Newslinks for Friday 6th March 2026

Starmer: US must negotiate with Iran

“Sir Keir Starmer has told Donald Trump to negotiate with Iran, despite the regime firing missiles at allies across the Middle East. The Prime Minister called on the US to reach a settlement with Tehran, saying it was his “strong view” that the two countries need to “de-escalate” the crisis through talks. The comments threaten to strain the special relationship further, after Sir Keir’s initial decision to block the use of Diego Garcia, the military base in the Chagos Islands, for strikes on Iran. On Thursday, the US president refused to deny reports, first revealed by The Telegraph, that he had described Sir Keir as a “loser”, and repeated that he was “not Winston Churchill”. The Prime Minister remains under growing pressure over his handling of the Iran crisis and faces accusations that he has not done enough to support allies and British bases in the region. Iranian drones hit RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus on Sunday, but Sir Keir took 72 hours to decide to deploy the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon. The ship is undergoing welding work and is not expected to reach the island for a fortnight, well after warships sent by France and Spain. Iran continued attacks on Thursday, hitting an airport in Azerbaijan with a drone, injuring four civilians.” – Daily Telegraph

• Trump: I must help to choose Iran’s next leader – The Times
• Donald Trump steps up attack on Starmer as he slams ‘very disappointing’ PM who should be behind war ‘without question’ – The Sun
• US sends massive Iranian warship up in flames in mission to sink nation’s ENTIRE Navy as Middle East sees drones and missiles pound region – Daily Mail
• Zack Polanski votes against motion welcoming removal of ayatollah – The Times
• Four men arrested over ‘spying for Iran by monitoring individuals and locations linked to Jewish community’ – The Sun

Comment:

• We can’t put a warship to sea, Trump’s frozen him out, Britain is a laughing stock… but Keir Starmer insists he IS in control – Jason Groves, Daily Mail
• Tears for ayatollah are a troubling sign in British cities – Jawad Iqbal, The Times
• How ‘petulant’ Miliband & his Leftie pals ‘strong-armed weak PM into withholding support for US against Iran’ – Jack Elsom, The Sun
• Sir Keir drops another hint as to the real power behind the throne – Stephen Pollard, Daily Telegraph
• Trump battles with Maga to sell his Iran war – Gerard Baker, The Times
• Tax-dodging Britons should pay for their own flights out of the Middle East – Judith Woods, Daily Telegraph
• In six days, Trump has exposed Britain for the broken, clunky machine it is – Kitty Donaldson, The i
• No navy. Dancing MPs. Allies calling us ‘weak’. Why I’ve NEVER been so ashamed to be British – Richard Littlejohn, Daily Mail

> Today:

> Yesterday:

Labour MP quits over husband’s spy arrest

“The MP whose husband was arrested this week on suspicion of spying for China has resigned the Labour whip while an internal investigation is carried out. Joani Reid, the MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven, said on Thursday night she would temporarily stand down from the parliamentary party while the inquiry takes place. Labour confirmed she had been administratively suspended, which has the effect of suspending the whip, while the internal investigation is carried out. A spokesperson said: “Joani Reid has agreed to fully cooperate with the Labour party’s investigation into these matters”. Her husband, David Taylor, was arrested on Wednesday under the National Security Act along with two other men aged 43 and 68. Police said on Thursday they had been released on bail until May. Reid said in a statement on Thursday night: “This week has been the worst of my life. The shock of recent days has been difficult for me and my family. I want to reiterate something very important: I am not under investigation by the police and no accusations have been made against me. I have done nothing wrong.”” – The Guardian

• Labour MP suspended after husband arrested in China spy case – The Times
• Labour MP suspends herself after her husband was arrested amid China spy probe as two Blair-era government advisors also held by police are named – Daily Mail
• Labour MP ‘voluntarily suspends herself’ amid China spy probe – BBC News

Cash for migrants

“Failed asylum seeker families will be offered taxpayer-funded golden goodbyes of up to £40,000 to leave Britain under a controversial pilot scheme.  Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood unveiled the payout as part of her migration crackdown. But critics branded it a “kick in the teeth” for taxpayers.  It comes as latest figures show 2,688 migrants in 42 boats have made the Channel crossing so far this year. A group was brought into the Port of Ramsgate yesterday by a Border Force vessel, taking the total so far this month to 479 in seven boats. Under the new plans, about 150 families whose asylum claims have already been rejected will be offered £10,000 a person — capped at £40,000 — if they agree to leave voluntarily.” – The Sun

• Leaked WhatsApp messages show furious Labour civil war erupt over migrant plans – Daily Express
• Shabana Mahmood’s migration plans to pay migrant families £40k to leave and make refugee status temporary sparks Labour backlash – LBC News
• ‘Britons are being taken for MUGS!’ Zia Yusuf rips into Labour’s ‘insane’ plan to PAY asylum seekers to leave UK – GB News
• Cops won’t release migrant hotel crime stats amid fears it may ‘increase community tension’ – The Scottish Sun

Comment:

• ‘Bribing’ failed asylum seekers to go home is a waste of money – there’s only one way to solve this crisis – The Sun Says
• Cruelty to immigrants is not what my party stands for. It’s time for True Labour, not Blue Labour – Stella Creasy, The Guardian

> Yesterday:

Salary sacrifice vote could spare graduates

“Graduates may be spared the chancellor’s salary sacrifice raid after the House of Lords warned that it would be an “assault on Gen Z”. Peers backed an amendment today to exclude graduates from the government’s plans to cap at £2,000 the annual amount workers can pay into their pensions while saving on national insurance. This is because a quirk of the policy would cost those with student loans more owing to the fact that repayments are directly tied to how much of their salary is liable for national insurance. Analysis by The Times shows that a graduate earning £50,000 a year and paying 10 per cent of their salary into their pension through salary sacrifice would end up paying an extra £270 on their loans under the chancellor’s proposals. Lord Leigh of Hurley, a Conservative life peer, tabled an amendment in the House of Lords today calling for any pension contributions over the new £2,000 limit to be excluded from student loan repayment calculations. Peers voted 208 to 142 in favour of his amendment, meaning that it will go back to MPs in the House of Commons to consider.” – The Times

• Salary sacrifice cap is being rushed and must be halted, says ex-pensions minister – The i

News in brief:

• British foreign policy must serve British interests – Charlie Napier, The Critic
• Labour’s Islamophobia definition deserves to die – Peter Franklin, UnHerd
• The real reason Greens are gaining ground – Patrick West, The Spectator
• How to beat Zack Polanski – Joseph Dinnage, CapX
• Labour needs “progressive defectors” back to win general election – Anoosh Chakelian, The New Statesman