Independent media platforms operate in a fast-moving digital environment where speed, accessibility, and reliability all shape how content is consumed. For outlets focused on delivering timely reporting and commentary, every technical decision, from page structure to image handling, plays a role in whether audiences stay engaged or leave.

In this context, visual content presents a unique challenge. Images must load quickly without sacrificing clarity, and they must display correctly across a wide range of devices and browsers. To support this balance, many publishing teams rely on tools like webp tool when managing image formats, ensuring that visuals remain compatible without disrupting performance.

The Technical Side of Digital Publishing

While readers primarily engage with headlines and stories, the infrastructure behind digital publishing is equally important. Websites that fail to load quickly or display content properly risk losing credibility and audience trust.

Media-focused platforms often operate with high publishing frequency, which means that workflows must be efficient and repeatable. Image handling becomes a core part of this process, especially when articles rely heavily on visuals to support storytelling.

Technical optimization is not just a background concern, it directly affects how journalism is delivered and experienced.

According to analysis of digital media infrastructure and performance challenges published on The Canary, platform reliability and accessibility remain central to how independent outlets maintain engagement in competitive online environments.

Why Image Formats Matter for Accessibility

Image formats play a critical role in determining how content is displayed across different systems. While newer formats like WebP offer improved compression and faster load times, they are not universally supported in all environments.

For readers using older devices or certain browsers, unsupported image formats can result in missing visuals or broken layouts. In a media context, this can disrupt the narrative and reduce the effectiveness of the content.

Ensuring compatibility is therefore not just a technical consideration, it is an accessibility issue. Readers should be able to engage with content regardless of the device or software they are using.

Managing Performance Without Sacrificing Reach

One of the key challenges for digital publishers is balancing performance optimization with broad accessibility. Highly compressed image formats can improve loading speeds, but they may introduce compatibility limitations.

This creates a need for flexible workflows that allow images to be adapted based on context. Converting images into widely supported formats ensures that content reaches the widest possible audience without technical barriers.

At the same time, maintaining performance standards is essential for retaining readers. Slow-loading pages can significantly reduce engagement, particularly in an era where users expect near-instant access to information.

The Role of Conversion Tools in Editorial Workflows

Image conversion tools have become a practical solution for managing these competing priorities. Instead of manually adjusting each file, teams can automate the process of converting images into the appropriate format.

This is especially valuable in news and opinion publishing, where speed is critical. Articles are often published under tight deadlines, leaving little room for time-consuming technical adjustments.

By integrating conversion tools into their workflows, media teams can ensure that images are optimized and compatible before publication, without slowing down the editorial process.

Supporting High-Volume Publishing Environments

Independent media platforms frequently operate with limited resources while still producing a high volume of content. This makes efficiency a key factor in maintaining consistent output.

Handling large numbers of images manually is not practical in such environments. Automated solutions allow teams to process multiple files quickly, reducing workload and minimizing the risk of errors.

This level of scalability supports continuous publishing without compromising quality, which is essential for maintaining audience engagement over time.

Maintaining Visual Integrity in News Content

Visual accuracy and clarity are particularly important in journalism. Images often serve as supporting evidence, context, or illustration for the stories being told.

Any degradation in image quality or display issues can affect how information is perceived. Blurry or distorted visuals may reduce credibility, while missing images can interrupt the reader’s understanding of the content.

By ensuring that images are properly formatted and displayed, publishers can maintain the integrity of their reporting.

Reducing Technical Friction for Editorial Teams

Editorial teams are typically focused on content creation rather than technical processes. Complex image handling requirements can create friction that slows down production.

Simplified tools help remove these barriers by making image optimization more accessible. With intuitive interfaces and automated processing, even non-technical team members can manage visual assets effectively.

This allows journalists and editors to concentrate on storytelling, while technical systems handle the optimization behind the scenes.

Consistency Across Platforms and Devices

Modern audiences consume content across multiple platforms, including desktops, smartphones, and tablets. Each platform may have different requirements for displaying images.

Ensuring consistency across these environments is essential for maintaining a professional and cohesive presentation. Conversion tools help standardize how images appear, regardless of where they are viewed.

This consistency contributes to a smoother user experience and reinforces the credibility of the publication.

Strengthening Content Delivery in Independent Media

For independent media platforms, maintaining reliable content delivery is a continuous process that involves both editorial and technical considerations. Efficient image handling plays a key role in ensuring that stories are presented clearly and accessibly.

By incorporating structured approaches to image format management, publishers can reduce technical disruptions, support accessibility, and maintain the performance standards expected by modern audiences.

London has long been considered one of the most resilient property markets in the world. Even with rising interest rates, regulatory changes and economic uncertainty in recent years, the city continues to attract investors from the UK and overseas. Its status as a global financial centre, combined with a large population and strong rental demand, means property in London often remains a long-term investment rather than a short-term speculation.

One of the biggest factors supporting the market is demand for rental housing. London draws professionals, international workers and students from across the world. Major universities such as University College London and King’s College London bring tens of thousands of students into the city each year, many of whom need accommodation. At the same time, London’s role as a business hub continues to attract young professionals who prefer renting close to work rather than commuting long distances.

Infrastructure improvements have also played an important role in shaping investment trends. The opening of the Elizabeth Line has dramatically improved travel times across the city, making previously overlooked districts far more accessible. Areas such as Stratford and Woolwich have become increasingly attractive to investors who believe these neighbourhoods will benefit from continued regeneration and rising demand.

Another reason London remains appealing is the ongoing imbalance between housing supply and demand. New housing construction has struggled to keep up with population growth, which helps support both rental prices and long-term property values. While the market may experience periods of slower growth, this structural shortage often provides a level of stability that investors look for.

What Types of Property Perform Best?

When investing in London property, choosing the right type of home can make a significant difference to both rental yield and occupancy rates. Some property types tend to perform more consistently because they appeal to a broader tenant base.

One-bedroom apartments are often the starting point for many investors. They typically require a lower purchase price than larger homes and are relatively easy to rent out. Demand is particularly strong among young professionals and couples who want to live close to business districts or transport hubs. In neighbourhoods near universities, these flats can also appeal to postgraduate or international students who prefer private accommodation.

Two-bedroom apartments are another popular option. Their main advantage is flexibility. A two-bedroom property can be rented to professional sharers, couples who need extra space, or small families. This wider tenant pool can help reduce vacancy periods and may allow landlords to charge higher total rent.

Some experienced investors also consider HMOs (houses in multiple occupation), particularly in areas with large student populations. While these properties can generate higher rental yields, they come with stricter regulations, licensing requirements and more complex management. For many investors, apartments offer a simpler and lower-risk approach.

Location is still one of the most important factors. Business districts such as Canary Wharf continue to attract professionals working in finance and technology, which supports demand for nearby apartments. Regeneration areas with strong transport links are also popular among investors who are looking for long-term growth potential.

Why Many Investors Still Look at London

Despite challenges such as higher mortgage rates and changes to landlord taxation, London’s property market continues to evolve rather than decline. Investors today tend to be more selective, focusing on neighbourhoods with strong transport connections, steady tenant demand and future development plans.

Properties that are well located and realistically priced still tend to rent quickly. Rather than chasing rapid price growth, many investors now prioritise consistent rental income and long-term capital appreciation. For buyers who take a patient approach, London property can still offer stability that is difficult to find in many other markets.

Another Way People Dream of Owning Property

With property prices remaining high in major cities, some people are exploring alternative ways to get onto the property ladder. One option that has gained popularity in recent years is online house competitions, where participants purchase a small entry ticket for a chance to win a house or a large cash prize. While the odds vary depending on the competition, the appeal is obvious: for a relatively small cost, entrants have the opportunity to win a house that might otherwise be far beyond their budget. As more platforms launch these competitions, they are becoming an increasingly talked-about route for people who dream of owning property.

Israel’s openly colonialist assault on Lebanon continues, with the Israeli army destroying another key bridge. The systematic attacks on vital infrastructure have fuelled fears of a full-scale annexation by Israel. The latest strike targeted the Qasmiyeh bridge, along the Litani river, 14km north of Lebanon’s UNESCO world heritage city of Tyre.

Israel has been hitting bridges along the river in an attempt to cordon off the south of Lebanon. And one far-right Israeli politician has even declared the new Israeli border with Lebanon is now the Litani river—around 30km north of the current frontier!

من جسر #القاسمية.. مشاهد خاصة لريد تي في توثق #الدمار
https://t.co/K1UE4PoQNH

— Lebanon Debate (@lebanondebate) March 23, 2026

Middle East Eye (MEE) reported:

The Israeli army appeared to destroy the Qasmiyeh Bridge near the city of Tyre, hours after the country’s defence minister, Israel Katz, ordered all crossings over the Litani River and several homes close to the Israeli border to be destroyed.

Israel’s attack has caused mass displacement, drawn wide condemnation for brazen attacks on civilian infrastructure and their means to life.

Suspicious schemes

In theory, Hezbollah breached a US-brokered ‘ceasefire’ with Israel in early March which had held up since their last war in 2024. In practice, the US gave Israel carte blanche to strike Lebanon, which it has done constantly since the deal was struck. During the intervening period, Israel attacked southern Lebanon about 15,400 times.

You can read about the secretive Israel-US ‘side letter’ pact here, as well as our extensive coverage of Israel’s ceasefire breaches and ongoing invasion here.

Israel’s current assault has displaced one in five Lebanese people and repeatedly struck densely populated areas. According to Anadolu Agency:

at least 1,029 people have been killed and 2,786 injured in Israeli attacks since March 2 [2026].

Lebanese prime minister Joseph Aoun described the latest bridge attack as:

an attempt to sever the geographical connection between the southern Litani region and the rest of Lebanese territory.

Adding that it falls:

within suspicious schemes to establish a buffer zone along the Israeli border, solidify the reality of the occupation and seek Israeli expansion within Lebanese territory.

‘Litani is the new Israeli border’

Data journalist Ben van der Merwe has documented seven bridges over the Litani river hit by Israel. This amounts to a systematic effort to cut off southern Lebanon from the rest of the country.

The IDF has now struck seven bridges over the Litani river. Documenting them in this thread.@GeoConfirmed pic.twitter.com/8q7RtkYxw4

— Ben van der Merwe (@_BvdM) March 23, 2026

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Israel’s direct attacks on vital civilian infrastructure recall its so-called Dahiyeh Doctrine. The Canary analysed the origins of this genocidal scorched earth approach here. Peace Studies professor Paul Rogers describes the method as:

the deliberate application of “disproportionate force”, such as the destruction of an entire village, if deemed to be the source of rocket fire.

Rogers added:

One graphic description of the result was that “around a thousand Lebanese civilians were killed, a third of them children. Towns and villages were reduced to rubble; bridges, sewage treatment plants, port facilities and electric power plants were crippled or destroyed.”

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has condemned Israel’s assault on 23 March, saying:

Forcible displacement, wanton destruction and attacks deliberately targeting civilians are war crimes.

They added that:

Countries that continue to provide Israel with arms and military aid risk complicity in the Israeli government’s serious violations in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Israel’s far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich made it very clear that the Israeli invasion has colonialist, expansionist aims.

Reuters reported on 23 March:

Smotrich told an Israeli radio program that the military campaign in Lebanon “needs to end with a different reality entirely, both with the Hezbollah ​decision but also with the change of Israel’s borders.”

Smotrich added:

I say here definitively…in every room and in every discussion, too: the new Israeli border must be the Litani.

Featured image via the Canary

The editor-in-chief of neoliberal propaganda factory the Economist, Zanny Minton Beddoes, spectacularly fumbled her attempts to push out Zionist talking points during an interview with right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson.

Minton Beddoes attempted to ask the former Fox News host whether he believed in so-called ‘Israel’s’ right to exist. In doing so she functioned as the troll guarding the bridge that provides a route to acceptance within the British and US ruling class. The question serves the same role as a previous favourite — “Do you condemn Hamas?” — a litmus test to establish whether the person being interrogated is ‘one of us’.

When pushed by Carlson to define the question, Minton Beddoes immediately seemed taken aback and began to stutter and flail as she attempted to work out what her own enquiry meant. Understandably so, given that like all good propaganda phrases, it doesn’t mean anything. There is no concept in law of a state’s right to exist.

As pointed out by former UN official, Moncef Khane:

Statehood is a political reality not a legal one.

Israel and its ‘right to exist’

Prompting people on the Zionist entity’s right to exist is a bit like questions demanding whether people “support the troops”, used during the illegal 2003 US-led assault on Iraq. Well, what exactly is being asked? If it’s just “Do you wish this particular group of random people no harm?” then the answer may well be “Yes, of course” — but that would be meaningless. Why ask about this group of people rather than any other?

Clearly the aim is to insist on specific allegiance to a politically relevant group of people — in this case US soldiers — for the sake of pursuing a geopolitical goal. To entrap people into backing a war by proxy via ostensibly apolitical support for the lives of those fighting it.

The question on the Zionist settler-colony is a similar ruse — an attempt to align the answerer with the Zionist cause out of fear that replying in the negative would imply a violent desire to annihilate a ‘state’ and its people. However, one can reject the legitimacy of ‘Israel’s’ creation, and its continued existence, without the desire for any use of force.

Its birth was the result of land theft, mass murder and ethnic cleansing, followed by apartheid and genocide. Were there such a concept as a state’s right to exist, this criminal ethnostate would be the last one entitled to it.

It’s normal for states to peacefully disappear

Its end need not be one of violence, but ideally of peaceful dissolution into one democratic state for all those in historic Palestine. It is normal in other contexts to wish for a state to cease its existence without fear of being labelled a budding genocidaire.

When republicans and nationalists in Ireland say they want their country to be reunited, this necessarily involves the disappearance of so-called ‘Northern Ireland’. Only the most extreme loyalists would suggest this is a call for mass murder or ethnic cleansing.

When Koreans speak of uniting their country, everyone understands that the subsequent non-existence of North Korea and South Korea isn’t genocidal in nature.

In this regard, once again the Zionist entity is subject to special privileges, whereby questioning its fictional right to exist is seen as a call to arms, or antisemitism. In reality, the most pressing question now is not nonsense centred on whether ‘Israel’ has the right to exist. Instead it is can the world afford its continued presence?

The arrival of Zionists in Palestine has always been an existential threat to Palestinians. Since the entry of mostly European colonists, they have been subjected to brutal ethnic cleansing and, latterly, a holocaust. That alone should have made ‘Israel’s’ existence intolerable long ago. However, as Zionist violence now engulfs all of West Asia, the scale of its bloodlust now imperils the entire planet.

Zionism endangers the world

The criminals in Tel Aviv aim to rip Iran apart, causing the fragmentation of a nation of 92 million people. The destabilisation likely wouldn’t stop there, and neighbouring countries with ethnic and religious tensions would likely be similarly affected.

Europe is so racist that even minor flows of refugees have seen far-right and overtly fascist parties flourish as they blame immigrants for all social ills. That would only deepen in the event that a far bigger crisis were to emerge and vast numbers of desperate people from west Asia sought sanctuary in Europe.

The world sadly still relies on climate wrecking fossil fuels. While that is the case, destruction of the facilities that produce them is liable to cause massive economic crises globally. The Zionist entity insisted on bombing the world’s largest natural gas condensate field at South Pars. That prompted Iran to respond in kind, attacking oil production in Gulf nations backing the settler-colony.

Fuel price inflation pushes up the price of everything else. When people on average incomes struggle, there is again the potential they look to far-right demagogues for salvation.

Many democracies have already been degraded through Zionist influence, with basic rights suspended in the name of backing the atrocities of the land theft project. That process is only likely to continue in the event of further financial chaos if reactionaries take the levers of power.

Respected commentators, such as economist Jeffrey Sachs, have warned the current conflagration started by so-called ‘Israel’ may ultimately trigger terminal warfare. Sachs said:

We are probably in the early days of World War III.

The Samson option

It may not even take that for the Zionist entity to bring about worldwide devastation. Numerous Zionists have fantasised about, or actively threatened, use of the ‘Samson option’. That is, the criminal pseudo-state using its vast nuclear arsenal to attack nations across the world in the event of its own impending demise, similar to the biblical figure of Samson bringing down the temple upon himself and his enemies.

Zionist university professor, David Perlmutter, imagined a glorious nuclear wasteland triggered by ‘Israel’. In an 2022 LA Times column, he wrote:

What would serve the Jew-hating world better in repayment for thousands of years of massacres but a Nuclear Winter. Or invite all those tut-tutting European statesmen and peace activists to join us in the ovens?

For the first time in history, a people facing extermination while the world either cackles or looks away — unlike the Armenians, Tibetans, World War II European Jews or Rwandans — have the power to destroy the world. The ultimate justice?

‘Israeli’ military historian, Martin van Creveld, threatened, in response to a scenario in which the world attempted to prevent forced transfer of Palestinians:

But would the world permit such ethnic cleansing? That depends on who does it and how quickly it happens. We possess several hundred atomic warheads and rockets and can launch them at targets in all directions, perhaps even at Rome. Most European capitals are targets for our air force.

Let me quote General Moshe Dayan: “Israel must be like a mad dog, too dangerous to bother.” I consider it all hopeless at this point. We shall have to try to prevent things from coming to that, if at all possible. Our armed forces, however, are not the thirtieth strongest in the world, but rather the second or third. We have the capability to take the world down with us. And I can assure you that that will happen before Israel goes under.

Tucker Carlson was ultimately too cowardly or indoctrinated to challenge all premises of the Economist editor’s ridiculous question. While he pushed back on the meaning of ‘right to exist’, he interpreted an answer of ‘no’ to mean a call for the settler-colony’s destruction. He said he didn’t want that, as he had no desire for people to die. Not much more can be expected of a former Fox News host, even one with anti-Zionist tendencies.

Ultimately it will be for people of conscience and integrity on the left to decisively shift the Overton window on so-called ‘Israel’, to the point where its peaceful dissolution, achieved by constant external pressure, becomes the accepted mainstream wisdom.

‘Israel’ has no right to exist, but the people of the world do. Their fate may depend on ending the settler-colony’s continued malign presence at the earliest opportunity.

Featured image via the Canary

US president Donald Trump has been waffling about peace talks amid his stalling war on Iran. Meanwhile, Iranian officials have flatly denied that any discussions have taken place. One official even said that Iran was busy carrying out “complete and remorseful punishment” of its enemies.

The US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February in an unprovoked, unlawful strike. Omani officials revealed at the time that Iran had been offering unprecedented concessions during negotiations. The Pentagon has since stated there was no imminent threat from Iran. And the UN’s atomic watchdog, the IAEA, has said there is no evidence that Iran was developing a nuclear weapon.

In one interview posted on 23 March, Trump claimed that talks were already taking place:

NOW – Trump on Iran: “We’ve had very strong talks… they very much want to make a deal.” pic.twitter.com/zgZSQ1TXyy

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) March 23, 2026

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When challenged on this claim, Trump said Iran needed better PR:

Well, they’re gonna have to get themselves better public relations people. We’ve had very strong talks. Mr Witkoff and Kushner had them. They went perfectly.

Q: Iran’s foreign ministry says you’re not telling the truth when it comes to productive conversations to end the war

TRUMP: Well, they’re gonna have to get themselves better public relations people. We’ve had very strong talks. Mr Witkoff and Kushner had them. They went… pic.twitter.com/LrCq8tCM6c

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) March 23, 2026

It was even claimed the US Republican leader had postponed further strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure due to these alleged talks.

Breaking news: Donald Trump has postponed his threatened attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure following ‘good and productive’ talks with Iran. https://t.co/3N8P9BbwjJ pic.twitter.com/QhBCfKeV26

— Financial Times (@FT) March 23, 2026

There was some evidence that energy markets had bounced back as a result of Trump’s comments:

Brent Crude prices fell 12% after President Trump announced constructive talks between US and Iran and postponed planned strikes on Iranian power plants pic.twitter.com/0GopBm6oSz

— Reuters (@Reuters) March 23, 2026

Al Jazeera reported:

The US president adds that the two ⁠sides have had “major points of agreement” during the talks he claims US officials have held with Iran.

Trump’s full interview on the supposed talks can be accessed here.

Iran denies talks

Yet Iran has completely rejected and contradicted Trump’s claims. Axios cited a source which said no negotiations had occurred:

🚨 BREAKING: Iran speaker named in Axios report says “no negotiations” taking place with U.S. in fresh posts

Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf – identified in Axios reporting as a key figure in alleged backchannel talks – said moments ago on X that “no… https://t.co/ILywe6Amb9

— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) March 23, 2026

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And Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf appears to be in no mood to negotiate:

No negotiations have been held with the US, and fake news is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped.

One unnamed Iranian source told Al Jazeera that:

Trump “backed down” after being warned that Iran would target power plants across the Gulf and in Israel.

The report added that Trump had said talks with Iran were underway despite the source denying any such communication.

The outlet added that:

The claims could not be independently verified, and there has been no immediate comment from Iranian officials.

Trump threatened to hit Iranian energy infrastructure on 22 March:

If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST.

As is often the case, Trump’s abrupt shift from belligerence to unverified claims of progress in talks is difficult to decode. What is clear, however, is that the US war effort is stalling. The war is deeply unpopular domestically, and has, in effect, transformed Iran into an oil superpower—tightening its grip over one of the world’s most critical oil choke points.

Worse yet, America’s flagship aircraft carrier, the USS Ford, has limped to Crete for repairs after a serious fire. Meanwhile, US rivals like China are watching to see how they can turn this latest US blunder to their advantage.

Trump is known for believing he can shape reality through bullying, dealmaking, and cajoling. For now, that belief appears to have hit an Iran-shaped brick wall.

Featured image via the Canary

Billionaire Marc Andreessen has claimed that “introspection” is of little value and only goes back 400 years. He also said he engages in “zero” or “as little as possible” deep thinking, noting that:

I find that people who dwell on the past, get stuck the past.

Ever heard of philosophy?

Andreessen, a Silicon Valley Venture Capitalist, made the comments on the Founders podcast:

Billionaire Marc Andreessen says he has “zero” introspection, and that the idea itself is a modern invention. pic.twitter.com/6bgxdxvfmt

— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) March 16, 2026

Andreessen claims:

If you go back 400 years ago, it would never have occurred to anybody to be introspective… Great men of history didn’t sit around doing this stuff at any prior point right?

He must be trolling, right? Even before Ancient Greece, highly influential philosophy in Persia (modern-day Iran) dates back to 1700–1800 BCE. Zarathustra, as well as Hammurabi’s Code (c. 1754 BCE), introduced revolutionary ethical concepts that later Western philosophers like Immanuel Kant built upon through Deontology (acting as if everyone followed your example). Then there’s the opposing theory: Utilitarianism (the greatest good for the greatest number).

No wonder Andreessen has ‘zero’ introspection. He clearly thinks little of established ethical frameworks. The billionaire probably finds it convenient not to reflect on his actions, as he now simply takes stakes in businesses and lets the money roll in. Meanwhile, 90 percent of Americans own just around 10 percent of the stocks.

Philosophy was the original subject, before Plato taught Aristotle in around 400-300 BCE. Aristotle then categorised study into different subjects. This was the literal foundation of Western academic thought and educational systems.

Introspection: high value

Introspection is highly important, but it must be coupled with study. Otherwise you are just going over ideas that prior thinkers have dedicated their lives to.

It’s obvious why billionaires want to promote mindless consumerism. The thing is, will people continue to dumb themselves down?

Featured image via X/Twitter

4 min read1 hr

Firstly, the committee (alike other committees) undertakes a policy function. It is responsible for recommending any modifications to the Code of Conduct as may from time to time appear to be necessary.

The committee also undertakes a key role in enforcing the code, considering and reporting on the commissioner’s memoranda on individual cases (the process is described in more detail below.)

The committee is also unique as it includes lay members. Lay members have full voting rights on the committee. The inclusion of lay members means it is not just MPs involved in the decision-making process. As there are equal numbers of lay members and MPs on the committee, and the chair (an MP) does not vote, lay members effectively hold the majority.

In addition, the lay members have the power to append an opinion to any committee report. The lay members are always asked whether they wish to submit an opinion before a report is finalised.

Policy functions:

Over this year, the committee will revisit the Code of Conduct to ensure that it remains up to date and fit for purpose in the current day.  The committee will be sure to speak to colleagues across the House for their input on this important matter.

The committee also has the power to update the guide to the rules for All-Party Parliamentary Groups. In the coming year, the committee is likely to review the operation of All-Party Parliamentary Groups. This work would build upon the committee’s previous work from 2023.

Considering individual cases:

The Committee on Standards oversees the work of the independent parliamentary commissioner. The commissioner is an independent officer of the House of Commons.

The commissioner is responsible for the monitoring and operation of the House of Commons Code of Conduct and registers (including investigating alleged breaches). Under the Standing Orders of the House, the rectification procedure means the commissioner may conclude an investigation without making a referral to the committee.

The committee is not involved with the commissioner’s investigations, nor with what he puts in the accompanying memoranda.

The role of the committee is to consider alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct which have been drawn to the committee’s attention by the commissioner. The committee does not have the jurisdiction to open its own investigations.

When the committee considers a case referred to it, it must decide whether there has been a breach of the code. Should the committee decide that there has been a breach, it has a range of sanctions available to it; the most serious ones, such as suspension, must be agreed by the House itself.

The committee has recently dealt with three cases which resulted in minor breaches. They were in relation to APPGs, timely declarations of interest, and lobbying the commissioner.

The House agreed on 18 October 2022 to introduce an appeals process in the House’s standards system. This means that Members found by the Committee on Standards to have breached the Code of Conduct have a right of appeal to the Independent Expert Panel. The process for appeals is set out in chapter 6 of the Procedural Protocol agreed by the House. An appeal can only be made on specified grounds. Under the protocol, where the committee has recommended a sanction that requires a decision of the House, the House will only consider any motion relating to the committee’s recommended sanction after any appeal process has fully concluded, or the deadline for appeals lapses, or the Member has confirmed to the panel that they do not wish to appeal.

It is also important to note that the committee does not consider cases relating to bullying, sexual misconduct or harassment. These cases are considered by the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme.

Oversight function:

The Committee on Standards also oversees the work of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. This includes examining the arrangements proposed by the commissioner for the compilation maintenance and accessibility of the Register of Members’ Financial Interests and any other registers established by the House.

On the 13th of January, the committee held an evidence session with the Commissioner for Standards. The committee questioned the commissioner on a range of matters relating to his work. 

On the afternoon of 21 March, 18-year-old Zionist settler, Yehuda Sherman, died when his quad-bike collided with a Palestinian owned vehicle. Sherman, who lived in the illegal outpost of Shuva Yisrael—in the northern occupied West Bank—was supposedly carrying out a “security patrol”. This is when the crash occurred.

Revenge attacks by Zionist settlers

In the immediate aftermath of his death, 20 locations across the occupied West Bank witnessed violent settler terrorist attacks.

Late on Saturday, Israeli settlers stormed the village of al-Fandaqumiya and the town of Seilat al-Dahr, south of Jenin, late on Saturday. They smashed windows and used Molotov cocktails to set fire to vehicles and homes, and they brutally attacked Palestinians.

The violence continued throughout the night into Sunday morning, in what international media sources have described as revenge attacks.

Settlers also hurled rocks at an ambulance belonging to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PACS) in another unprovoked attack. PACS personnel reported that the violent mob smashed the ambulance’s windscreen. This took place while they were responding to a traffic accident near the Shilo settlement in Ramallah.

In the early hours of Sunday, 22 March, a terrorist mob of Zionist settlers carried out attacks on the Palestinian towns of Jalud, and Qaryout, in Nablus. They burnt homes and vehicles, and violently assaulted Palestinians residents who reported multiple injuries.

Apartheid deepens in the occupied West Bank

Palestinian news agency WAFA reported similar incidents in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron. Settlers, flanked by Israeli occupation forces (IOF), stormed the area. They injured two Palestinians, and three others were arrested by the IOF, while providing cover for illegal settlers.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement condemning these calculated attacks, which is described as:

organised settler terrorism as part of a genocidal war against the Palestinian people.

Sherman’s funeral took place on the Sunday afternoon, at Elon Moreh settlement, northeast of Nablus. More than 500 people attended, including far-right finance minister and head of the Religious Zionism party, Bezalel Smotrich. Additionally, Smotrich has been described by credible sources as a “religiously dedicated Israeli settler.”

To secure unrestricted travel routes for Israelis attendees, the IOF closed off access to Route 60—the main north-south road in the West Bank. The road serves as a lifeline for rural Palestinian communities travelling to cities in the West Bank for work and school. Furthermore, the closure was announced on the last day of the Muslim Eid holiday. As a result, many Palestinians who had been visiting relatives were prevented from returning home. 

Since 7 October 2023, the Israeli occupation has installed more than 915 barriers restricting the freedom of movement for Palestinians. These include iron gates, as well as arbitrary and excessive checkpoints outside almost every village and town in the occupied West Bank. As most Palestinian communities are surrounded by iron gates, the IOF can close these at will. This further restricts the movement of West Bankers.

Settler impunity

Far-right Israeli voices have vocally condemned Sherman’s death as “murder,” without providing any supporting evidence. In a post on X, Smotrich wrote the following tribute:

I participate wholeheartedly in the grief of my friends and longtime partners, Yehoshua and Sima Sherman and their family, over the murder of their son, Yehuda Shmuel Sherman, may God avenge his blood, who fell while guarding our land in the settlement in the soil of Samaria [a biblical term used by Israelis to describe the northern West Bank].

Extremist, criminal national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir also posted a tribute, claiming Sherman was “murdered in the defense of the land of Samaria.”

One funeral attendee, quoted by the Times of Israel reported that Sherman had been fulfilling a “strategic mission” to expel Palestinians from the West Bank. This would bring about Jewish settlement in the territory. They said that:

Every day, he took his herd out [to pasture] to remove the enemy from all the territory there so that Jews will come back to this place.

Sherman’s father Yehoshua—aligned withSmotrich’s Religious Zionist party—pledged to continue his son’s work by establishing new illegal settlement outposts in the coming days. He also called for the abrogation of the Oslo agreement.

כאב גדול על הרצחו של יהודה שמואל שרמן הי”ד, שנרצח בהגנה על אדמת השומרון.

מחבק את הוריו יהושע וסימה ואת כל בני המשפחה, ומשתתף בצערם העמוק. עם ישראל כולו איתכם.

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מחזק את קהילת אלון מורה ואת תושבי השומרון.
נמשיך להיאחז בארץ, לבנות ולהמשיך את דרכו.

יהי זכרו ברוך 🕯 pic.twitter.com/bB66ZS8jOu

— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) March 22, 2026

A translation of the post above reads:

Great pain over the murder of Yehuda Shmuel Sherman, may God avenge his blood, who was murdered in defense of the land of Samaria.

Embracing his parents Yehoshua and Sima and all family members, and sharing in their profound grief. The entire people of Israel are with you.

Strengthening the community of Alon Moreh and the residents of Samaria. We will continue to hold on to the land, to build, and to carry on his path.

May his memory be blessed.

Settler violence in the occupied West Bank has increased exponentially since the start of the genocide in Gaza, and has intensified again with the US-Israeli led attacks on Iran.

Settler terrorism grips the West Bank

On 21 March, diplomats from 13 European countries and Canada issued a joint statement condemning the surge in settler attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. They described the violence as “settler terror,” and warned it is contributing to the forced displacement of Palestinian communities. Furthermore, they called on Israel to ensure accountability and protect civilians.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly called on global governing bodies, particularly the UN, to implement resolutions aimed at disarming settlers and holding them accountable for acts of terrorism.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Condemns Deadly Settler Attack in Qaryout, Calls for Immediate International Intervention

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates strongly condemns the deliberate attack carried out by Israeli settlers on Monday in the village of Qaryout,…

— State of Palestine – MFA 🇵🇸🇵🇸 (@pmofa) March 3, 2026

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This includes imposing travel bans, freezing their assets, placing them on international terrorism lists, and targeting the financial networks and goods associated with settlements.

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