Newslinks for Sunday 8th March 2026

Trump tells Starmer: We don’t need your aircraft carriers

“Donald Trump told Sir Keir Starmer that the United States does not need its “once great ally” Britain to send aircraft carriers to the Middle East. The US president said he “will remember” the lack of British support for his war with Iran in an intervention which risks cementing the collapse of the special relationship. “The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East,” he posted on his Truth Social platform. “That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer – But we will remember. We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!” – Sunday Telegraph

• Starmer told help not needed even as US uses UK bases for Iran strikes – Observer
• Special relationship in tatters – Mail on Sunday
• Trump takes another shot at Starmer – Sun on Sunday
• UK preparing aircraft carrier for possible Middle East deployment – Observer
• British strikes on targets in Iran would be lawful, says deputy prime minister – FT
• Trump says Iran being ‘decimated’ as Gulf states hit with wave of strikes – Observer
• Trump vague on Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender’ as he refuses to rule out US troop deployment – Observer
• Flames engulf Iran after devastating US and Israeli strikes against regime’s oil depots – Mail on Sunday
• Iran in flames after US and Israeli strikes – Sunday Express
• Cypriots call for Britain to leave military bases – Sunday Telegraph
• Russian tech found in drone that hit RAF base in Cyprus – Sunday Times
• Badenoch slams ‘clueless’ idiots mourning death of the Ayatollah – Sun on Sunday
• Kurds desperate to invade Iran… if they get Trump’s jets – Sunday Telegraph
• Israel targets Iranian commanders in Beirut hotel strike – Sunday Telegraph
• Britain must rearm – but Reeves is busy battling the Ministry of Defence – Sunday Telegraph
• Britain has just two days of gas as Middle East flow runs dry – Sunday Telegraph

Comment

Blair rebukes Starmer for not backing Trump on Iran

“Tony Blair has rebuked Keir Starmer for his lack of support for Donald Trump’s war on Iran, telling the Prime Minister: ‘We should have backed America from the very beginning’. Amid mounting diplomatic tensions between London and Washington over the conflict, Sir Tony warned his successor as Labour leader: ‘If they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security… you had better show up’. The former Prime Minister’s dramatic intervention comes after President Trump described Sir Keir as ‘not Winston Churchill’ for initially denying him permission to launch strikes on Iran from UK territory, including the joint-US base on Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands.” – Mail on Sunday

• Starmer’s help too late, says Trump, as Blair joins criticism – Sunday Times

Labour accuses Badenoch of scoring ‘cheap political points’ over Iran strikes

“Labour has accused Kemi Badenoch of scoring “cheap political points” after the Conservative party leader said Keir Starmer was “too scared” to join strikes on Iran. Al Carns, the defence minister, said “serious politics” was required in response to Badenoch’s speech at the party’s spring conference where she criticised the prime minister’s stance on the US-Israel strikes on Iran a week ago. Initially, Starmer did not allow the US to use UK RAF bases for the attack, and did not take part in initial military action against Iran, but then said the RAF would take part in defensive operations. A strike by an Iranian drone hit an aircraft hangar at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. Badenoch told the Conservative’s spring conference in Harrogate, North Yorkshire: “At a time when Britain needs strong and decisive leadership, we have a prime minister who is too afraid of making the wrong decision, too afraid to make any decision at all.” – Observer

Lammy faces defeat by rebel MPs over jury trial curbs

“David Lammy faces defeat in the Commons over his plans to curb jury trials unless he reverses his position, rebel Labour MPs have warned. Leaders of the rebellion over the Justice Secretary’s plans to scale back jury trials say they already have nearly 80 Labour MPs ready to vote against the Government unless he offers concessions. The Courts and Tribunals Bill, which would enact the changes, is due to go before the Commons for its second reading on Tuesday. Most of the rebel MPs are expected to abstain or offer support on the condition that Mr Lammy accepts compromise amendments to the bill as it progresses through Parliament.” – Sunday Telegraph

Badenoch plans reshuffle ‘to stop rising star Lam defecting to Reform’

“Kemi Badenoch is poised to make a ‘root and branch’ revamp of the Tories’ top team in her first major reshuffle as party leader. In a sign of her growing confidence, Ms Badenoch is understood to be planning to remove ‘dead wood’ opposition Cabinet ministers holding up the party’s renewal. Frontbenchers said to be most at risk include Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride, Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel and Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp. Young MPs will be promoted to energise the battered Tory brand based on ‘social media clicks’. But there are also claims that Ms Badenoch is reshuffling now to stop at least one rising star from defecting to Nigel Farage’s Reform. Party insiders said that she will try to ‘buy off’ Weald of Kent MP Katie Lam with a promotion, as she is now on ‘defection watch’. – Mail on Sunday

• UK will never be strong with Labour’s ‘political pygmies’ – Sun on Sunday

Other political news and comment

• Mahmood’s truths must be heard as the soft left calls us all racists – Robert Colvile, Sunday Times
• Labour poised to raise energy bills to save Britain’s factories – Sunday Telegraph
• Labour’s VAT raid will kill off cathedral schools, says Armstrong – Sunday Telegraph
• Labour blunder as MoD posts video of secret facility in Ukraine – Mail on Sunday
• Veterans charity accused of ‘forcing out tenants’ before Labour’s landlord curbs – Sunday Telegraph

News in Brief