Author: James Carter

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has acknowledged that the conflict in the Middle East is likely to drive up inflation in Britain, as she faced a sharp parliamentary attack from Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride, who accused her of leaving the economy dangerously exposed through what he described as “gross mismanagement.” Reeves updated the Commons on the government’s economic response to the escalating US-Iran conflict, which has already sent oil prices surging past $100 a barrel for the first time since the 2022 energy crisis. In response, she set out a package of measures including a £15 billion warm homes plan, a…

The Government has adopted a new non-statutory definition of “anti-Muslim hostility” after the Communities Secretary declared ministers have a “duty to act” in the face of what he described as record levels of anti-Muslim hate crime. Steve Reed told MPs that Muslim communities were currently facing “shocking levels of abuse,” with anti-Muslim hate crimes at an all-time high and now accounting for almost half of all religious hate crimes recorded in Britain — a figure he described as “way out of proportion to the size of our Muslim population.” Reed outlined the scale of the problem in stark terms, telling…

The Government’s consultation on whether to ban children from social media is facing a legal challenge after two fathers launched proceedings claiming the process requires parents and children to share their personal data with the very technology companies under scrutiny in the review. Harry Amies and Pete Montgomery have instructed London law firm Conrathe Gardner LLP to send a formal pre-action letter to ministers, warning that a judicial review will be filed in the High Court unless urgent changes are made within 14 days. The challenge targets the national consultation titled “Growing Up in an Online World,” launched this month…

Vladimir Putin has pledged Russia’s “unwavering support” to Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, vowing that Moscow will remain a “reliable partner” to Tehran as the conflict with the United States and Israel enters its second week. In a message sent to Mojtaba Khamenei on Monday, following his appointment as Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Putin said: “At a time when Iran is confronting armed aggression, your tenure in this high position will undoubtedly require great courage and dedication.” He added that Russia “has been and will remain a reliable partner” to Iran. Mojtaba Khamenei, 56 and son of the slain Ayatollah…

British motorists are facing the prospect of the most expensive petrol ever recorded at UK forecourts as the conflict in Iran drives oil prices above $100 a barrel and analysts warn of further sharp rises ahead. Brent crude climbed past $104 a barrel by Sunday evening, reaching levels not seen since autumn 2023, with Goldman Sachs warning prices could hit around $150 per barrel if the crisis has not eased by April. In more extreme scenarios, some oil traders have cautioned that crude could surge as high as $250 per barrel. The all-time high for petrol at UK pumps stands…

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has declared that British strikes on Iranian missile launch sites would be entirely legal, fuelling speculation that the RAF could be about to step up its involvement in the Middle East conflict — but his remarks were overshadowed by an embarrassing factual error in which he wrongly described Cyprus as a NATO member. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Lammy said: “It is entirely legal to protect our people and protect our staff, and therefore all operational capability is available to us in those circumstances.” When asked directly whether the UK could strike an Iranian base in…

Sir Keir Starmer has publicly defended his decision to keep Britain out of the initial US and Israeli strikes on Iran, saying the choice was “deliberate” and made in the national interest, as he warned the conflict could continue for a significant period. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, the Prime Minister said his overriding priority was “protecting our people” and reiterated the UK’s longstanding position that a negotiated settlement remained the preferred path forward. “The long-standing British position is that the best way forward for the region and the world is a negotiated settlement with Iran where they…

Andy Burnham has declined to rule out a return to the House of Commons, saying his plan to “head south” is only “currently on hold” — as the fallout from Labour’s catastrophic by-election defeat continues to intensify pressure on Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership. The Greater Manchester mayor, widely regarded as a potential future Labour leader, made the remarks at a Centre for Cities event in central London on Wednesday, where he also delivered a stark warning about the state of Westminster politics following last week’s result in Gorton and Denton. Labour suffered a heavy defeat in the Greater Manchester constituency,…

Scottish Labour MP Joani Reid has publicly defended her husband following his arrest as one of three men detained on suspicion of spying for China, stating she has never seen anything to suggest he has “broken any law” and insisting neither she nor her children are part of the investigation. Reid, who represents East Kilbride and Strathaven, said she is “not part of” her husband David Taylor’s business activities and appealed to media organisations to respect her children’s privacy. “Neither I nor my children are part of this investigation, and we should not be treated by media organisations as though…

Donald Trump has pushed back sharply against claims that Israel dragged the United States into war with Iran, insisting in his first public comments to the press since the weekend operation that it was he who may have driven events — not the other way around. Asked directly whether Israel had pulled America into the conflict, Trump said: “No, I might have forced their hand.” He explained that during ongoing negotiations with Iran he had become convinced Tehran was preparing to strike first. “We were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they were going to…