Politics - Daily Politics

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has criticised US military action against Iran, warning that the situation could escalate into a wider regional conflict. In broadcast interviews and public statements, Corbyn described the developments as “an incredibly difficult situation” and reaffirmed his longstanding anti-war stance.

In media appearances, including a radio interview and televised comments, Corbyn condemned the US bombing of Iran and criticised former President Donald Trump’s approach to the Middle East. He argued that further military escalation would heighten instability and civilian suffering, and he called for urgent diplomatic efforts rather than continued airstrikes.

Corbyn stated that the UK government should ...

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has confirmed the UK will allow the US to use British military bases, including RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia, for "specific and limited defensive" strikes to destroy Iranian missile launch sites. The decision, announced on March 2, 2026, follows a US request and aims to protect allies and British citizens in the Gulf region from ongoing Iranian attacks.

However, Starmer has been careful to distinguish this support from endorsing the initial US-Israeli offensive strikes on Iran, in which the UK "played no role." He stated the UK has learned from the "mistakes of Iraq" and will not ...

British and European leaders have responded cautiously to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, calling for restraint and a return to diplomatic negotiations amid growing fears of regional escalation.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with President Donald Trump following the attacks, with Downing Street's statement noting they "discussed the situation in the Middle East." The UK, along with France and Germany, did not participate in nor endorse the American and Israeli actions.

Starmer emphasised that British forces in the region are operating solely in a defensive role "in line with international law," defending allies under attack from Iran. He condemned the Iranian regime ...

Following the recent US-Israel military strikes on Tehran, attention has shifted to whether China, a strategic partner of Iran, would intervene militarily to support the Islamic Republic. In an interview filmed just before the attacks, Professor Victor Gao provided insights into China's philosophical stance on warfare and military intervention abroad.

Speaking to Reports on China (@ReportsOnChina), Gao highlighted that China has historically avoided war as a preferred way to resolve international disputes. "War should always be treated as a last resort," he stated, noting that Beijing prioritises peaceful resolution of conflicts. He pointed to China's management of border clashes with India ...

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the 86-year-old Supreme Leader of Iran, is the most powerful figure in the Islamic Republic, a position he has held since 1989. As the commander-in-chief, he has ultimate authority over the military, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the judiciary, and state media, effectively controlling all branches of government. A survivor of a 1981 assassination attempt that paralysed his right arm, Khamenei has maintained his grip on power for decades by suppressing dissent and overseeing crackdowns on protests from 2009 to the 2022 'Woman, Life, Freedom' movement. He is now facing the most direct external challenge to ...

Russian officials increasingly see little reason to continue US-led peace talks with Ukraine unless Kyiv signals readiness to give up territory as part of a settlement, according to sources familiar with the matter. The position risks derailing diplomatic efforts as President Trump advocates for a ceasefire to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II.

Talks scheduled for next week will be crucial in determining whether the sides can progress towards an agreement, though Moscow has hardened its stance. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated this week that Moscow has "no deadlines, we have tasks," indicating no urgency to reach a ...

Former President Bill Clinton testified on Friday before the House Oversight Committee in a closed-door deposition concerning his previous associations with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, telling lawmakers, "I saw nothing, and I did nothing wrong."

In his opening statement, Clinton highlighted that his acquaintance with Epstein was brief and concluded "years before his crimes came to light." He declared he had no knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities, adding, "No matter how many photos you show me, I know what I saw, and more importantly, what I didn't see."

Clinton is the first former president to be compelled to testify before ...

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick faces renewed congressional scrutiny over his past ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following the brief removal and restoration of a Justice Department photo showing him on Epstein's private island.

The image, part of recently released Epstein files, shows Lutnick with Epstein and three other men on Little St. James in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was taken down from the DOJ's website before being restored on Thursday night, with archived copies preserved by the Internet Archive.

Lutnick told lawmakers earlier this month that he visited the island with his family in 2012 for about an hour, ...

The statue of Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, London, was defaced early on Friday morning with graffiti branding the former prime minister a "Zionist war criminal." The vandalism also included the phrases "Stop the Genocide," "Free Palestine," "Never again is Now," and "Globalise the Intifada" sprayed in red paint on the bronze monument.

A 38-year-old man was arrested by Metropolitan Police officers within minutes of the incident, which was reported shortly after 4am. He remains in custody on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage. A Dutch activist group, Free the Filton 24, claimed responsibility, posting a video appearing to show ...

The Green Party has achieved a historic breakthrough in Greater Manchester, winning the Gorton and Denton by-election with a convincing majority and securing their first-ever parliamentary seat in northern England.

Candidate Hannah Spencer claimed victory with 41% of the vote, defeating Reform UK by a majority of 4,402 votes. The result marks the Greens' best by-election performance to date and gives the party its fifth Westminster MP, significantly expanding its geographic reach beyond its traditional southern strongholds.

Labour suffered a devastating defeat, falling to third place behind Reform UK in what MPs had privately feared would be their "worst outcome." The result ...