the need for a “practical plan” to get shipping going through the Strait of Hormuz amid suggestions Tehran wants to charge vessels for passage.

Sir Keir, who has been visiting allies in the Gulf for talks on how to support what he described as a “fragile” truce, said the bloc had “kept us much safer than we would otherwise have been.”

Speaking as he left Qatar, Sir Keir added that the conflict would “define us for a generation” and that allies had shared a desire to work closely together.

He appeared to indicate he had not raised his frustrations directly with Mr Trump during their call, saying only that their conversation had focused on the need for a “practical plan” for the strait.

Mr Trump agreed a fragile two-week truce earlier this week with the reopening of the strait a key condition.

But the ceasefire soon came under strain as Israel’s bombardment of Beirut prompted Iran to close the shipping lane again amid disagreement over whether Lebanon was included in the agreement. Israel continues to bombard the country.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski said: “The US is enabling genocide in Gaza and Lebanon. Donald Trump has attempted to use Nato protection as leverage to pressure European states into joining the reckless and illegal US-Israeli war on Iran.

“It’s clear that our long-term interests are best served by reducing dependence on the US for security, and pivoting towards closer cooperation with our European allies.

“The British government must immediately impose more robust sanctions on the Israeli government and those enabling them. It must suspend diplomatic ties and stop all arms sales to this increasingly rogue state.”