Author: James Carter

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…

Donald Trump has publicly declared his dissatisfaction with Britain’s handling of the Iran conflict, delivering a pointed rebuke to Sir Keir Starmer by invoking the memory of wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill in an unfavourable comparison. The US President said bluntly: “I am not happy with the UK,” before adding: “This is not Winston Churchill we’re dealing with.” The remarks represent one of the most direct criticisms Trump has directed at the British government since the outbreak of hostilities with Iran, and land at a particularly sensitive moment for Starmer, who has faced mounting pressure at home over his approach…

Pakistan is facing the prospect of a UK visa ban after government figures revealed that only a fraction of failed Pakistani asylum seekers were successfully returned to the country last year, with the Home Secretary now issuing a direct warning to Islamabad to cooperate or face consequences. Of the 10,638 asylum claims lodged by Pakistani nationals in the UK last year — more than from any other single country, and double the figure recorded in 2023 — just 4.1 per cent were returned, according to Home Office data. The total number of Pakistani asylum seekers now accounts for one in…

Senior Russian official Dmitry Medvedev has issued one of Moscow’s starkest warnings yet over the escalating Middle East conflict, cautioning that a third world war could erupt at any moment and that any nuclear exchange it produced would dwarf the atomic bombings of Japan in 1945. Medvedev, who serves as deputy chairman of Russia’s security council and is a close ally of Vladimir Putin, made the remarks in an interview with state news agency TASS, in which he also accused US President Donald Trump of making a “gross mistake” by authorising strikes on Iran. “By his decision, he put all…

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is facing scrutiny over her repeated association with a Leeds community figure who has been accused of sharing conspiracy theory videos about the September 11 attacks and appearing alongside individuals with alleged extremist links. Arshad Khatana, vice-chairman of Leeds Council of Mosques and a member of the Jamia Masjid Ghousia in Armley, is said to have been photographed with Reeves on at least two dozen occasions, including at his Yorkshire home, according to Reform UK’s Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick. The controversy centres on a number of posts and associations linked to Khatana. In 2019, he shared a…

Britain’s asylum system is set to undergo one of its most significant structural changes in decades, with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood confirming that refugee protection will no longer be granted on a permanent basis for those who claim asylum from today. Under the new framework, adults and accompanied children granted asylum will receive an initial 30-month period of protection, after which their circumstances will be formally reviewed. Those who continue to face genuine danger in their country of origin will have their protection renewed. However, refugees whose home nations are subsequently deemed safe will be expected to return. Mahmood framed…

British financial markets opened sharply lower on Monday morning as the outbreak of war in Iran sent shockwaves through global trading, driving down the pound, airline stocks and banking shares while pushing oil prices and defence stocks significantly higher. The FTSE 100 fell 0.9 per cent to 10,810.50 within minutes of the 8am open, pulling back from Friday’s record close of 10,910.55. By 8.14am, sterling had also weakened, dropping 0.94 per cent against the US dollar to trade at 1.3354. The sell-off follows Saturday’s outbreak of hostilities after Israeli and US forces carried out strikes on Iran under what has…