UK Watch

Ex-official blames pressure from U.K. prime minister’s office to pick Epstein-linked U.S. ambassador– www.cbc.ca

pgnewser April 21, 2026 0

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The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.

A former top Foreign Ministry official said on Tuesday he had faced “constant pressure” from U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office to speed up the process to install his pick as U.S. ambassador, deepening a row that threatens the British leader.

A war of words over who should ultimately take the blame for appointing Labour veteran Peter Mandelson to Britain’s highest diplomatic post despite his past history and known ties to late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has piled pressure on Starmer, prompting calls by critics for him to quit.

Starmer has said he was “wrong” to appoint Mandelson to the role and has expressed regret, but on Monday put the blame firmly on officials for failing to tell him that a security vetting body had advised against his appointment — something, he added, would have stopped him from employing the new ambassador.

Starmer orders inquiry into any security concerns over Mandelson’s tenure in US | Keir Starmer– www.theguardian.com

pgnewser April 20, 2026 0

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Keir Starmer has ordered an investigation into any security concerns relating to Peter Mandelson’s tenure as UK ambassador to the US as he gave his side of events in a politically crucial statement in parliament.

“I know many members across the house will find these facts to be incredible,” Starmer told jeering MPs, after setting out how the Foreign Office opted to overrule the initial decision to refuse Mandelson’s security vetting without informing him and other ministers.

He said: “To that I can only say they are right. Throughout the whole timeline of events, officials in the Foreign Office saw fit to withhold this information from the most senior ministers in our system in government. That is not how the vast majority of people in this country expect politics, government or accountability to work, and I do not think it’s how most public servants think it should work either.”

Ministers rally around Keir Starmer as leadership questions grow over Mandelson saga – UK politics live | Politics– www.theguardian.com

pgnewser April 20, 2026 0

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Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has indicated Keir Starmer’s mishandling of the economy and the Peter Mandelson saga risks leading Nigel Farage to become prime minister.

Davey told Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips that Starmer should “move aside” if he wants the Labour party to succeed.

He said: “The thing that I think Labour MPs should think about quite carefully now is their Government has been a bit of a failure, frankly, on the economy, on so much, and it’s in chaos, in the way that Conservatives were in chaos, in perpetual crisis, and I don’t think they can get out of that unless Keir Starmer moves aside.

“And if they don’t, there’s a real danger they’re handing the keys to Number 10 to Nigel Farage, who can benefit from this chaos.

“So I would really say to Labour MPs, who in many ways, have the future of the prime minister in their hands, that they really now have to accept, the prime minister is a big part of their own problem and in the context of the threat that Nigel Farage poses to our democracy and to our country with his divisive Trump-like politics, I think the Labour party has to realise they have to move on.”

Pressure on Starmer grows over Mandelson vetting despite ousting of Foreign Office official – UK politics live | UK news– www.theguardian.com

pgnewser April 20, 2026 0

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Meanwhile, Peter Mandelson’s replacement as British ambassador to the US has said the relationship between the two countries is in the middle of an “extraordinary moment”.

Speaking in Washington on Friday, Sir Christian Turner said that the transatlantic relationship, which has become strained due to tensions over the Iran war and Donald Trump’s intense criticism of Keir Starmer for his supposed lack of support in the conflict, was still “one of the deepest and closest alliances in history”.

He said:

I’ve now been in this job for about two months, and they said, ‘Come to Washington for a rest. It’ll be very calm. It’ll be very quiet. You’ll be okay.’

And we’re in the middle of this extraordinary moment, geopolitically, geoeconomically, and indeed for the transatlantic relationship.

It is, of course, all relative – 250 years ago we had a small disagreement. We were in the midst of a dispute back then.

To our credit, we’ve only tried to burn down the White House once since, and what began in that moment of tension has been forged into one of the deepest and closest alliances in history.

He added:

I like to think it’s a pragmatic partnership. It’s not one based in backwards looking and nostalgia. It’s looking forwards as it really secures security and prosperity for both Britons and Americans alike.

Uk Doctor Suspended: UK doctor struck off for working while suspended after asking Muslim patient to remove niqab three times | World News– timesofindia.indiatimes.com

pgnewser April 16, 2026 0

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A UK doctor who repeatedly asked a Muslim patient to remove her veil during a consultation and later continued working despite being suspended has been struck off the medical register.Dr Keith Wolverson was previously suspended for nine months after being found guilty of multiple misconduct charges linked to incidents between January and May 2018 while working as a locum at urgent care centres in Derby and Stoke.

London police arrest more than 200 at protest backing banned group Palestine Action– abcnews.com

pgnewser April 13, 2026 0

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LONDON — London police arrested more than 200 people on Saturday during a protest against a ban on the group Palestine Action that the government has labeled a terrorist organization.

Metropolitan Police said they had detained 212 protesters between the ages of 27 and 82 for supporting the group.

Britain’s High Court ruled in February that the government’s decision to outlaw the protest group as a terrorist organization was unlawful, but it kept the ban in place while the government appeals.

Iconic Actor John Cleese Warns Against Islamic Takeover in Britain– www.cbn.com

pgnewser March 26, 2026 0

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English actor and screenwriter John Cleese is coming out in defense of Britain’s Christian heritage.

The famous “Monty Python” writer posted to X this month that Great Britain has been impacted by “Christian values” at the “deepest level” and warned against Muslim influence in the U.K.

“Despite the many mistakes made by churches,” Cleese wrote, “for centuries, British people have been influenced by Christ’s teaching. If these values are replaced by Islamic ones, this will not be Britain any more.”

U.K. police examine possible Iran link after Jewish charity ambulances torched – National– globalnews.ca

pgnewser March 25, 2026 0

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Four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity were set on fire early Monday in London in what British police are investigating as an antisemitic hate crime. Detectives are working to determine whether a claim of responsibility from a group with alleged links to Iran is authentic.

Though it has not been classified as a terrorist incident, counterterror officers have been put in charge of the investigation. No one was injured in the nighttime attack, which shattered windows in nearby homes and left the vehicles charred shells.

UK: Starmer Calls for More Muslims to Become MP– gellerreport.com

pgnewser March 24, 2026 0

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Yes, that is exactly what the UK needs, more jihad. More sharia. More antisemitism. More Jewish ambulance burnings.

Robert Spencer: He will get his wish. But as the transfer of power takes place, and shattered, staggering, dhimmi Britain comes under Muslim rule, no Muslims will ever call for greater non-Muslim representation in parliament.

British House of Lords Votes for Abortions Up to Birth– www.lifenews.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

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Baroness Monckton’s amendment (424) to overturn the extreme abortion up to birth clause 208 was rejected by Peers who voted 185 to 148 against it; and Baroness Stroud’s amendment (425) to reinstate in-person consultations with a medical professional prior to an abortion taking place at home was also rejected by Peers who voted 191 to 119 against it.

Amendment to overturn abortion up to birth clause rejected

Earlier this evening, Peers rejected amendment 424, which Baroness Monckton, along with other female Members of the House of Lords, tabled at Report Stage, that would have removed clause 208 from the Crime and Policing Bill.

Starmer says ‘we can’t lose focus’ on Ukraine amid Iran war during Zelenskyy visit– www.euronews.com

pgnewser March 18, 2026 0

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Tuesday for talks on peace and sanctions on Russia.

The meeting comes at a time when the Iran war has revived Russia’s ailing economy through increased oil revenue, robbed US-brokered talks to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine of momentum and could soon limit Kyiv’s access to vital Western air defence systems that are needed in the Middle East.

“We can’t lose focus on what’s going on in Ukraine and the need for our support,” Starmer said alongside Zelenskyy for talks at 10 Downing Street, which NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also attended.

“Putin can’t be the one who benefits from the conflict in Iran, whether that’s oil prices or the dropping of sanctions,” Starmer said. “It is really important we keep our resolve in relation to supporting Ukraine, doing everything we can to weaken the hand of Putin.”

Trump explodes at ‘terrible’ Starmer in furious rant – ‘We spend a lot of money on you!’ | World | News– www.express.co.uk

pgnewser March 16, 2026 0

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Donald Trump has slammed “terrible” Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over the war in Iran. The US President said he was “very surprised” at Britain’s refusal to take part in the US and Israel’s offensive operations in Iran, which began on February 28.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has made clear that the UK wasn’t involved in the attacks, in which Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed, along with dozens of senior figures in the country. Iran has retaliated by targeting US bases in neighbouring countries in the Gulf, sparking fears that a wider regional conflict could be unleashed.

Tehran also closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil trade connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, sending prices soaring.

UK ‘will not be drawn into wider war’ over Iran, says Starmer as he announces £53m to help with heating oil costs – UK politics live | Politics– www.theguardian.com

pgnewser March 16, 2026 0

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Keir Starmer is speaking at his press conference.

The war is entering its third week, he says.

He says he has been clear in his objectives.

First, we will protect our people in the region.

Second, while taking the necessary action to defend ourselves and our allies, we will not be drawn into the wider war.

And third, we will keep working towards a swift resolution that brings security and stability back to the region and stops the Iranian threat to its neighbours.

CIVILIZATIONAL SUICIDE: UK Scrubbing Winston Churchill and Other Great Britons From Nation’s Money– gellerreport.com

pgnewser March 12, 2026 0

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Cultural Defeat and Surrender.

This is a national disgrace and good example of how the West has come to hate itself and the people who made it great.

Cultural collapse can’t be too far off. What’s next, remove Nelson from atop his column and replace him with a sheep? That shouldn’t cause any divisiveness and it would serve as a reminder of what is in charge of the Bank of England. (Paul Schnee)

If you want something emblematic of cultural and civilizational decline, it would be hard to think of an exhibit more revealing than this. GB News: The Bank of England has confirmed Sir Winston Churchill will be scrapped from banknotes and replaced with images of wildlife. The central bank will soon ask the public which animals they want to appear on the next set of £5, £10, £20, and £50 notes – but confirmed the wartime hero Prime Minister would not be staying. The move to replace historical figures with animals was described as “significant” and “overdue” by celebrity bird-watcher Nadeem Perera, who sits on the bank’s panel of wildlife experts who will choose which English species will appear on the next set of banknotes…. While the monarch will remain on the notes’ front, the decision will remove historical figures including Sir Winston Churchill, Jane Austen, JMW Turner, and Alan Turing (GB News).

Scottish Conservative Leader Now Opposes Assisted Suicide Bill– www.lifenews.com

pgnewser March 10, 2026 0

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The Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party has dropped his support of the Scottish assisted suicide Bill, vowing that he will now vote against it as “the risks are too great”.

Russell Findlay MSP previously supported the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, which, as written, would legalise assisted suicide for adults resident in Scotland with no prognosis requirement specified; however, he now opposes the Bill due to numerous concerns with it.

This now means that the leaders of the three largest parties in Holyrood are opposed to the assisted suicide Bill.

Findlay is the third MSP who supported the Bill last year to now oppose it, meaning that if only four more MSPs change their minds and commit to voting against the Bill, it will fail.

Iran Begins Transmitting Mysterious Numeric Radio Signal Across UK– slaynews.com

pgnewser March 9, 2026 0

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A chilling new signal believed to be tied to Iran has begun appearing across the radio spectrum in Europe, with shortwave listeners in the United Kingdom reporting mysterious encrypted broadcasts shortly after the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Amateur radio enthusiasts say the transmissions resemble a classic “numbers station,” a type of coded broadcast historically associated with espionage and covert intelligence operations.

The signal has been designated “V32” by the monitoring group ENIGMA2000, which tracks suspected intelligence transmissions around the world.

Shortwave listeners say the station broadcasts strings of encrypted numbers late at night and early in the evening.

The transmissions have reportedly been heard clearly across the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, with signals bouncing off the ionosphere and appearing on the frequency 7910 kHz (7.910 MHz) in Upper Sideband mode.

Monitors have described the broadcast as a male voice, possibly synthetic, speaking in Farsi while reading out sequences of numbers.

Starmer seeks to reassure public over cost of living as oil surges above $100 a barrel – UK politics live | Politics– www.theguardian.com

pgnewser March 9, 2026 0

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… Keir Starmer is expected to promise to protect the British public from the economic impact of the war after oil prices surged past $100 a barrel for the first time since 2022.

“No matter the headwinds, supporting working people and their families with the cost of living is always top of my mind,” the prime minister said ahead of a visit on Monday to a community centre in London.

Starmer added:

People are also rightly worrying what this means for life at home – their bills, their jobs, their communities.

I want to address those concerns head on. I will always be guided by what is best for the British public. And no matter the headwinds, supporting working people and their families with the cost of living is always top of my mind.

UK Promotes Youth Campaign To Target Politically Incorrect Online Content Sharing– www.louderwithcrowder.com

pgnewser March 9, 2026 0

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The UK has decided to spend resources on policing kids aged 13-17 on whether they are posting politically incorrect material online. Throughout this campaign, they hope to instill fear in the younger generation that what you retweet or like might get you convicted under the Terrorism Act.

According to Action Counters Terrorism:

Terrorist-related offending can include:
displaying the signs, symbols and slogans of terrorist groups
creating extremist content that celebrates terrorists or terrorist groups
sharing extremist content that celebrates terrorists or terrorist groups
encouraging other people to commit terrorist crimes
threatening acts of violence for terrorist causes online.

Defence secretary twice declines to rule out Britain joining strikes on Iran | World News– news.sky.com

pgnewser March 5, 2026 0

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Defence secretary John Healey has twice declined to rule out Britain joining strikes on Iran, when asked by Sky News.

He also said he’d had the option of deploying HMS Dragon to the Mediterranean for weeks.

Interviewed at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, the minister was asked by Sky’s Europe correspondent Ali Bunkall if he could rule out Britain joining the conflict in an offensive capacity.

UK finance minister Reeves delivers the Spring Statement– www.cnbc.com

pgnewser March 3, 2026 0

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The U.K.’s Finance Minister Rachel Reeves has delivered her latest update on the state of the U.K. economy and public finances, with the chancellor having to concede that growth will be lower than previously expected this year.

Addressing the House of Commons on Tuesday, Reeves said “the government has the right economic plan for the country,” which was met by immediate jeers from opposition lawmakers.

A plan, she said, that was “even more important in a world that, over the last few days, has become yet more uncertain,” amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Iran Attacks UK Base After PM Green-Lights Strikes– trendingpoliticsnews.com

pgnewser March 2, 2026 0

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The United Kingdom has confirmed that an Iranian kamikaze drone impacted one of its airfield’s in Cyprus, marking the first time the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East have directly impacted one of the nation’s military installation. The attack came just hours after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer — alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz — indicated that they were open to joining offensive strikes against Iranian missile and drone targets.

The impact was confirmed at RAF Akrotiri, a Royal Air Force installation located within the United Kingdom’s Sovereign Base Area in southern Cyprus.