James MacCleary MP

It was great to meet Royal Marine Commandos at Parliament ahead of their deployment to Norway for a NATO exercise. They showed us their kit and spoke about the vital work they’re doing to keep us safe in an increasingly unstable world.

The situation in Iran is shocking. The regime’s brutal crackdown has reportedly cost tens of thousands of lives. The UK Government must go further and proscribe the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Ayatollahs’ iron fist, as a terrorist organisation.

We need to know how the Government plans to deal with Iran - and with Donald Trump’s plans for Iran. @jamesmaccleary.bsky.social
and I have written to the Defence and Foreign Secretaries today asking them to hold Iran’s leaders to account and to tell Parliament their plans.

Russian hits Ukraine energy sites in 'most powerful blow The attack - which reportedly consisted of more than 70 missiles and 450 drones - comes after a so-called

The cruelty of Putin's war in Ukraine has reached new levels.

These attacks are designed to make civilians suffer. Children and the elderly shiver as Putin tries to break them.

Deliberately targeting civilians is a war crime and Putin is a war criminal.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Ministers reject Waspi calls for compensation after rethink Women hit by changes to the state pension age say the decision shows "utter contempt" for their situation.

I am appalled that the Government has once again chosen to ignore the WASPI women’s demand for fair compensation. These women were failed by poor communication and shifting goal posts.

They deserve justice, not delay or dismissal.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

There is great irony that the man Reform have selected to win Gorton and Denton for them is the same man (in his previous life as a serious academic) who co-wrote a superb book called National Populism that dissects the very same ideas he now promotes.

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day, marking 81 years since the liberation of Auschwitz. We remember the six million Jews murdered for being Jewish and honour the survivors. As witnesses grow fewer, we must bridge generations and ensure their memories are never forgotten.

I asked the Government to commit to a new Medium Lift Helicopter contract. This is a vital capability, with Leonardo in Yeovil the only bidder. Ministers should stop waiting for the Defence Investment Plan and commit now so production can begin.

Let public by war bonds to raise £20bn for defence, say Lib Dems Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey says the bonds would

It's time to get serious about funding defence.

Everyone is saying we 'must do more' but it's all talk.

Our plan to issue bonds for funding defence will raise £20bn and give our allies the reassurance that Britain is serious about defending Europe.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

“Trump announces plan to hit UK, Denmark and other European countries with extra tariffs over Greenland”.

Starmer’s US policy lies in tatters. Trump is now punishing the UK and NATO allies just for doing the right thing.

Time for the PM to stand firm against the bully in the White House, and work with European and Commonwealth allies to make him back down from this reckless plan.

Trump tariffs: US president announces plan to hit UK, Denmark and other European countries with tariffs over Greenland The US president says the countries will be charged a

Donald Trump just falls back on this behaviour every time he doesn't get what he wants.

Greenland is not for sale and it is high time for the PM to stop pandering and work with our European friends to stand up the bully in the White House.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c1...

Uganda election: Police deny Bobi Wine abduction claims as Yoweri Museveni heads for victory President Yoweri Museveni has a commanding lead with most votes counted as his main rival Bobi Wine decries

Deeply concerned by reports from Uganda about the conduct of elections and treatment of opposition leaders and election officials. UK Government must work w/ election observers, regional organisations and other partners to ensure a fair outcome of votes.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Russia’s shadow fleet keeps Putin’s war machine funded. Stopping that matters.

Today the MoD has assured me this operation is taking place in line with international law – unlike US actions in Venezuela.

The rules exist for a reason, and the UK must not be complicit in breaking them.

I asked the Foreign Secretary about what she is doing to ensure the US does not violate international law from British bases.

She told me British forces always uphold international law (which I am glad to hear) but made no comment about the US or their use of our bases.

The Government should be worried about young people leaving Britain. They are our future. A youth mobility scheme with the EU would let young people live, work and travel across Europe without being forced to emigrate for opportunity.

Germany's Merz tells Europe to assert itself to safeguard peace, prosperity Europe must assert its interests more strongly to ensure peace and prosperity in 2026 amid challenges from Russian aggression, global protectionism and changing ties with the U.S., German Chancellor F...

German Chancellor Merz is right when he says: "We are seeing more and more clearly that Russia’s aggression was and is part of a plan targeted against the whole of Europe,"

It's critical we are in lock step with our European friends to protect ourselves.

www.reuters.com/world/china/...

Security shouldn’t be about political posturing. It should be about capability, cooperation, and deterrence.

The UK has rejected access to the EU’s €150bn SAFE defence fund — a serious mistake.

At a time of increased aggression from Russia and other hostile powers, turning away from coordinated European rearmament is deeply short-sighted.

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The UK has rejected access to the EU’s €150bn SAFE defence fund - a serious mistake.

At a time of increased aggression from Russia and other hostile powers, turning away from coordinated European rearmament is deeply short-sighted.

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Erasmus scheme to return for UK students, BBC understands The UK had ended its participation in the scheme in 2020 after agreeing a Brexit deal with the EU.

It is great to see the govt inching in the right direction on Europe.

Joining the Erasmus scheme is just common sense and is something the @libdems.org.uk have been calling for.

The next step is to establish a new Youth Mobility Scheme with the EU.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Jimmy Lai: Hong Kong tycoon found guilty in high-profile national security case The 78-year-old UK citizen was convicted of lobbying foreign governments to impose sanctions on HK and China.

The Foreign Secretary must summon the Chinese Ambassador to demand Jimmy Lai's immediate release and the quashing of this trumped-up conviction.

The CCP is hell-bent on suppressing civil liberties & the rule of law in Hong Kong. The UK has a unique obligation to act.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

🇺🇸 The US National Security Strategy is a dystopian document.

🇪🇺 It is an attack on European democracies from a government led by a man who has a poor track record on respecting election results.

🇬🇧 The UK government must stand up to this baseless attack on democracy here at home, and across Europe.

This cannot continue. The UK Government must ensure it does not enable violations of international law.

The President of Venezuela is for the Venezuelan people to choose, not the US President

Maduro has no legitimacy, having no evidence for his election “win”. But that doesn't justify Trump’s actions in the Caribbean.

The US is acting with impunity, taking lives without evidence.

Parliament has just voted to cut Brexit red tape - passed on a knife-edge after the Speaker’s tie-breaking vote.

My Lib Dem colleague @alpinkerton.bsky.social's Ten Minute Rule Bill calls for a bespoke UK–EU Customs Union. It’s the right move to fix our trade relationship with the EU.

The Ajax tank is 9 years late, injuring our soldiers and costing £6.3bn. This isn’t good enough. I’ve asked the Government what contingency plans exist if Ajax slips further so we can still meet our NATO commitments. As the US pulls away we must be ready to protect ourselves.

The former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Paddy Ashdown, served as the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and he is fondly remembered for his vital work in the region.

This is why I have been calling for the UK to rejoin the peacekeeping mission Operation Althea. We withdrew as part of Brexit because it is led by the EU, even though it includes several non-EU countries. This was short-sighted, and renewed British engagement would be welcomed.

Fortunately, peace was brought to the region and the interethnic conflict ended. Unfortunately, Bosnia now faces a new challenge from Republika Srpska — a separatist region, supported by Vladimir Putin, that seeks to reopen the conflicts of the past. We must not allow this to happen.

Those of us with longer memories can recall the horror of the Yugoslav wars. Their darkest moment was the Srebrenica massacre — the first legally recognised genocide in Europe since the end of the Second World War.