This morning’s headlines confirm what many of us suspected: Britain is moving Typhoon jets and Voyager refuelling aircraft into the Middle East. RAF Akrotiri is once again a hub of activity, as we position standby forces given the ongoing situation between Israel and Iran.

On paper, this is not an escalation – it’s just precautionary. But for the UK, every move on the chessboard counts, because what we do now will shape not only how we’re perceived in the region, but what kind of ally, actor and nation we intend to be.

Theatre and Threats Aren’t Strategy

This deployment follows the shambolic G7 summit in Canada – a meeting that should have been a show of Western resolve but became instead a masterclass in contradictions. France flirted with vague diplomacy. The US veered between stage-managed soundbites and outright vetoes at the UN. And Donald Trump, true to form, played the pantomime villain: arriving late, leaving early, and offering bluster in place of leadership.

This matters because serious powers can’t afford theatrics when the region is on a knife edge. Israel, facing an existential threat, has acted decisively. And while my support for Israel’s right to defend itself remains unwavering, I know that military moves alone won’t deliver security – they must be part of a strategy, not a substitute for one.

That’s where the UK must tread carefully but also boldly.

What the RAF Really Means – and What It Must Lead To

Sending jets sends a message. But the message is only as strong as the policy that backs it up. If this is just sabre-rattling, it will be seen as such – by Iran, by our Gulf allies, and by our own citizens who expect seriousness, not symbolism.

The Government must get the next steps right and to do that we need to see:

• Rules of engagement that are credible, legal, and consistent. Not everything needs to be done or said in public, but allies and adversaries alike must know we mean what we say.
• Diplomatic cohesion with Egypt, Jordan, and the UAE – the local nations doing the hard work of keeping humanitarian channels open and diplomatic pressure focused.
• Aid logistics rooted in accountability. If we want to stabilise the region, it won’t be done by air strikes alone, although they may be part of the short term process, it’ll be finally achieved through smart aid that reaches the right people, in the right way, at the right time. Hopefully, for me, once the Iranian Government has fallen at the hands of it’s own people

Testing the Conservative Party

This is also a moment of testing for the Conservative party if we are to recapture our true position as the next government-in-waiting in peoples minds. The Labour Government has so far walked a careful line on foreign affairs. But caution cannot become ambiguity – Britain needs clarity.

Clarity on the Uks continued support for Israel – not just as a security partner, but as the region’s only democracy, a nation under siege that shares our values of freedom.

Clarity on how we respond to Iran’s malign influence in the world, while standing with those inside the country demanding real change.

Clarity on how we support our Armed Forces with the strength and tools they need, and with a defined exit strategy before we drift into open-ended conflict.

These are not easy questions, but power rarely offers those holding it easy choices.

The Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenock and Dame Priti Patel and her Shadow Foreign office team have made what could best be described as cautious public interventions at best calling for de-escalation and urging diplomatic coordination but given we are now reinforcing our airbases and our service personnel are preparing for action that quietness and caution no longer feels sufficient.

We need the voice of a party that is serious about power. That means clarity, confidence, and  Conservative values.

The public deserves to know what a Conservative government would do differently – not in theory, but in the face of the choices confronting Britain now.

The time for quiet watching has passed. This is a moment to speak not to make noise, but to show leadership.

The Quiet Power That Matters

I’ve written recently about the need for grown-ups in the room. Today’s deployment is a test of just that, not just for the UK Government, but for the Opposition too.

This is a chance for Britain to show that while others chase headlines, we remain steady. That while some scream into microphones, we operate quietly — with courage, conviction, and the seriousness the world so desperately needs.

But seriousness must also come with clarity. Our Armed Forces deserve more than silence. The public deserves to know that there is a real alternative ready to govern, and the Conservatives must not just watch events unfold, we must help shape the response.

Kemi Badenoch has spoken with strength. Dame Priti Patel has called for calm. But when jets are flying and lives may soon be on the line, quiet caution is no longer enough. It’s time for a Conservative foreign policy that matches our values with action — and shows the country we’re ready to lead again.

In foreign affairs, what matters isn’t always what’s loudest. It’s what lasts.