UK had Gulf bases but no ships to protect allies when Iran conflict began, peer says

The UK was unable to protect its Gulf allies when fighting with Iran broke out earlier this year because it had few if any naval vessels in its regional bases, Ulster Unionist peer Lord Empey told the House of Lords on 4 June 2026.

Speaking during an oral question on whether the government intends to establish a permanent military presence in the Gulf to protect allies and ensure freedom of navigation, Lord Empey said the events at the start of the year had exposed a "hollow presence." "Even though we may have bases, largely there are certainly no vessels within them," he said. "We were not capable of providing protection to our allies in that area; indeed, we were not even capable of properly protecting our own bases in Cyprus." He asked whether this was not "illustrative of a long-term, decades-long decline in our capabilities" and what the long-term consequences would be for the UK's standing in the region when it had been unable to come to the aid of close and long-standing allies.

Minister of State for Defence Lord Coaker, who answered the question, did not dispute the limited naval presence. Instead, he listed other support the UK had provided. Lord Coaker said he had met the ambassadors or defence attachés of Middle East countries almost every week to discuss their needs. "As a consequence of their answers, we have provided further fighter jets, drone capabilities, radar and anti-air defensive capabilities, so we have done a significant amount of work already," he said, adding that there were 1,000 British service personnel across the region and that those countries had been very appreciative of the support.

Pressed later by Liberal Democrat Baroness Smith of Newnham on whether he could tell allies categorically that the UK had the naval capabilities to give them reassurance, or whether the Treasury needed to be pushed to move further and faster, Lord Coaker said discussions with the Treasury continued.