Trump on Truth Social:
“I AM PLEASE TO REPORT THAT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THE COUNTRY OF IRAN, HAVE HAD, OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS, VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING A COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF OUR HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. BASED ON THE TENOR AND TONE OF THESE IN DEPTH, DETAILED, AND CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS, WITCH WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TO POSTPONE ANY AND ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD, SUBJECT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE ONGOING MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP”
His deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz was set to expire just before midnight…
Housing Secretary Steve Reed speaking to Laura Kuenssberg this morning:
“There is no specific assessment that the Iranians are targeting the UK or [that they] even could if they wanted to…”
On why Israel claimed Iran had that capability:
“You would need to speak to the Israelis… Whatever people might say, the UK is not going to be dragged into this war, but we will take appropriate collective defensive action to keep our nationals and our interests safe.”
He refused to admit how close the Iranian bombs came to hitting Diego Garcia. No getting into “operational details”…
An Iranian man and a woman of unknown nationality have been arrested after attempting to enter HM Naval Base Clyde, which houses four nuclear submarines. According to the Times:
“The individual, 34, accompanied by a female of unknown nationality, was in a vehicle when he approached the gate…
Without the right passes to enter, they were both then turned away, it is understood. However, they were then arrested for “acting suspiciously in the vicinity”, a defence source disclosed.”
A Police Scotland spokesman said:
“Around 5pm on Thursday, 19 March, 2026, we were made aware of two people attempting to enter HM Naval Base Clyde. A 34-year-old man and 31-year-old woman have been arrested in connection and enquiries are ongoing.”
Earlier this week two men were charged under the National Security Act with engaging in conduct that is likely to assist a foreign intelligence service…
Just when you thought things couldn’t get worse for the Cuban communist regime now on the brink of collapse after its Venezuelan oil supplies were cut off, there’s a surprise from the United Kingdom. One Jeremy Corbyn is on his way…
Jezza is joining the Nuestra America convoy to Havana tomorrow to protest President Trump’s intentions for the island, which look to be much the same as those he had for Iran. Kneecap is also joining…
A sitting Labour MP is coming along: Richard Burgon of course. His proximity to Corbyn is interesting on this trip given he had the Labour whip restored last year and is supposed to be behaving himself…
The convoy claims it will bring 20 tonnes of food, medicine and solar-power equipment to prop up the Cuban government. And that makes the point, doesn’t it…
Oil has surged 11% to $119 a barrel and gas prices have leapt by 35% after Iranian missile strikes on Qatar’s Ras Laffan facility and an Israeli attack on Iran’s South Pars gas field. Ras Laffan is the world’s biggest LNG export plant…
Qatar said the plant suffered “extensive damage“, with no indication of when it might restart. Saudi Arabia’s Samref refinery was also hit by a drone strike.
The FTSE 100 fell 1.9%, with warnings UK inflation could hit 4% by November and household energy bills could rise by £300. The Bank of England is expected to hold rates at 3.75% at midday. Trump has now threatened to “massively blow up” the South Pars gas field if Iran hits the Gulf again…
Another stunning performance from ‘the real Foreign Secretary’ and Chagos sellout architect Jonathan Powell is revealed in The Guardian this afternoon. It has emerged Starmer’s National Security Advisor attended denuclearisation talks in Geneva in February between the Americans and Iranians. What did he have to offer?
Not much by the sounds of it: “Powell thought progress had been made in Geneva and that the deal proposed by Iran was “surprising”, according to sources.” Just days later the US began to bomb Iran…
Powell’s proximity to the talks will raise further questions about why Starmer took so long to act when war broke out. His own NSA was around the table, yet HMS Dragon is still not any further than Gibraltar…
Speaking at his speech on how to achieve “progressive capitalism” Wes Streeting fired a dig and Andy Burnham:
“Bond markets are not bond villains and fiscal rules matter.”