Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

While flames engulf Iranian oil depots following U.S. and Israeli strikes, and Iran retaliates with missiles targeting the UAE and Israel, the UK Ministry of Defence has sparked backlash by circulating a survey to troops about relaxing appearance standards. The questionnaire asks if male soldiers should be allowed to wear makeup, nail polish, and longer hair, ridiculously framing it as a push toward “gender-free” policies.

The timing of this clownish behaviour couldn’t be worse. The survey, originating from Army HQ in Andover, proposes uniform rules on hair, jewelry, and even facial aesthetics like fillers and microblading for all genders.

The review builds on recent shifts in UK military policies. In 2024, the Army reversed a long-standing ban on beards. Back in 2019, then-Defence Secretary Ben Wallace floated allowing men to use camouflage-colored makeup. And in 2017, instructions emphasized avoiding gender-specific language like “best man for the job.”

Shadow Defence Minister Mark Francois slammed the initiative, stating, “Upgrading to mascara from camouflage cream is hardly likely to deter Putin.”

An Army spokesman pushed back, clarifying, “As the Chief of the General Staff has said, the Army is focused on enhancing our lethality and fighting readiness. There are no plans to change policy – and this was not an official Army survey.”

This comes against a backdrop of escalating conflict in Iran. U.S. and Israeli forces have conducted devastating strikes on regime oil depots, with reports of “fire rain” over Tehran after the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a daytime assault. Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, raising fears of UK gas shortages with only days’ reserves left. Iranian drones and missiles have struck Dubai skyscrapers and airports, killing civilians.

In addition, U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly dressed down UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for what he calls a tardy response to the crisis.

In a social media post, Trump dismissed Britain’s offer to send aircraft carriers, writing, “The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East. That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember. We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!”

The jab highlights Starmer’s initial hesitation. The UK excluded itself from early strikes on Iran and denied U.S. use of its bases. Trump compared Starmer unfavorably to Winston Churchill, noting, “Starmer was no Winston Churchill.”

Starmer has since shifted, deploying the HMS Prince of Wales and additional Typhoon jets to the region. He also did what he does best, a complete u-turn on permission for U.S. forces to use UK bases for “specific and limited defensive” strikes against Iranian missiles. This includes operations from RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia to intercept threats to regional allies.

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has joined the chorus, urging Starmer to back the U.S. unequivocally. At a private event, where he expected the remarks to remain, Blair said, “We should have backed America from the very beginning,” adding “You better show up!” emphasizing the U.S. as an “indispensable ally.”

Blair stressed, “We have got to be very clear about this as a country. We’re depending on the American alliance for our country. They are not just an ally, they are an indispensable ally, right?” And, “It’s not a question of whether it’s this president or that president. If they are your ally and they are an indispensable ally cornerstone for your security… you had better show up.” He advised Starmer to be “strong and out there and clear” on foreign policy.

This critique underscores fractures in UK leadership as the conflict unfolds. Starmer maintains the UK won’t pursue “regime change from the skies,” focusing on a negotiated end where Iran abandons nuclear ambitions and regional destabilization.

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