Politics - Daily Politics

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for a negotiated settlement with Iran as the best long- term solution to the escalating Middle East conflict, reaffirming his decision to prevent the UK from participating in initial US- Israeli strikes.

Speaking at a Downing Street news conference on 5 March, Starmer said the UK's longstanding position is that "the best way forward for the regime and the world is a negotiated settlement with Iran where they give up their nuclear ambition." He emphasised that Britain is doing "everything we can" to de-escalate the situation, a stance that contrasts with US President Donald Trump's ...

Three men suspected of spying for China, including the husband of Labour MP Joani Reid, have been released on bail until May as the investigation continues, according to the Metropolitan Police.

David Taylor, 39, who is married to Scottish Labour MP Joani Reid, was detained on 4 March alongside two other men aged 43 and 68 during coordinated arrests across London and Wales. The investigation is led by counter-terrorism police under the National Security Act 2023, with all three accused of aiding a foreign intelligence service.

Following the arrests, searches were conducted at multiple addresses, including properties in London, Cardiff, and East ...

The House Oversight Committee voted on March 4 to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi as part of the ongoing congressional investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. The 24-19 vote saw five Republicans join Democrats to force Bondi's testimony, reflecting bipartisan frustration with the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein files.

Republican Representative Nancy Mace, who introduced the motion, stated: "The American people want answers on the Epstein files, and so do we." Mace and fellow Republicans Tim Burchett, Lauren Boebert, Michael Cloud, and Scott Perry crossed party lines to support the subpoena.

The move follows increasing criticism of the Justice Department's ...

Republican Representative Dan Crenshaw has lost his Texas primary to state Representative Steve Toth, becoming the first incumbent member of Congress to be defeated in the 2026 midterm election cycle.

Toth successfully framed the four-term incumbent as insufficiently conservative and not aligned enough with President Donald Trump's America First agenda. Crenshaw was the only GOP House member seeking re-election in Tuesday's Texas primaries who did not receive Trump's endorsement.

The primary contest focused on Crenshaw's past criticism of Trump's refusal to accept the 2020 election results and his support for aid to Ukraine, positions that drew opposition from conservative activists. Despite Crenshaw's ...

Spain has firmly rejected President Donald Trump's threat to halt all trade with the country after its refusal to allow US military bases in Spain to be used for strikes against Iran.

The dispute escalated when Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez condemned the US-Israeli attacks on Iran as a breach of international law and called for dialogue. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares later clarified that the jointly operated bases at Rota and Morón are under Spanish sovereignty and "will not be used for anything not included in the agreement with the United States, or for anything that is not in accordance ...

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 ...