Markus Andrews

Foreign secretary David Lammy has refused to defend Donald Trump’s attack on Iran and confirm it was either legal or even “the right thing to do”.In an awkward interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, Mr Lammy was asked four times if Donald Trump’s airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities were legal.“We were not involved, it is for the Americans to discuss those legal issues,” he responded, avoiding the answer.The questions followed reports that UK attorney general Lord Hermer has suggested it would not be legal for the UK to launch such attacks.David Lammy was unable to say if the US attack was legal or right More

Electricity costs for thousands of businesses will be cut by scrapping green levies to help them compete with foreign rivals.The plan, which could cut bills by up to 25 per cent, forms a key part of Sir Keir Starmer’s 10-year industrial strategy which he hopes will address stuttering economic growth and transform the business landscape.The prime minister said the plan marks a “turning point for Britain’s economy” by supporting key industries where there is potential for growth.Manufacturers have warned “crippling” power costs are far higher for UK businesses than competitors overseas.Sir Keir Starmer, right, and climate change and Net Zero secretary Ed Miliband, left, visited Rocester last week More

Donald Trump’s administration “does not seek war” and is not trying to create regime change, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth has claimed after the president authorised a stunning attack on Iran.With the world reeling over the stealth bomber raids on three nuclear sites – dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer – President Trump claimed he had “completely obliterated” Iran’s chances of obtaining nuclear weapons.But despite Mr Hegseth’s comments on Sunday, the attacks have prompted the UK and others to organise repatriation flights for citizens from Israel, Iran and surrounding countries amid fears of all-out war.Click here for the latest on the ongoing conflict.Defence secretary Pete Hegseth revealed new details of the attack at the Pentagon in Washington on Sunday More

Keir Starmer has backed Donald Trump’s dramatic decision to bomb Iran overnight.The US president said the attacks carried out at Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan were “very successful”. In a statement the prime minister said: “Iran’s nuclear programme is a grave threat to international security. Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat.“The situation in the Middle East remains volatile and stability in the region is a priority. We call on Iran to return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis”. It comes just 48 hours before Sir Keir is set to join other world leaders including representatives of the Trump administration for a major summit of NATO in the Hague.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has backed the bombing More

Just five days ago Sir Keir Starmer sat down with the travelling pack of UK journalists at the G7 in Canada and assured them and their readers that Donald Trump would not attack Iran.He said: “There is nothing the president said that suggests he’s about to get involved in this conflict, on the contrary, the G7 statement was about de-escalation.”I think what he said was he wanted to go beyond a ceasefire effectively and end the conflict. And I think he’s right about that. I mean, a ceasefire is always a means to an end.”That is consistent with what we agreed around the table yesterday. And throughout the dinner yesterday I was sitting right next to President Trump, so I’ve no doubt, in my mind, the level of agreement there was in relation to the words that were then issued immediately after that, pretty soon after the dinner.”Donald Trump and Keir Starmer have a good relationship – but they are not always on the same page More

Wildlife hunters took home nearly 1,800 giraffe body parts “trophies” in a year – including from more than 100 animals specially bred in captivity to be shot, it’s been revealed. Whole skins, bones, skulls, feet and tails were all popular with wealthy hunters who paid to shoot giraffes – but one even tried to smuggle back home genitalia from an animal they had shot. Customs officers in the United States discovered the genitalia in the luggage of a traveller returning from Africa.Giraffe are classified as vulnerable while their numbers continue to fall More

Reform UK has taken a dramatic nine-point lead over Labour, a new poll has revealed. The Ipsos survey showed Reform had 34 per cent of the vote share, compared to Labour’s 25 per cent.This means that if a general election were held tomorrow, Reform’s leader Nigel Farage would probably be elected prime minister. Meanwhile, the Conservatives had only 15 per cent of the estimated vote share in the lowest result ever recorded by Ipsos, and the highest ever for Reform.The figures from the polling of 1,180 people show Labour’s plunging popularity, after winning the 2024 general election with the biggest majority since Tony Blair.Only 19 per cent say they are satisfied with the work he is doing, while 73 per cent were dissatisfied, according to the poll.The figures showed that 54 per cent of Labour voters and 48 per cent of Tory voters have changed their support, with a high proportion of defectors from both going to Reform. The figures from the polling of 1,180 people reveal Labour’s plunging popularity More

Almost a quarter of privately rented homes in the UK fail to meet basic living standards, shocking new analysis has revealed.According to data from independent House of Commons library researchers, more than a million rented homes do not meet the Decent Homes Standard – which is 21 per cent of the private market.It comes as the UK recorded a new hottest day of the year as temperatures soared in a 33C heatwave on Saturday.With a growing number of people forced to rent, almost one in five homes (19 per cent) in the UK are from the private rental market.Rayner has promised rent reform More