Kemi Badenoch unleashed a withering attack on Keir Starmer last night, branding him weak, weak, weak. The Conservative leader slammed the Prime Minister for his feeble response to the conflict in the Middle East, including an attack on an RAF base.

She also hit out over his stance on China and protecting Britain’s national security. Her blazing ambush came as Sir Keir faced the triple humiliation of a major defence bungle, a Labour spy scandal and an awkward row over the Chinese super embassy. Mrs Badenoch told the Express: “Keir Starmer has been weak on Iran, weak on China, weak on our national security.”

The Prime Minister has faced fierce criticism over his “dithering” response to the Middle East crisis so far, with Donald Trump dismissing him as “no Churchill”.

It has now emerged that the Royal Navy’s guided-missile destroyer, HMS Dragon, may not reach Cyprus for two weeks.

The £1billion warship has been tasked with sailing to the eastern Mediterranean after RAF Akrotiri, a British air base on Cyprus, was hit by a drone attack on Sunday.

However, it is understood the Portsmouth-based Type 45 will remain in port for several days and may not sail until next week.

It will take close to a week for it to arrive on station, meaning Akrotiri will be without the destroyer’s protective umbrella for another fortnight.

Shadow Armed Forces minister Mark Francois said: “It’s like Nelson turning up to Trafalgar a week late.”

In a further blow for the beleaguered Sir Keir, the partner of a Labour MP was arrested today on suspicion of spying for China.

David Taylor, the partner of Joani Reid, was detained by the Metropolitan Police and is being held under the National Security Act.

Two other men were arrested – a 68-year-old in Powys, Wales, and a 43-year-old in Pontyclun, also in Wales.

All three suspects were held on suspicion of assisting Chinese intelligence.

Furthermore, campaigners have stepped up attempts to reverse the decision over a controversial Chinese super-embassy being built in London.

The Royal Mint Court Resident’s Association – a 100-strong group of leaseholders living in apartments next to the 20,000 square meter complex near the Tower of London – has formally lodged its legal challenge after the government granted Beijing permission to build the biggest embassy in Europe.

Critics warn it will enable China to intensify its espionage in the UK.

Mrs Badenoch said: “When British bases are being attacked, he relies on other countries to disable the missile sites firing at us.

“When China demands a new Super Embassy spy hub in the City of London in return for investment from Beijing, he folds.

“When the government had the opportunity at the Spring Statement to explain how it will fund our armed forces, we got record welfare and even more taxes.

“The Conservatives will always put Britain’s national interest first, defend our troops, fund our military and be clear-eyed about the threats we face from hostile states.”

Earlier, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage ridiculed Sir Keir, branding the Churchill comparison “quite an understatement”.

He said: “The man has dithered, he is all over the place, he is not a leader, he is a follower.”

Their brutal takedowns came on another dramatic day in the conflict in which a US submarine sank an Iranian warship and the Pentagon warned it will strike deeper into Iran.

During Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday Sir Keir insisted the special relationship with the US would endure despite Mr Trump’s personal attack on him.

Mr Trump lashed out at Sir Keir over his initial refusal to allow British bases to be used for raids against Iran, saying “this is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with”.

In the Commons, Sir Keir said “hanging on to President Trump’s latest words is not the special relationship in action”, indicating that military and intelligence co-operation with the US was continuing.

He defended his decision not to allow the US to use British bases in the opening assault against the Tehran regime, suggesting it could have been unlawful and lacked a “viable, thought-through plan”.

He told MPs “the whole country is worried about the potential for escalation” in the Middle East, and “we need to act, therefore, with clarity, with purpose, and with a cool head”.

The UK’s airbases, including Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, were initially denied to the US for their strikes against the Iranian regime.

Sir Keir said: “What I was not prepared to do on Saturday was for the UK to join a war unless I was satisfied there was a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan. That remains my position.”

The Prime Minister eventually gave the US permission to use British bases for the limited purpose of attacking missile launchers and infrastructure, but RAF jets have not been involved in striking Iran.

In other developments: Several flights, commercial and chartered, have left the UAE and Oman, to bring back stranded Britons.

Iran’s ambassador Seyed Ali Mousavi has been summoned by the UK Government.

Economic uncertainty continued over the conflict in a region which plays a pivotal role in international oil and gas supplies.