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The Guardian Politics5 Mar 2026

‘Best way forward’ for Iran would be negotiated settlement, says Starmer

PM defends decision not to join initial strikes by US and Israel and says UK is doing ‘everything we can’ to de-escalate situation UK politics live – latest updates Middle East crisis – live updates Keir Starmer has said the Iran conflict engulfing the Middle East could continue “for some time” as he urged Donald Trump that the “best way forward” longer term was a negotiated settlement with Tehran. The prime minister said the UK was doing “everything we can” to de-escalate the situation, a cl

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics5 Mar 2026

Transparency fears over plan to redact 2,000 staff names on Commons register

Exclusive: Standards committee proposal aims to improve staff safety but critics say it will further reduce public trust UK politics live – latest updates MPs are planning to redact the names of 2,000 parliamentary staff from an official register that has been in place for decades, in a move that experts say will reduce transparency around lobbying by passholders. The proposal has been put forward by the House of Commons standards committee after evidence sessions held in private with staff un

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics5 Mar 2026

The Covid-19 inquiry is sounding a clear warning. If it’s not heeded, yet more lives will be lost | Ben Connah

It’s not a question of if, but when, another pandemic hits Britain. We owe it to all those who suffered to make sure mistakes are not repeated What makes the independent inquiry set up to examine the UK’s response to, and the impact of, the Covid-19 pandemic unlike any other in British history is that we are not examining something that affected one specific group of people. The chair, Heather Hallett, and her team have investigated a virus that swept the land and affected every single person in

Defence
The Guardian Politics5 Mar 2026

Ministers discuss ways to offset energy price surges caused by Iran war

Government’s claim to have lowered bills in jeopardy as households face £160 rise caused by soaring oil and gas prices Ministers are discussing the possibility of intervening to protect the public against soaring household energy bills if the Middle East conflict drags on. Oil and gas prices have surged since Donald Trump started his bombing campaign against Iran, which has hit back by closing off a crucial shipping route through the strait of Hormuz, and attacking energy infrastructure. Contin

Defence
The Guardian Politics5 Mar 2026

Nissan ‘says Sunderland plant could close’ if UK excluded from Made in Europe rules

Reports of carmaker’s warning come as lobby group says EU proposals could damage £70bn cross-channel trade Business live – latest updates The Japanese carmaker Nissan has reportedly said it could be forced to close its plant in Sunderland if the UK is not fully included in new “Made in Europe” manufacturing rules proposed by the EU. The UK car industry trade representative group also said it was “gravely concerned” about the proposals, which it said could damage the £70bn annual cross-channel

Defence
The Guardian Politics5 Mar 2026

Crypto investor based in Thailand donates further £3m to Reform

Christopher Harborne’s gift is latest to party’s election war chest and comes amid calls for political donations to be capped UK politics live – latest updates Christopher Harborne has donated another £3m to Reform UK on top of his record £9m last summer. Nigel Farage’s party, which has been topping the polls for more than a year, brought in a huge £5.5m in the last quarter of 2025. It also included a £200,000 donation from JC Bamford Excavators – traditionally a Conservative donor – which als

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The Guardian Politics5 Mar 2026

UK must double down on renewables as wars drive up energy costs, experts say

Fossil fuel price surge after US-Israeli attacks on Iran prompts calls to end dependence on ‘volatile’ energy source Middle East crisis live – latest updates The UK government must double down on its clean energy drive to protect bill payers from increasingly volatile fossil fuel markets in the wake of the US-Israel war on Iran, climate groups, academics and energy experts have warned. Research published on Thursday shows that the last fossil fuel energy crisis, caused by the Russian invasion

DefenceEnvironment
The Guardian Politics5 Mar 2026

Greens deputy leader calls for apology from Starmer over false claims that led to death threats

Mothin Ali fears for his life after anti-war protest was wrongly described as being in support of Iranian regime The deputy leader of the Green party has demanded an apology from Keir Starmer after the prime minister appeared to back false claims he protested in support of the Iranian regime, which led to him receiving death threats. Mothin Ali said he was “so scared” that the racist threats had increased to a point where “it feels like this time it might get me killed”. Continue reading...

DefenceEnvironment
The Guardian Politics5 Mar 2026

Cabinet ministers ‘blocked’ Starmer from letting US use British bases for military operation against Iran on Friday – UK politics live

A number of ministers voiced their strong opposition to Donald Trump using British airbases to attack Iran’s missile capability, according to a report Hello and welcome to the UK politics live blog. Cabinet ministers, led by energy secretary Ed Miliband, blocked Keir Starmer from allowing Donald Trump to use British airbases for its attacks on Iran, it has been reported. John Healey has flown to Cyprus to calm the diplomatic fallout over a drone that evaded detection and hit an RAF base, which h

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics5 Mar 2026

Defence minister flies to Cyprus to ease tension over drone strike on RAF base

John Healey meets Greek counterpart after Shahed-style drone evaded defences and hit RAF base on island US-Israel war on Iran – live updates John Healey flew into Cyprus on Wednesday night to calm the diplomatic fallout over a drone that evaded detection and hit an RAF base, prompting fury from local ministers. UK officials believe a drone that hit an RAF base in Cyprus evaded detection by flying low and slow when it was launched by pro-Iranian militia in Lebanon or western Iraq. Continue rea

Defence
The Guardian Politics5 Mar 2026

US did not share details with the UK before attacking Iran, sources say

Donald Trump has also criticised Keir Starmer’s initial decision not to allow the US to use UK military bases in the war The US did not share exact operational details or timings with the UK before the joint strikes with Israel on Iran, sources have told the Guardian. The US decision to cut the UK out of the official loop on the airstrikes came alongside Keir Starmer’s decision to decline permission for the US to use British military bases for the operation. Continue reading...

Defence
The Guardian Politics5 Mar 2026

Lobbyists send legal threats to councils over anti-wood burner campaigns

At least eight councils receive legal threats alleging flyers criticising wood burners are in breach of advertising codes Lobbyists for the UK wood-burning stove industry have threatened councils with legal action over public information campaigns warning of the harms of air pollution. At least eight councils have received legal threats, according to research by the British Medical Journal (BMJ). The Stove Industry Association (SIA), which represents the UK’s expanding industry around the burnin

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