Author: James Carter

Donald Trump has insisted the war with Iran will end “soon” and that US forces are “way ahead of schedule,” even as gas prices surge to their highest levels since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Pentagon’s munitions bill reaches billions of dollars within days of the conflict beginning. Speaking in a brief phone call with Axios on Wednesday, Trump said: “Little this and that… Any time I want it to end, it will end. The war is going great. We are way ahead of the timetable. We have done more damage than we thought possible, even in the original…

Lord Mandelson sought more than half a million pounds as a payoff when he was dismissed as Britain’s ambassador to the United States last September, newly released documents have revealed. Newly released files show that Mandelson formally requested the government “pay out the remainder of the 4-year salary costs of the fixed term appointment” following his dismissal by Sir Keir Starmer — a sum that would have amounted to £547,201. The request was rejected. Instead, Mandelson received a total of £75,000, made up of £40,330 in pay in lieu of notice covering the three-month notice period stipulated in his contract,…

A Labour MP who waived her right to anonymity to reveal she had been raped delivered one of the most powerful parliamentary speeches in recent memory as David Lammy’s controversial plans to restrict jury trials cleared their first Commons hurdle by a majority of 101 votes. Charlotte Nichols told MPs she had waited 1,088 days for her case to come to trial and had developed PTSD following the attack, which had led to her being sectioned for her own protection. While she acknowledged the scale of the court backlog, she turned the force of her speech against the Justice Secretary…

Iran’s security chief has issued a direct personal warning to Donald Trump, telling the US President to watch out for his own safety after Trump threatened the country’s new Supreme Leader and vowed to bring “death, fire and fury” down on the regime. Ali Larijani, Iran’s security chief, responded to Trump’s latest warnings by dismissing them as “empty threats” and telling the President: “Even those greater than you could not eliminate the Iranian nation. Take care of yourself not to be eliminated.” The exchange marks a significant escalation in the war of words between Washington and Tehran, coming just days…

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…