Britain First — The British far-right try to present themselves as the antidote to what they would have you believe is the sickness of multiculturalism. In reality, they’re a bunch of sad and angry people who desperately want the world to reflect their own self-loathing.

Never has this been more obvious than in the following clip:

🇬🇧 Far right extremist Paul Golding exposed in a secret recording:

“I want this country to become a shithole. I want this country to descend into a fucking nightmare”

They don’t care about the country. They thrive off discord. pic.twitter.com/N0Sb9yvq33

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— smile2jannah (@smile2jannah) April 12, 2026

Nightmare

The man in the video about is Paul Golding, the leader of Britain First. As Hope not Hate documented:

Golding first emerged into prominence in 1999 as a teenage member of the fascist British National Party (BNP), and was quickly appointed editor of the youth publication Excalibur. Given the title of Director of Publicity, Golding also briefly took the reins of the BNP’s flagship magazine, Identity, having established a close relationship with then-leader Nick Griffin.

Additionally:

In Belfast, Golding helped [Jim Dowson – far-right fundraiser] launch Britain First, returning to England in 2013 in the hopes of building links with the English Defence League and various splinters. Now at the helm of a confrontational new vehicle, Golding quickly gained notoriety for his extreme worldview, relentless fear-mongering and inflammatory actions, leading Britain First’s “patrols” and attempts to intimidate opponents. Examples include threatening to bury a pig at the site of a planned mosque in Dudley in order to “contaminate” the land and prevent its construction.

For some reason, Western fascists think Muslims are vulnerable to pigs in the same way that vampires are sensitive to garlic.

Well, we say ‘for some reason’ — we know what the reason is — it’s because they’re thick.

Hope not Hate added:

Branded a “narcissist” by a prominent former member, Golding’s temperament and tactics have been at the centre of many rifts within the group, including with Dowson, who quit the group in 2014, describing Golding’s “mosque invasions” as “provocative and counterproductive”, as well as “unacceptable and unchristian”.

To be fair, Jesus did cause a ruckus in a temple; it’s just he was going after money lenders — not everyday worshippers.

The British nightmare

In the undercover recording of Golding, he’s caught saying:

In ten years, society is going to be violent and horrific – a horrific place.

I’m not interested in appealing to the masses right now.

The moment that we’re waiting for is fast approaching.

I want this country to become a shithole.

I want this country to descend into a fucking nightmare.

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Because that’s the only thing that’s going to get people off their backsides.

As is obvious from his other activities, Golding recognises that Britain isn’t a nightmare now, so he’s trying to turn it into one.

Basically, he’s like every other fascist in history.

No doubt because he knows he can’t function in a normal, caring society — only one in which cruelty is the default.

Britain First — ‘The fear’

Showing what kind of a man Golding is, Hope not Hate also reported the following about Golding:

Golding, who for a time was in a relationship with the now-former Deputy Leader Jayda Fransen, was recorded in December 2015 admitting to having violently attacked her, as well as another woman. Fransen told the BBC in 2019 that the abuse went on for five years, and “didn’t take long to start” after she joined Britain First in 2014. She said: “There were incidents that could have gone so badly wrong. I could have ended up really hurt or worse. I guess that is where the fear came in because I thought I am going to end up dead”.

Clearly, it’s Golding himself who’s the “fucking nightmare”.

Featured image via undercover recording

Several South Korean government officials have called out Israel on social media, urging it to break free from the “chain of hatred” and the “memory of victimhood”. Basically, South Korea found a professional way to tell Israel to stop playing the victim.

The first statement came from Lee Jae Myung, the President of the Republic of Korea. It was in response to a video in which an Israeli soldier threw a Palestinian man off a roof. He stated:

I need to look into whether this is true, and if so, what measures have been taken.

The forced comfort women issue that we are raising is no different from the Jewish massacre or wartime killings.

In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a statement.

The remarks by the President of Korea, Lee Jae Myung, including the trivialization of the massacre of Jews on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel, are unacceptable and warrant strong condemnation.

President Lee Jae Myung, for some strange reason, chose to dig up a… https://t.co/sQzisQGxa5

— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) April 10, 2026

It stated:

including the trivialization of the massacre of Jews on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel, are unacceptable and warrant strong condemnation.

Israel wants to keep bringing up the Holocaust while committing another one. At what point does the world realise it’s just an excuse?

And why are Palestinian lives, or Korean lives, worth less than the lives of Israelis?

The President of South Korea said a video of the IOF tossing a Palestinian child off of a roof reminded him of Japanese crimes against Koreans during colonialism and the Holocaust

israel says this “trivializes” the Holocaust. As if Koreans and Palestinians are inherently cheaper https://t.co/IcEX2cTBWD

— 박주현 (@hermit_hwarang) April 10, 2026

Israel is like the abusive man who refuses to go to therapy for his own childhood abuse. Your pain is not an excuse to cause more pain.

The account also claimed the video was fake. It wasn’t. Israel should know that tactic doesn’t work anymore.

The incident happened in 2024 in the West Bank. At least two other soldiers stood and watched.

Unsurprisingly, the statement also brings up Hezbollah and Hamas, and labels them ‘terrorists’. But from where I’m standing, the only terrorists are the US and Israel.

South Korea condemns indiscriminate killings

In response, Choo Mi-ae, the first female leader of South Korea’s Democratic Party, also put out a statement.

She pointed out the forced enslavement and sexual abuse by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War Two, along with the imprisonment, massacres, live burials in mines and military bases, chemical and biological experiments, and the Kantō earthquake massacre.

Essentially, she listed all the reasons that South Korea could be using to justify playing the victim and committing genocide. The difference, though? It isn’t.

She ended with:

No matter how much it is Israel, I strongly support President Lee Jae-myung for sending the message that indiscriminately killing civilians is wrong from a human rights perspective.

Are world leaders finally growing a backbone?

Of course, killing civilians is wrong from pretty much every perspective — unless you’re a genocidal war criminal.

Victimhood

Finally, Park Hong-geun, Minister of Planning and Budget, called on Israel to:

break free as soon as possible from the chain of hatred where the memory of victimhood leads to further perpetration

He then took a dig at Israel’s lack of universal human rights:

The Ministry of Economy and Finance will, in designing the future of the Republic of Korea, prioritize the people’s livelihood and national interests as core values, while never losing sight of universal human rights as the foundation of human civilization.

Of course, it’s rare for a US ally to stand up to Israel.

Wow, that’s extremely rare for a U.S. treaty ally.

South Korea’s president, addressing Israel: “It’s disappointing that you don’t even once reflect on the criticisms from people around the world who are suffering and struggling due to your relentless anti-human rights and… https://t.co/g16kNSNdC0

— Arnaud Bertrand (@RnaudBertrand) April 11, 2026

But really, far more world leaders should be saying the same thing.

More European leaders including UK – should be saying this. https://t.co/p9v3VBrq6M

— Paul Gosling (@PaulGosling1) April 11, 2026

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Who’d have thought we would have all this crying and victimhood because the president of South Korea said that it’s wrong to throw people off a rooftop?

Israel thinks the Holocaust is a universal get-out-of-jail-free card. But it isn’t. At some point, you have to decide not to perpetrate the exact same crimes your own people are trying to heal from, or the cycle never ends.

Many world leaders are staying silent and refusing to call Israel’s actions what they are — war crimes. But silence only benefits the oppressor. Which is why the rare occasions that they do speak out are so important.

Feature image via 이재명 / YouTube

With the local elections looming, the serious parties are mobilising their supporters to hit the streets and engage with the public. Labour, meanwhile, are panicking, because Starmer encouraged the party’s grassroots to “leave”:

So hardly any volunteers left in Labour, they’re having to press gang MPs to save their council seats in London. This has been a long time coming. https://t.co/mfF8POIjec

— Cllr Alastair Binnie-Lubbock 💚🌍 🍉 (he/they) (@alastairis) April 10, 2026

Labour — Shaking off the fleas

In the post above, HuffPost’s Kevin Schofield wrote:

NEW: With the elections on May 7 less than a month away, Labour chair Anna Turley has written to 2024 intake MPs urging them to campaign in London when they return to Westminster next week.

She says: “Every London council seat is up for election in May. I know you’re all doing great work across the country but let’s use our time in the big smoke to help our Labour family there.”

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An MP says: “Things must be bad.”

So, Labour are asking MPs to ignore their constituency work for a month so they can prop up the party’s failing London operation. Fair enough, it’s when they’re in Westminster, but it’s still time they could spend responding to constituents or making plans.

If you’re wondering what happened to all the Labour activists and door knockers – well – a lot of them left after Starmer said this:

“If you don’t like the changes we have made, I say, the door is open and you can leave”

and then we did.

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en masse.

For the people would rather support someone like Zack Polanski that stands for something instead of someone like Keir Starmer who stands for nothing. https://t.co/njJ6e7daAv pic.twitter.com/aQ4iXJ2Fvw

— thelefttake (@thelefttake) April 3, 2026

As the BBC reported on 7 April:

Six million voters, more than 1,800 councillors across 32 boroughs. The simple numbers behind what could be one of London’s most complicated elections.

On 7 May every council in the capital will go to the polls to decide who will run their authorities over the next four years.

And no longer, it seems, can Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats be confident that they alone will be running town halls.

The rise of Reform UK on the right and the Green Party on the left are presenting real and new challenges.

In other words, Starmer has fucked up so badly that he’s ended the political norms which have persisted for a century.

To be fair, he did have a lot of help from the Labour and Tory MPs who worked tirelessly to convince the public that the two-party system just doesn’t work.

The BBC continued:

After 7 May it’s possible five or even six parties will be in charge of various councils in London.

The previous red blanket, with Labour currently running 21 boroughs, becoming more of a patchwork quilt.

It will go lower

Beyond the local elections, Labour are also at risk of losing most of their MPs in the capital:

🗳️ Current #GE2029 seat estimate for London:

🔴 Lab: 22 (-37)
🟢 Grn: 17 (+17)
➡️ Ref: 15 (+15)
🔵 Con: 10 (+1)
🟠 Lib: 6 (=)
⚪️ Oth: 5 (+4)

+/- vs GE2024 pic.twitter.com/9s2pzrh4Tq

— Stats for Lefties 🍉🏳️‍⚧️ (@LeftieStats) March 29, 2026

The way things are going, the above map could prove optimistic.

After all, if Starmer has proven one thing, it’s that he can always become more unpopular.

Featured image via The Canary

Iran has blamed the US for the failure of the ceasefire talks in Islamabad, Pakistan. In response, and in true toddler fashion, ‘President’ Trump threatened a naval blockade if “Iran wont bend”.

Iran’s Parliamentary ⁠Speaker, Mohammad ⁠Baqer Ghalibaf, said that Iran raised “forward-looking” initiatives during ceasefire negotiations in Pakistan, but the US failed to “gain the ‌trust” of the delegation.

US-Iran negotiations — Sticking points

The US framed the lack of a breakthrough mainly around Iran’s refusal to meet its core demand: a firm commitment not to develop nuclear weapons.

In an interview, Vance said that the US refuses to give up its demand that Iran has no right to Uranium enrichment.

Iran: How can you negotiate with them, when this is the smartest one in their team? pic.twitter.com/KkTg1yipjx

— Bashkarma🇺🇸🌏🇷🇺 (@Karmabash) April 12, 2026

Which is hilarious, given that two of the most powerful militaries in the world have spent nearly two months indiscriminately bombing Iran and threatening to nuke it.

However, Iran has consistently said it has no intentions of building nuclear weapons and its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes. Several experts have backed this up. One said:

There was no evidence that Iran was close to a nuclear weapon.

Iran has said that it is willing to negotiate limits on its nuclear activities if sanctions are removed.

In 2015, Washington and Tehran signed a nuclear deal under US President Barack Obama. This put a limit on Iran’s uranium enrichment at 3.67% in return for sanctions relief. However, Trump withdrew Washington from the deal three years later and slapped sanctions back on Iran.

We are at war to return to the terms of a deal we already secured ten years ago, that was torn up because trump didn’t like the guy who negotiated the deal. Now we’ve lost 15 soldiers and spent a trillion dollars and are worse off than before. Racism is costly. https://t.co/nvNjIfozDj

— Tim (@trouble_man90) April 12, 2026

Since then, Iran has accelerated its uranium enrichment to 60%. However, to make an atomic bomb, 90% enrichment is required.

Iran — The right to self-defence

Importantly, though, you don’t see the US or Israel threatening to nuke Russia, South Korea, or even the UK. Why? Because those countries also have nukes — it would be the ultimate self-destruct button.

Of course, Israel and the US do not want Iran to have the tools it needs to defend itself. That way, they can continue to threaten it.

The US also demanded that Iran hand over enriched uranium and open the Strait of Hormuz — without recognising Iran’s sovereignty over it.

But unfortunately for Vance, unlike with his wife, coercive control does not work on a self-reliant sovereign nation.

In response to the US’s unreasonable demands, Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighted the importance of the US accepting Iran’s legitimate rights and interests.

He said:

The success of this diplomatic process depends on the seriousness and good faith of the opposing side, refraining from excessive demands and unlawful requests, and the acceptance of Iran’s legitimate rights and interests.

According to a Turkish journalist in Pakistan, Abbas Araghchi and Steve Witkoff nearly got into a physical altercation during the peace talks.

صحفي تركي في باكستان:

عباس عراقجي وويتكوف كادا يدخلان في مواجهة جسدية خلال المحادثات عن مضيق هرمز.

😂😂

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— Hanzala (@Hanzpal2) April 12, 2026

We all know Araghchi would have fucked him up badly. Both in a fight of fists and in a fight of words.

Araghchi has a PhD in philosophy and has been working in foreign policy for 37 years. He is also fluent in three languages. But Witkoff? He’s a real estate developer.

‘Naval Blockade’

In one of Trump’s standard Truth Social posts, he claimed that the US Navy would start blocking the Strait of Hormuz.

Which Iran is already doing.

Is Trump going for a double blockade? Double negative makes a positive?

Or is he saving Iran the time and money and risking getting blown up in the process?

Toddler Trump added:

THIS IS WORLD EXTORTION, and Leaders of Countries, especially the United States of America, will never be extorted. I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas.

Previously, Trump threatened tariffs on practically every nation. The difference here is that the Strait of Hormuz is shared Iranian/Omani sovereign territory. They have the right to impose tariffs on its seas.

Plenty of other waterways have tariffs. For example, the Panama Canal charges ships to pass through, with the cost depending on the ship’s size.

Similarly, the Suez Canal collects tolls dependent on vessel type and size.

What has become clear in recent days is that Donald Trump wants control of the Strait of Hormuz. He previously suggested that the US may consider charging a toll across the Strait, which would require direct US military control over the strategic waterway.

Colonialism

This is colonialism in action. Masked as “ending disruption.” One which the US itself caused.

There would be no problem if the US and Israel hadn’t caused one. It’s not that hard to go about your daily life without feeling the need to murder Brown children. Get a hobby, read a book, build a LEGO set.

But this bullshit colonialist mindset is exactly why so many innocent people are being murdered in West Asia. The US and Israel bomb schoolgirls in Iran in an illegal and unprovoked attack. Iran defends itself and closes the Strait of Hormuz. The US wants to reopen the Strait and control it, which, by the way, would not be closed if it weren’t for its own actions.

Trump is a power-hungry terrorist who is willing to destroy the lives of Brown people just so he can feed his own ego.

Feature image via HG

A large humanitarian ‘Global Sumud Flotilla” has left Barcelona with essential supplies for Gaza, which continues to starve under Israeli blockade and bombing. Earlier flotillas and their volunteer crews have faced attack and abduction by the Israeli occupation, but have raised international awareness of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. The convoy, which will grow to more than 70 vessels and over a thousand participants as it sails, is the fifth flotilla to set sail since the beginning of 2025 and the largest so far.

Large crowds of well-wishers turned out on a grey day to see the volunteers on their way, as footage and photos provided by crew member and former parliamentary candidate Corrie Drew show:

The Israel lobby and its media brigades have already started their attacks. The Jerusalem Post crowed over the fact that bad weather means the supposedly “faltering” flotilla will not leave the Spanish coast until a local storm passes. It also questioned why the convoy is leaving during a supposed ceasefire in Gaza — ignoring the fact that Israel is murdering Palestinians and stealing territory daily in typical ‘you cease, we fire’ fashion, and continues its illegal starvation blockade.

However, spirits and defiance among the crew are high. Organisers say that boats will continue to sail until Gaza is free and open. Irish actor Liam Cunningham, who supports its mission, said that:

every kilogram of aid on these ships is a failure [of state government], because all the people on these ships who give their time to help their fellow human beings are doing what their governments have a legal obligation to do.

Featured image via the Canary

Britain’s defence secretary, John Healey, has said that UK bases have been invaluable to the US military. This raises serious concerns, given that the UK’s involvement is supposedly only for ‘defensive purposes’

From the horse’s mouth: “in this conflict, the basing permission that we in the UK have provided to the US has been invaluable to their military operations.” UK Defence Secretary John Healey blows apart Starmer’s line that “we are not involved”. https://t.co/plAnaAi4dO

— Martin Shaw (@martinshawx) April 11, 2026

UK bases used for ‘Defensive actions’

Already, a retired RAF squadron leader has told Declassified that Starmer’s claim he only let the US use British bases for “defensive” actions against Iran is a “fiction”. Of course, that is clear to anyone paying attention.

He added that it was “glaringly obvious” that US missions from RAF Fairford were conducting offensive strikes.

Whether or not the US bombing of Iran resumes, the UK’s central role in facilitating it, in direct contradiction of Starmer’s claims, will need to be investigated:

‘RAF Fairford has … become the principal forward operating base for US strategic bombers in Europe.’ https://t.co/fULc2ixuRm

— Martin Shaw (@martinshawx) April 10, 2026

Of course, there is nothing ‘limited’ or ‘defensive’ about using UK bases to bomb innocent people.

The UK is literally facilitating war crimes.

Keir Starmer has once again misled the British people over our involvement in Israel’s war crimes

He must be held to account

The leader of Britain should work for us, the British people. Not Israelis. https://t.co/8A67teimdU

— Stop The Bollocks with Mirabel (@MirabelTweets1) April 10, 2026

Now, speaking at a conference in London, Healey said:

Even in this current conflict, the basing permissions that we in the UK have agreed with the US have been invaluable to their military operations.

If we focus on our actions rather than just simply the exchange of words and social media posts, then the fundamentals for me remain.

Being ‘invaluable’ definitely doesn’t sound very ‘limited’ or ‘defensive’ to me. It appears that, despite Starmer’s bullshit facade, the US and Israel are using UK bases to commit multiple genocides.

The US couldn’t have conducted the Iran Epstein Wars without our bases and support.

In it to our necks.
Slaughtering children. Destroying civilian infrastructure.

Putting the world in chaos to prop up a failing grasping empire. https://t.co/tdnILYHPWm

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— Up_Again ItWasAScam 💙 🍉💙🍉 (@up_again) April 12, 2026

The UK government does not appear to care about the US using UK facilities to carpet-bomb innocent people. Additionally, Starmer is still unwilling to stand up to Trump. 

All of this speaks to the continued colonial mindset of the UK government.

Colonialism in action

Earlier this week, the Guardian reported that:

Before the ceasefire announced by Trump late on Tuesday, which Starmer said countries in the region believed was “fragile”, the UK led a call of military planners from 35 nations on ways to secure the strait if there was peace, including the removal of Iranian mines.

The question has to be asked as to why the white Prime Minister of a Western Nation is leading a call which may help decide the fate of Iran — a majority brown country in West Asia? There’s a word for that.

Why is the future of the region in the hands of a white Zionist and not the people who actually live there?

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS):

Every State has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles, measured from baselines determined in accordance with this Convention.

The Strait of Hormuz is 21 miles wide at its narrowest point — meaning that Iran and Oman have sovereignty over every mile of that water. Unlike the majority of the West would have you believe, it is not international waters.

Which is why it’s even more fucked up that the UK is trying to exercise so much control over the sovereign territory of a majority brown country. Meanwhile, Starmer continues to claim the UK’s actions are purely ‘defensive’ as if he doesn’t appear to want a direct stake in the control of the Strait of Hormuz.

The most important thing John Healey missed was that UK bases have been invaluable in an act of illegal aggression. Meaning, the UK is just as bad as the US and Israel. Starmer and the British Establishment are actively participating in genocide, war crimes, and ethnic cleansing.

There are not many problems that cannot be traced back to the British Empire — but you might have thought that in 2026, under a Labour Government, there might be a red line or two. Looks more like two blue lines from where we’re looking.

Feature image via AFP News Agency/ YouTube

On 12 April, Wes Streeting appeared on the Sunday interview shows. With the local elections fast approaching, you’d expect him to be on an election footing. As Saul Staniforth noted, however, it seemed like Streeting was actually gearing up to challenge his boss, Keir Starmer:

Words Wes Streeting uses to describe Trumps language and rhetoric: incendiary, outrageous.

Anyone might think there’s a leadership election coming up! pic.twitter.com/Po77FSCo7l

— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) April 12, 2026

As if things couldn’t get any worse in this country!

Post-Starmer

As everyone knows, Labour are going to get hammered in the upcoming local elections. And when we say ‘hammered’, we don’t simply mean they’re going to get beaten; we mean they’re going to get smushed into paste:

‼️NEW | Projected seat change in local elections:

➡️ Ref +2,260
🟢 Grn +450
🟠 Lib +200
🔵 Con -1,010
🔴 Lab -1,900

(Source: Stephen Fisher / @ElectionsEtc) pic.twitter.com/pkPixJ3Ont

— Stats for Lefties 🍉🏳️‍⚧️ (@LeftieStats) March 30, 2026

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It’s shaping up to be Labour’s greatest defeat since… well, since possibly ever.

The worry for Labour is it won’t stop with one defeat, either, and that the local election loss will translate into a general election wipeout.

Accordingly, heavy losses in the local elections will mean Labour have no choice but to give Starmer the boot. This might not fix things, but it’s clear there can be no fix with him at the helm, so it’s a necessary step if nothing else.

Streeting manoeuvres

In the clip at the top, Streeting criticises Donald Trump for threatening to wipe out the civilisation of Iran. Staniforth identified this as Streeting gearing up for a leadership challenge, and there are two good reasons to think this:

1. Trump and his war on Iran are incredibly unpopular in the UK, so it makes sense to attack him.
2. Streeting has no personality traits besides political ambition, so he wouldn’t attack Trump unless it benefitted him.

Of course, you could say that Streeting attacking Trump is a sign that he doesn’t want to become PM. After all, as PM, he would have to engage with Trump one-to-one.

The reason why this doesn’t hold up is because Streeting knows what every other politician does – namely that Trump has a cheat code. If a person rolls over and shows Trump their belly, he doesn’t care what they’ve said in the past.

Keir Starmer and Boris Johnson are examples of British politicians who publicly spoke out against Trump only to roll over later on; JD Vance is an example of an American politician:

JD Vance: “Trump is a really bad candidate and frankly, I think, a really bad person.”
pic.twitter.com/GP6HhBq4El

— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) April 7, 2026

Staniforth also highlighted the following:

Wes Streeting: “As for Mr Farage, the extent to which that plastic patriot is prepared to fly to Washington on a regular basis to slag off his own country to American audiences, I think is utterly shameful”

Streeting is in campaigning mode (and not for next months elections) pic.twitter.com/Yai3XvtLWd

— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) April 12, 2026

Health

As much as Streeting wants to come across as a respectable and righteous politician, he simply cannot get over the disdain he feels for the medical professionals he represents:

Wes Streeting asks the BMA to stop pretending the govt could have solved everything in 2 years

The BMA never said you could. Resident doctors want pay restoration but recognise it can only happen over several years. That’s what they want to negotiate. And you are refusing. pic.twitter.com/bRQVe2ROX8

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— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) April 12, 2026

It’s no secret why Streeting is opposed to our once-successful public health model either, as James Wright wrote for the Canary:

Labour health secretary Wes Streeting has taken another £55,000 from the ODP Group Ltd—which provides headhunting services to the NHS and private healthcare providers.

The firm’s owner, Peter Hearn, has longstanding links to private healthcare.

Additionally:

This is not the first donation Streeting has accepted from a Hearn-linked company. In 2023, he took £48, 000 from the OPD Group, according to the National (Scotland). in donations from another company Hearn controls. And the Financial Times has reported that, through seemingly shell companies, Hearn previously donated over £1m to Labour and prominent individual MPs like Streeting from between 2014 and 2023.

Streeting — Starmer 2.0?

While some have said Streeting would be Starmer 2.0, we don’t think that’s the case. Streeting is more ideologically driven that Starmer, if only because our current PM isn’t curious enough to hold his own opinions.

The problem is that Streeting’s ideology is the toxic privatisation mindset of Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair. In other words, we’ll need to hold on to our public institutions if he becomes PM, because he’ll be selling off everything that isn’t nailed down.

Featured image via BBC

The Italian Football Federation has published a detailed report outlining the reasons behind the sharp decline in the standard of the game within the country, alongside a package of proposed solutions to rebuild the system, following the senior team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup finals for the third consecutive time.

Italian fans are in a state of shock and anger after failing to reach the 2026 World Cup, following the defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final of the first leg of the European play-offs, meaning the four-time world champions will miss the tournament for the third consecutive edition, after Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.

On the administrative front, Gabriele Gravina announced his resignation as president of the Italian Football Federation on 2 April, under mounting political and media pressure. A new president is to be elected at an extraordinary meeting in the capital, Rome, on 22 June, whilst he will continue to lead the federation on an interim basis until then.

Prolonged structural crises transcends World Cup

The Italian Football Federation confirmed in its report that the country’s football problems are not new, but date back many years, with various indicators showing a worsening trend, noting that the crisis has become “structural” and requires radical solutions.

The report identified four main factors behind the decline of Italian football, as follows:

1- Declining reliance on domestic players

The report highlighted a clear decline in opportunities for Italian players within clubs, noting that:

• The average age of Serie A players is 27, one of the highest in Europe
• Foreign players account for 67.9% of playing minutes
• Only 89 Italian players out of 284 feature regularly
• The proportion of players under 21 does not exceed 1.9%
• Only two academies are among the world’s top 50 (Atalanta and Juventus)

2- Decline in technical quality

The report noted a decline in the technical quality of the Italian league, the most notable aspects of which are:

• A slower pace of play compared to the major leagues
• Lower dribbling rates
• A decline in attacking effectiveness and high pressing

3- A worsening economic crisis

The report revealed the difficult financial situation facing Italian clubs, the most notable features of which are:

• 194 clubs have been relegated since 1986 for financial reasons
• Annual losses exceeding €730 million
• Debts amounting to €5.5 billion
• Agent fees rising to over €300 million
• A large number of professional clubs (97) compared to other European leagues

4- Weak infrastructure

The report acknowledged that Italy remains outside the top 10 European countries in terms of stadium quality, due to weak government investment and a decline in sports facility development projects.

The report also highlighted regulatory and legal obstacles, notably the congested match calendar and European regulations limiting the imposition of specific quotas for domestic players, alongside the federation’s limited ability to impose direct structural reforms on clubs.

Proposed solutions to save Italian football

The Federation put forward a range of solutions, most notably:

• Tax incentives to support investment in youth and infrastructure
• Development of the youth sector and academies
• Reform of the league system
• Improvement of stadium infrastructure
• Reorganisation of the clubs’ financial system
• Reform of the refereeing system

The report concluded by emphasising that saving Italian football requires “radical and comprehensive reform”, based on unity among all parties and governmental and legislative support, placing the public interest above all other considerations.

Featured image via the Canary