Newslinks for Friday 13th June 2025

Israel-Iran flares up

“Israel has assassinated the head of Iran’s armed forces as it carried out what it described as a “pre-emptive strike” on the regime’s nuclear programmes. General Mohammad Bagheri, Iran’s chief of the military staff, was killed along with top commanders and nuclear scientists as Israel launched waves of attacks including a strike on Natanz, Tehran’s enrichment facility. In response, Iran launched more than 100 drones, Israel’s military said. Israel is braced for a further retaliatory attack which Tehran said would be “harsh and decisive”. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, said the military campaign will continue for “as many days as it takes”, raising fears of all-out war.” – Daily Telegraph

• Israel hits Iran nuclear facilities, missile factories; Tehran launches drones – Reuters
• Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, Trump tells Bret Baier – Fox News
• Israel strikes Iran, as Trump officials say no U.S. military support – The Washington Post
• Oil surges after Israel’s attack on Iran – Financial Times
• Hossein Salami: Who was Iran’s Revolutionary Guards chief, killed by Israel? – BBC

Comment:

• Lammy is picking a needless fight with America – Con Coughlin, Daily Telegraph
• Once again, Israel proves it has the most impressive military in the world – Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, Daily Telegraph
• The unintended consequences of Israeli strikes on Iran – Michael Burleigh, The i
• Israel’s strikes on Iran show Trump is unable to restrain Netanyahu as Middle East slips closer to chaos – Andrew Roth, The Guardian
• Israel’s bravery shames our pusillanimous Prime Minister – Stephen Pollard, Daily Telegraph

Badenoch’s oil and gas move – as Tories in court for betting scandal

“Tory leader Kemi Badenoch due to call for windfall taxes on oil and gas firms to be scrapped to avoid “killing” the industry. She was also set to demand fresh drilling licences in the North Sea in a blast against Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s decision to ban them in the name of Net Zero. The Energy Profits Levy was first introduced by the Conservatives to tax companies revelling in record revenues while families struggled with soaring bills. At the last Budget Rachel Reeves increased the tax by three points to 38 per cent of profits for the next five years. But Ms Badenoch will today warn these massive profits have “long gone” and the longer the tax remains “the more damaging it becomes”. She will tell the Scottish Tory conference: “Labour have extended and increased this tax. They are killing this industry.”” – The Sun

• Badenoch to call for end to windfall tax and ban on new oil licences – STV News
• Kemi: Scots care more about immigration than Indyref 2 – Daily Mail
• Badenoch: Scrap net zero windfall tax on oil companies – Daily Telegraph
• Tory MPs On Lib Dem Defection Watch – PoliticsHome
• Tories accused in General Election betting scandal face court for first time – The Standard

Comment:

• Captain Kemi needs ‘an army’ but business not yet keen to follow her over the top – Patrick Kidd, Daily Telegraph
• Mrs Badenoch was perkier than usual. Does she finally glimpse hope? – Quentin Letts, Daily Telegraph

> Today: The new Tory MPs are fed-up and furious

Assisted dying returns to Commons

“Two more Labour MPs have expressed significant doubts about the assisted dying bill, suggesting they would now oppose the legislation. The former health minister Andrew Gwynne, who previously abstained, wrote to his constituents in Gorton and Denton to say: “To date I don’t think that the bill has been strengthened enough and that safeguards should go much further.” Paul Foster, the Labour MP for South Ribble, who previously voted in favour, told constituents this week he also had serious concerns about the bill’s safeguards, suggesting he, too, could vote against it when it returns to the Commons for its final vote next week. He said that following the alarm voiced by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, he was “seriously concerned about the adequacy of the revised safeguards, particularly the removal of judicial oversight and the wider implications for vulnerable individuals”.” – The Guardian

• Adverts for assisted dying to be debated by MPs as divisive bill returns to Parliament – The Independent
• Hospices that oppose assisted dying ‘could be forced to shut’ – Daily Telegraph
• Assisted dying vote tracker: How do MPs intend to vote on the bill? – ITV News
• Assisted dying bill: what will happen on Friday 13 June? – Hansard Society

Comment:

• Life is too precious for assisted dying – Brian Mathew, The Spectator

> Yesterday: Andrew Rosindell: I want no part in making the assisted dying bill, law. It’s morally wrong and bad legislation