59 h. ago Starmer labels Israel's action in Gaza 'appalling' and dubs conduct of Netanyahu's Government 'intolerable'

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has blasted Israel for the recent actions of Netanyahu's government in Gaza describing it as 'counterproductive', 'intolerable' and 'appalling'.

Politics

4 d. ago I told the truth about the West Bank and was threatened and assaulted. Now I'm relying on you to act | Issa Amro

Our lives are blighted by illegal settlements, and Israel has just approved 22 more. Without concrete action, we will be erasedIssa Amro is a Palestinian human rights defenderEach of the 22 illegal settlements approved by Israel last week is another nail in the coffin of the peace process, hammered in by the complicity of western governments and corporations. Israeli settlements are not benign civilian neighbourhoods – they are primary instruments of dispossession, control and apartheid. Settlements are closed militarised zones on Palestinians’ stolen land, cutting off our access to our resources, our farms, our schools, our jobs and each other. Palestinian lands rapidly shrink, our livelihoods are devastated, our rights are systematically violated and our identity is undermined.Western lawmakers look on, expressing commitment to peace through a two-state solution but choosing to do nothing to achieve this goal. Instead, their policies and inaction enable yet further settlement acti...

Events

9 d. ago Trump warns Netanyahu against bombing Iran because he is 'very close' to nuclear deal with Ayatollah

President Donald Trump warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against taking any kind of action that could disrupt the Iran nuclear talks, the president revealed on Wednesday. 

Events

1 week ago Labour turns fire on Farage ahead of Reform UK leader’s speech – UK politics live

Chair Ellie Reeves says Farage driven by personal ambition as he is expected to label Starmer ‘unpatriotic’ in speechEducation secretary Bridget Phillipson has announced new foundation apprenticeships, which she claimed “will make a really big difference to the lives of young people.”Speaking on BBC Breakfast, she told viewers:I’m announcing today a big step change that is really good news for young people across our country. 120,000 new opportunities to get on into trades like construction. So announcing foundation apprenticeships that are an earlier step in the career for young people.But we know we’ve got to go further, because I hear from apprentices how amazing that opportunity is, how optimistic they are about their future. I met with some bricklaying apprentices recently, really optimistic, wanting to start their own business, get on in construction.I back parents to make decisions about what’s right for them. For some parents that will involve sending their child to a privat...

Politics

2 w. ago International opinion has rounded on Israel, but it's not enough to force Netanyahu's hand | Sanam Vakil

Condemnation alone won’t change Israel’s trajectory. For that, concrete action on sanctions and Palestinian statehood is requiredSanam Vakil is director of Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa programmeNineteen months on from the 7 October Hamas attacks and the war in Gaza, Israel is under a new wave of international pressure and increasingly isolated from its partners and allies. Benjamin Netanyahu’s government recently announced its intention to reoccupy Gaza yet again, and called up Israeli reservists. In tandem, the illegal expansion of settlements and violence in the West Bank continues unabated. And as part of a tactic to bring pressure to bear on Hamas to release the remaining hostages held in Gaza, Israel halted the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza for two months, leading to widespread starvation and brutal conditions.In reaction, the UK, France and Canada issued a joint statement expressing a strong rebuke of Israel’s war effort. The UK’s foreign secretary, Da...

Politics

2 w. ago Starmer poised to sanction top Israel ministers over Gaza crisis as pressure mounts for tougher UK action

MPs from five different political parties made it clear that the measures announced by foreign secretary David Lammy on Tuesday were not enough

Politics

2 w. ago Why Starmer’s government has waited until now to take action on Israel

As David Lammy announces the suspension of trade talks with Israel and new sanctions over the Gaza humanitarian crisis, political editor David Maddox explains why action wasn’t taken sooner

Politics

2 w. ago Netanyahu hits back after UK, France and Canada threaten action – Israel

Leaders of UK, France and Canada condemn Israel’s ‘egregious actions’ in Gaza and warn of joint action if offensive continuesFull report: Netanyahu vows to ‘take control’ of GazaAs we mentioned in the opening post, the UK, France and Canada issued a rare joint condemnation of Israel, denouncing its expanded offensive in Gaza and the blocking of aid into the territory.It marks a change in tone from the UK and Canada - in particular – which have broadly backed Israel’s war and insisted on its “right to defend” itself despite it being accused of committing genocide and carrying out widespread and systematic violations of international law. France has been more openly critical of the Israeli military’s conduct. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Britain threatens sanctions against Israel if it does not cease military action in Gaza: Hamas praises the statement but Netanyahu declares the move a 'huge prize' for the terrorists

An 11-week blockade on food, fuel, water and medicine has pushed the decimated civilian population of Gaza to the brink of famine, experts continue to warn.

Events

2 w. ago As key Israel allies threaten action over Gaza catastrophe, Washington is largely unmoved

As Palestinians are told to evacuate before ‘unprecedented attack’, the White House continues to publicly back IsraelAs Israel orders Palestinians to evacuate Khan Younis in advance of what it calls an “unprecedented attack” on Gaza, much of Washington remains largely unmoved, even as Canada and European countries threaten “concrete actions” if Israel does not scale back its offensive.Despite reports of growing pressure from the Trump administration to increase aid into Gaza, where widespread famine looms, the White House continues to publicly back Israel. National security council spokesperson James Hewitt told the Guardian in an email: “Hamas has rejected repeated ceasefire proposals, and therefore bears sole responsibility for this conflict,” maintaining the policy stance inherited from the previous Biden administration despite mounting evidence of humanitarian catastrophe. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Netanyahu vows to ‘take control’ of Gaza as UK, France and Canada threaten action against Israel

Key allies call escalation ‘egregious’ and promise ‘concrete’ response if Israel does not end renewed offensive and allow aid into stripBenjamin Netanyahu has vowed that Israel will “take control” of all Gaza, as three key allies attacked his “egregious” escalation of the military campaign and blockade on humanitarian aid.Britain, France and Canada attacked Israel’s expansion of its war as disproportionate, described conditions in Gaza as “intolerable” and threatened a “concrete” response if Israel’s campaign continues. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago UK, France and Canada threaten action if Israel’s offensive continues as first aid crosses into Gaza in weeks – Israel

Joint statement warns of ‘concrete action’ over Israel’s latest Gaza offensive; nine trucks allowed through but UN aid chief, Tom Fletcher, says significantly more are neededIn a post on X, the IDF’s Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee has told residents living in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, Bani Suheila and Abasan to “evacuate immediately” ahead of an “unprecedented attack” he claims is targeting Hamas infrastructure.“The IDF will launch an unprecedented attack to destroy the capabilities of terrorist organizations in this area,” he wrote in the social media post.You should know that when Gazans who were related to those who were holding me were injured by IDF actions, I would be badly beaten and sent to solitary confinement for long days with no food fit for human consumption and with a hygiene level comparable to concentration camps in the Holocaust Does it seem logical that I’m the one who needs to be here to shout for the freedom of my beloved Ariel (her partner), his brother D...

Politics

2 w. ago Antisemitic claims being made in University lectures, seminars and talks are 'flourishing unchecked'

Ongoing Israeli military action in Gaza since October 7 has reportedly led to a spike in 'disinformation' in lectures and seminars.

Politics

2 w. ago Elton John labels Keir Starmer’s government ‘absolute losers’ over AI plans

Sir Elton John branded the Labour government “absolute losers” after calls by the House of Lords to amend the Data (Use and Access) Bill to include greater copyright protections against artificial intelligence (AI) were resisted.

Politics

3 w. ago Starmer reveals plans to send refused asylum seekers to overseas ‘return hubs’

PM proposes use of third countries during visit to Albania, which rules out role in any UK schemePlans to send refused asylum seekers to “return hubs” in third countries have been announced by Keir Starmer on a trip to Albania during which the Balkan country ruled out participating in the scheme.The prime minister flew to Tirana to confirm the UK was seeking to send people whose asylum claims had been turned down to foreign detention centres once they had exhausted all avenues of appeal. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Starmer trip labelled an ‘embarrassment’ as Albania rules out asylum seeker deal

Tories question point of PM’s visit to Albania as his counterpart rejects establishment of ‘return hubs’UK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer has been accused of overseeing a diplomatic “embarrassment” after arriving in Albania to promote a policy of establishing “return hubs” for refused asylum seekers only for his counterpart to rule it out.The prime minister confirmed that refused asylum seekers could be sent to facilities abroad, which would function as detention centres, once they had exhausted all avenues of appeal against rejection of their application to stay in the UK. Continue reading...

Economics