Newslinks for Friday 2nd January 2026

Troubles bill ‘treats military veterans worse than terrorists’

“​​Sir Keir Starmer’s Troubles aide has accused the government of treating veterans “worse than terrorists” with its plan to push ahead with investigations into decades-old incidents. David Johnstone, who was appointed by Labour to be the Northern Ireland veterans commissioner, said new legislation was “eating at the very fabric of the armed forces”. In an interview with The Times, he said the proposed bill was “imbalanced” and gave the families of soldiers and civilians killed by terrorists in Northern Ireland “false hope” because they were extremely unlikely to see justice. Instead, elderly veterans would be in the dock while IRA terrorists would walk free because the weapons they used — potential evidence — were decommissioned without forensic testing, he warned. His remarks will pile pressure on the government to amend the Troubles bill, which is making its way through the Commons. Former generals have severely criticised it, saying the proposal is a “national security threat” that is damaging morale and causing an exodus from special forces. Special forces veterans have been admitted to hospital after the fear of investigations affected their mental health.” – The Times

• Veterans treated more harshly than terrorists, says Starmer’s Troubles aide – Daily Telegraph
• Labour treating Northern Ireland veterans ‘worse than terrorists’ says its OWN Troubles advisor in attack on law allowing fresh probes into decades-old incidents – Daily Mail
• Legacy of Troubles a ‘millstone round neck of police in Northern Ireland’ –  BelfastLive
• Britain faces £10bn defence gap as experts warn the UK is not ready for war with Russia – The Sun

Comment:

PM’s former aide says Egyptian ‘extremist’ case was ‘running joke’ in Whitehall

“The case of an alleged Egyptian extremist who was welcomed to Britain by Sir Keir Starmer became a “running joke” among Downing Street advisers, a former No 10 aide has revealed. Paul Ovenden said the case of Alaa Abd el-Fattah was “a totem of the ceaseless sapping of time and energy by people obsessed with fringe issues” and demonstrated “the sheer weirdness of how Whitehall spends its time”. Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the Egyptian activist, who labelled British people “dogs and monkeys” and called for Zionists to be killed, to Britain last month. The case sparked a major row after a series of social media posts came to light in which Mr Fattah had called for the killing of all police officers, denied the Holocaust and described himself as a “violent person”. Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, claimed officials had been “unaware” of the social media posts as she ordered a review into “serious information failures”. “What I knew of his plight during my time in government was largely down to his status as a cause célèbre beloved of Whitehall’s sturdy, clean-shirted diplomats and their scurrying auxiliaries,” Mr Ovenden wrote in The Times.” – Daily Telegraph

• Take on ‘weird’ Whitehall, Keir Starmer told after Fattah row – The Times
• Keir Starmer’s close ally blows lid on ‘weird obsession’ at very heart of Whitehall – GBNews

Comment:

• Alaa Abd el-Fattah has shown supremacy of the Stakeholder State – Paul Ovenden, The Times
• More art and less politics please, celebrities – Joanna Williams, The Times
• Don’t be surprised by failure – that’s what our state is designed to do – David Frost, Daily Telegraph
• Don’t be shocked if Keir Starmer survives the year – Patrick Maguire, The Times

Poor get poorer under Labour

“The poorest households in Britain have become poorer under Labour despite Sir Keir Starmer’s promise to improve living standards.  Spare cash left over after bills and essential spending for the least affluent households has shrunk by 2.1pc since Labour was elected in July 2024, data from Retail Economics shows. The findings are a blow for the Prime Minister, who has pledged that living standards in every part of the country will grow by the end of this parliament. He will put the cost of living at the centre of a New Year political fightback in the coming weeks as he attempts to win back disillusioned voters. However, Sir Keir’s opponents seized on the figures as evidence the Government is failing one of its core missions. Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform, said: “Two years ago, the Government promised to get the cost of living under control. Since then, they have failed on nearly every count as household bills have soared, taxes have skyrocketed and economic growth has flatlined. Labour has lost control.”… The UK’s most affluent households have fared the best under Labour, with discretionary incomes climbing 10.3pc between July 2024 and October 2025. However, households in all income brackets reported a decline in discretionary incomes in April when a series of bill increases and tax rises came into force.” – Daily Telegraph

• Millions of middle earners will be £500 a year worse off by 2030 – The Times
• Rachel Reeves’s ‘fiscal drag’ stealth tax will leave striving British workers £505 worse off by 2030 – but benefit claimants win big – Daily Mail
• Why Rachel Reeves’ stealth taxes are hitting workers hardest – The Independent
• Fury as stealth taxes will leave workers on £50k £505 worse off by 2030 while benefits RISE – The Sun

Comment:

• Hair salons like mine are the canaries in the coalmine for economic trouble ahead. Reeves’ tax hikes threaten to ruin us all: Top stylist on why he’s barring every Labour MP – Michael van Clarke, Daily Mail
• Happy new year — same unhappy old Keir Starmer – Sonia Sodha, The Times

> Yesterday:

News in brief:

• Why Starmer won’t survive 2026 – Aaron Bastani, UnHerd
• Britain has lost faith in Labour’s plan to ‘smash the gangs’ – Gavin Mortimer, The Spectator
• The year ahead for the Conservatives – Tali Fraser, The Critic
• The moment Michael Gove destroyed the Tory party – Kwasi Kwarteng, The i