Andy Nicholls ✝️

Sir Keir Starmer interview with @Peston * Says Israeli airstrikes against Lebanon are 'wrong' and should not be happening "Let me be really clear about it. They're wrong and they shouldn't be happening. That's my strong view. The question isn't a technical one of whether it's a breach of the agreement [the ceasefire] or not. [It is] actually a matter of principles as far as I'm concerned." * The UK is monitoring the US use of British bases to ensure they are not conducting "offensive" strikes 'From the get-go we've been monitoring this situation so I'm pretty clear on my own mind about what we've agreed and what the use of the bases are and that is a really important point of principle because we have to learn the lessons of Iraq' * Says he is 'fed up' with families seeing their bills rise 'because of the actions of Trump and Putin'. Argues there needs to be greater energy independence 'I'm fed up with the fact that families across the country see their bills go up and down on energy, businesses' bills go up and down on energy because of the actions of Putin or Trump across the world and saying to families across the country, saying to businesses across the country: 'we've just got to be, we've got to put up with being on the international market'.'