Dr Robin A Hadley

Keir Starmer tells MPs not to judge the UK/US relationship by whatever Donald Trump has just said.

"Hanging on to President Trump's latest words is not the special relationship" in action, PM says.

Shadow of Iraq war lies over Westminster as MPs consider US-Israeli attack on Iran Despite rebukes from Donald Trump, many MPs back Keir Starmer’s stance so far, and say lessons from conflict in Iraq must not be forgotten

Such an interesting piece from @lexytopping.bsky.social on how the spectre of the Iraq war looms large for MPs from across the Commons as they grapple with the Iran crisis.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Here’s why the Treasury is apparently sceptical about bringing forward the 3% of GDP defence pledge to 2030 - it obliterates spending increases on everything else (unless you’re raising more money to fund it…)

Transparency fears over plan to redact 2,000 staff names on Commons register Exclusive: Standards committee proposal aims to improve staff safety but critics say it will further reduce public trust

EXCL: MPs are planning to redact names of 2,000 parliamentary staff from official register that has been in place for decades, reducing transparency around lobbying by passholders - @rowenamason.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Shabana Mahmood accused of mimicking Trump as she announces asylum plans Home secretary’s proposals to overhaul immigration system include end to permanent refugee status

All the details from @kiranstacey.bsky.social & @dianewriter.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

But the plans triggered immediate backlash from Labour MPs, who said they were unfair and risked further alienating Labour’s core supporters after last week’s damaging byelection loss to the Greens.

One MP said they mimicked Donald Trump while another claimed would lead to a Windrush-style scandal.

NEW: Shabana Mahmood has put herself on collision course with Labour MPs after announcing changes to immigration system.

The home sec said they were needed to restore control at the border and combat rising appeal of hard-right parties like Reform UK.

NEW: MP Joani Reid resigns the Labour whip after her husband was arrested on suspicion of spying for China.

She suggests “internal investigations” are now under way, but denies doing anything wrong.

FULL STATEMENT:

BREAKING: Four people arrested as part of counter-terrorism investigation relating to Iran - Met police

Police arrested one Iranian & three dual Brit-Iranian nationals on suspicion of assisting foreign intel service.

Investigation relates to suspected surveillance of Jewish communities in London.

Peter Mandelson released from bail conditions Officers have decided former minister is not a flight risk, but he remains under investigation

BREAKING: Police have released Peter Mandelson from bail conditions after deciding he wasn’t flight risk.

Met dropped conditions applied after arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office, though he remains under investigation @kiranstacey.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

💥Big vote next week on government's plans for court reform. Analysis here 👇

It's All About Control | The Brian Lehrer Show | WNYC Anne Applebaum offers her analysis of how President Trump and his administration are seeking to control elections, as well as science and culture, and why.

Listen to @anneapplebaum.bsky.social (who hosts the podcast "Autocracy in America") talk about how Pres. Trump seeks to control elections...and culture: www.wnyc.org/story/its-al...

Donald Trump eskaliert Streit mit Anthropic drastisch Donald Trump weist alle Behörden an, die Arbeit mit Anthropics KI-Modellen einzustellen. Verteidigungsminister Hegseth erklärt das Unternehmen zum Risiko für die nationale Sicherheit. Dies könnte grav...

Trump wants to use Anthropic's AI to spy on American citizens and to direct robotic warfare without human judgments. Anthropic says the use must be consistent with law. Trump then announces that he will destroy Anthropic. More evidence that Trump's America is not a rule-of-law state.

Trump Has No Plan for the Iranian People The mere act of bombing Iran will not by itself create a stable regime.

The American bombardment of Iran has been launched without explanation, without Congress, without public support. Above all it has been launched without a coherent strategy for the Iranian people, and without a plan to let them build a legitimate Iranian state.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

From an ex-Hungarian MP @dailytelegraphnews.bsky.social, on April elections:

"The question is whether those who write the rules, distribute the money, count the votes, and announce the results will be willing to tolerate a world where they are no longer in power"
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03...

Trump Has No Plan for the Iranian People The mere act of bombing Iran will not by itself create a stable regime.

The fate of the Iranian people has never been of great concern to American administrations, and this one is no exception

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

"A stable, law-abiding Iran will help build a stable, law-abiding Middle East. But in order to achieve that, Iran needs not a new dictatorship but self-determination and a pluralist government that respects basic rights. Right now, the Trump administration is not trying to build one."

Trump is again calling on Iranian revolutionary guard and others to hand over their weapons. But to whom? Who will grant them immunity?

BREAKING: Credible whistleblower discloses that FBI forensic experts were ordered to stand down from processing the scene where Renee Good was killed, because Kash Patel did not want Good referenced as a “victim” in the warrant.

After Khamenei, What Now? Iranians want democracy. Trump wants a brief conflict. Neither seems likely.

"Iran has had coherent opposition movements over the decades that have managed to create nationwide movements and strikes. Almost all of them have been systematically destroyed: people arrested; people killed; people exiled."
www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/202...

CNN put together a montage of the regime's incoherent talking points about Trump's war on Iran

Also, almost everything he says is a lie. The US gave Ukraine far less than he claims, and has not given anything for a year. Biden did restart weapons manufacturing all over the country. There are still shortages of air defense ammunition, everywhere, because it takes a long time to make.

Translation: he didn't have enough weapons to fight his war of choice and so he is blaming Ukraine

It’s amazing that we’ve all just had to accept that our top military leaders in time of was will only take questions from wildly partisan media outlets. LindellTV, Daily Caller, Daily Wire get called on, but no legitimate general audience or defense press outlets.

What Is Kari Lake Trying to Achieve? The Arizona politician has wasted millions of dollars while blocking U.S. efforts to bring reliable news to repressive countries.

Background here
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

The US Agency for Global Media, which is run by Kari Lake, has just failed an audit. The organization's finances are too chaotic even to assess.
www.stateoig.gov/report/aud-f...

From FT comments

The Glaring Oversight in the U.S. War Plan The Pentagon failed to adopt Ukraine’s best tools for downing drones.

Why didn't the US consult Ukraine, the one country that knows how to country attacks from thousands of cheap drones?

www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

NEW: U.S. officials say Russia is providing Iran with intelligence to target American forces in the Middle East, including the locations of U.S. warships and aircraft, WaPo reports. Pete Hegseth recently said Russia is “not really a factor here.”

Of course they are