Jane Minter

@Peston Why all this tittle tattle

Here is a funny thing. There was an intriguing omission from the extraordinary and almost unprecedented leak from the 27 February meeting of the National Security Council to the Spectator. This accurate leak said that Ed Miliband, Rachel Reeves and Yvette Cooper were all wary about allowing President Trump’s bombers to use UK airfields, Diego Garcia in Chagos and Fairford in Gloucestershire. It said Starmer “was blocked by an alliance of Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary.” Which is largely true. But I am told by multiple sources there is an important elision, because the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood was also making the same case as Miliband, Reeves and Cooper, namely that there were significant dangers in providing British facilities to the American military for attacks defined by the Attorney General Richard Hermer as unlawful and whose aims and likely consequences are highly uncertain. Mahmood is however mentioned by the Spectator as supporting the foreign secretary’s position. But this reference to her is lower down the report, and as a seeming afterthought, whereas my sources say she was one of those explicitly urging caution on the PM. This matters, partly because in follow-up reports by other media outlets her name is omitted. More importantly it means that every holder of a great office of state - chancellor, foreign secretary and Home Secretary - was telling Starmer to beware of rowing in behind Trump, as was the only former Labour leader still in the cabinet, Miliband. Against such a united ministerial front, there was probably no way for Starmer to do what he was being urged to do by senior members of the military, which was to immediately reverse a decision taken weeks before to refuse permission to the US to use relevant UK air bases for the joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran. I am told that the military “chiefs” were livid with the ministers urging caution, especially with Miliband. The language used by one defence source about the energy secretary does not bear repeating. That said, two days later, on 1 March, Starmer did reverse the prohibition on US bombers landing at Fairford and Diego Garcia, following a formal request from Washington on 28 February to do so. But it was too late. By then, President Trump felt properly slighted by Starmer and the UK. That has resulted in a barrage of invective flung at the British prime minister - that culminated in the American president posting on his Truth Social platform last night that the UK was “our once great ally” and “we don’t need people that join wars after we’ve already won.” It is highly uncomfortable for Starmer and the British government to have Trump’s fractiousness and mistrust rehearsed in public: it is an inescapable fact that Britain’s nuclear weapons capability is totally dependent on American support and its intelligence service works hand in glove with America’s - not to mention that NATO’s credibility vis-à-vis Putin requires America’s incomparable military strength. So what is important is the impact on the working relationship between the two countries’ intelligence and military capabilities AFTER the war is over, and that can’t and won’t be known for weeks - and maybe months. Here is Starmer’s Scylla and Charybdis: if he allows the UK to become too embroiled in Trump’s war, he risks ministerial resignations and a revolt by his MPs; but if he irrevocably alienates Trump, he risks the collapse of a defence partnership between Britain and America that has underpinned the UK’s and western security for decades. Opinion polls show the public is supportive of the PM’s refusal to join Israel’s and America’s strikes on Iran and to restrict our military to defensive operations in the Middle East. But popular support for his caution could evaporate if the security of the UK were to be put at risk by the disintegration of the alliance with America.

@timespolitics @Nigel_Farage Did he apply for a permit before going? No so he was refused entry as he has not followed process. He’s such a liar

Nigel Farage ‘blocked’ from aid trip to Chagos Islands #Echobox=1771697676" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">thetimes.com/uk/politics/ar…

@Bob__Hudson Nope! Trying to beat Putin at bear chests which was bad enough

Does Trump has the faintest idea how ridiculous he looks to the world?

Bye X.

@billykayscot meile

The sad news is that my hoover has reached the end of its days. The good news is it’s a Dyson so good riddance to any association with that charlatan. Any recommendations for a replacement though, peeps? January sales bargains welcome. Any make but Dyson please.

@dussyme Florence

@Heroiam_Slava Courageous

Describe Zelensky with 1 word.

@strategywoman I pop in occasionally but see you mainly on threads

X is broken. I get so much hate here. So, I have a question for those who care: are you reading me on another platforms? (Bluesky, Threads - we have big communities already there)

@BBCPolitics You scared little man. By not calling her racist we know that you are

“It’s not language that I would have used” Shadow home secretary Chris Philp refuses to say Reform MP Sarah Pochin’s comments saying it drives her "mad seeing adverts full of Black and Asian people" were racist #BBCLauraK bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00…

I do not like X but pop on occasionally and I am shocked at the racism that is allowed to happen in plain sight in the UK. I despair. We need to see more push back from people who have influence in our country. I feel totally ashamed but also fearful.

"Really shocking" Rory Stewart reacts to Conservative MP Katie Lam's suggestion that legally settled families could be deported to make the UK more "culturally coherent" #Newsnight

“What she said was a disgrace… it was racist” Health Secretary Wes Streeting criticises Reform MP Sarah Pochin’s comments about the number of Black and Asian people in adverts and says he worries about the return of “1970s style racism” #BBCLauraK bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00…

When will you retire #ThomasForrester. His auctions never make any money and he’s so arrogant @BBCBargainHunt

@SkyNews How ridiculous.

US President Donald Trump says he'll meet Vladimir Putin in Budapest 'within two weeks' after the two leaders spoke on the phone. Trump is due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House tomorrow. 📱 trib.al/zff6Z7W 📺 Sky 501 and YouTube

@BenClaimant @Helen_Whately Just nasty. What a party

“Millions are getting benefits for anxiety and ADHD, along with a free Motability car.” Tory shadow minister @Helen_Whately lies at #CPC25 further demonising mental health claimants and deliberately stoking hatred and prejudice against disabled people. benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/shadow-mi…

It is truly embarrassing that the shadow Home Secretary doesn’t understand the difference between someone pleading guilty and someone being acquitted by a jury.

@Bob__Hudson Totally Bob totally

This is nauseating to listen to.

@Bob__Hudson It’s the Telegraph Bob. More embarrassing than the Daily Mail

When will we emerge from this divisive madness? It’s embarrassing!

@MartinSLewis All of the above

Today's Poll: Which of four these things do you find the MOST annoying? 1. People having loud conversations on speaker phones in public/ on public transport 2. Unpicked up dog poo in the street 3. No loo roll in public loos 4. Constant 'sorry we have unusually high call volumes' messages when on hold

Oh dear indeed