‘This is a war we didn’t want’: Reeves attacks Trump administration for entering Iran conflict without exit strategy
UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves has launched a sharp rebuke of the Trump administration’s handling of the escalating conflict with Iran, describing it as a “folly” that has disrupted global energy markets and is now hitting British families and businesses hard.
In an interview with The Mirror, Reeves expressed deep frustration over the lack of a clear exit strategy from the US-led military action alongside Israel.
“This is a war that we did not start. It was a war that we did not want,” she said. “I feel very frustrated and angry that the US went into this war without a clear exit plan, without a clear idea of what they were trying to achieve.”
The comments come as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint for roughly 20% of global oil shipments, has triggered a sharp spike in energy prices. Wholesale gas prices have surged more than 60%, while Brent crude has climbed toward $100–$102 per barrel in recent trading.
Reeves, who is traveling to IMF meetings in Washington, D.C. highlighted how the conflict has derailed the UK’s economic momentum.
In her Spring Statement delivered in early March, she pointed to inflation trending toward the Bank of England’s 2% target, six interest-rate cuts since taking office, falling borrowing costs, and the UK posting the fastest growth in the G7 last year.
That outlook is now under threat. The Resolution Foundation estimates the average working-age UK household could be £480 worse off this financial year due to sustained higher energy costs. Poorer families, who spend a larger share of their income on heating and fuel, face the steepest hit.
Reeves was careful to distance the Labour government from any direct involvement. “
We’re not getting involved in the US blockade. We don’t think that is the right approach,” she said.
Instead, the UK is co-hosting a conference with French President Emmanuel Macron this week focused on reopening safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and has repeatedly called for de-escalation.
The Chancellor contrasted the current approach with the previous Conservative government’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, rejecting broad-based universal energy support in favour of targeted help for the most vulnerable. “The best way to get energy bills down is to de-escalate this conflict,” she added.
Energy-intensive industries, from chemicals and manufacturing to aviation and logistics, are already feeling the pinch. UK petrol prices at the pump have risen noticeably, and analysts warn that prolonged disruption could feed into core inflation, potentially forcing the Bank of England to pause or even reverse recent rate cuts.
