Is the PM on another planet? Reader reacts to Starmer's comments on Trump
I've never been a fan of our prime minister but listening to Sir Keir Starmer's interview with BBC Radio 4 marking his first disastrous year in power left me feeling ashamed of this country.
Starmer stated that he liked Donald Trump, respected what he was doing and that the two of them shared the same family values!
One has to ask just what planet our dear leader is on. And what our friends in the EU plus Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the rest of the Commonwealth will make of that, I dread to think.Bob Readman, Sevenoaks
Starmer says of Trump, 'I think I do understand what anchors the president, what he really cares about.'
We all know the answer to that, prime minister – Trump is a selfish, narcissistic, greedy, egomaniac. Look at his posturing over Greenland and Canada and realise that US democracy is in its last phase. Henry Page, London
Labour watered down its welfare reform bill to quell a backbench rebellion, having already undone plans to remove the winter fuel allowance from all but the least well-off pensioners. Why so much fuss about government U-turns and climbdowns?
Isn't it a good thing we finally have one that listens to people? Pedro, Hammersmith
Things could be a lot worse in this country – we could have Jeremy Corbyn or George Galloway as prime minister. Just imagine that. Richard Farrar, London
So, the UK has decided that protest group Palestine Action are 'terrorists'.
Other people who were 'terrorists' according to the British government at the time, include Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and the Suffragettes.
I'd much rather be on their side than on the side of our snivelling shower of politicians any day. Mo, Bradford
What kind of world we are living in? In some parts of it, there are food banks where the less fortunate are given free food. There are also free kitchens where anybody get a meal.
But in some parts of the world – in Gaza, it seems – the hungry are fed with bullets, What has gone wrong with the humanity? Pritam, London
A teacher was banned from the classroom for being drunk in class, swearing and turning the lesson into a mini-rave (Metro, Fri).
Of course her actions were wrong but maybe she was going through a depressive episode. Ese, Birmingham
Well done, Metro, for the lovely piece about trans couple Hannah and Jake (Metro, Wed). No matter who we are, we all need to be shown kindness, tolerance and understanding. Your article did just that. Bernadette, Watford
Steve Coogan spoke about him bringing back Alan Partridge for a new podcast series (Metro, Fri). What we all want to see is middle-aged Paul and Pauline Calf and Fat Bob. Molly Gilligan, London
Andrew Edwards (MetroTalk, Fri) says the Royal Family's green credentials have been 'ruined' by giving up the Royal Train and Yacht (MetroTalk, Thu).
I would say rather they never had any. With them, it has always been all talk and no action – banging on about the environment but keeping up a life with an exorbitant carbon footprint is not environmentalism. More Trending
Not that any of them would claim to be abandoning the Royal Train for environmental reasons. Rather, they are claiming to be doing it for value for money. Well, that claim has no grounding in fact, either.
According to Republic, the UK spends 100 times as much on the royals as Ireland does on its president, despite having only 13 times the population size.
True, the king rules Australia, Canada and assorted smaller countries but those countries should pay their fair share. So let's see 'No Kings!' follow 'MeToo' and 'Black Lives Matter' across the Atlantic onto the lips of equality-supporting Brits. Charles EL Gilman, Mitcham
Russell Stevens (MetroTalk, Thu) jokes that 'pavement' was missing from Metro's cycling-themed wordsearch. You also missed out 'traffic lights'. John Coyne, Leeds
MORE: Met chief says county police forces 'failing for two decades'
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Western Telegraph
34 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
King and Prime Minister lead nation remembering horror of July 7 bombings
In a message to mark the 20th anniversary of the attacks, Charles said comfort can be taken from the 'spirit of unity' in London and the country more broadly, which has allowed the nation to heal. Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer said 'those who tried to divide us failed' adding 'we stood together then, and we stand together now'. On July 7 2005, four suicide bombers struck the capital's transport network, killing 52 people and injuring more than 770 on three London Underground trains and a bus. Composite of handout photographs of some of the victims of the London terrorist attacks on July 7 2005, top row from left, victims of the Russell Square bomb: Helen Jones, 28; Ciaran Cassidy, 22; Gamze Gunoral, 24; Christian Small; Karolina Gluck. Second row from left, victims of the Russell Square bomb: Couple Lee Harris, 30, and Samatha Badham, 36; Atique Sharifi, 24; Elizabeth Daplyn, 20; Adrian Johnson, 37; Monika Suchocka, 23. Third row from left, victims of the Russell Square bomb: Susan Levy, 53; James Mayes, 28; James Adams; Rachelle Yuen; Ihab Slimane,19. Fourth row from left, victims of the Tavistock Square bomb: Shyanuja Parathasangary; Giles Hart; Anthony Fatayi-Williams; Marie Hartley; Miriam Hyman. Fifth row from left: victims of the Tavistock Square bomb Jamie Gordon and Neetu Jain; victims of the Aldgate bomb Richard Gray, Benedetta Ciaccia and Richard Ellery. Bottom row from left: Aldgate bomb victim Fiona Stevenson; Edgware Road bomb victims David Foulkes, Jonathan Downey, Laura Webb and Jennifer Nicholson (PA) The King has asked for the country to reaffirm its commitment to building a society of all faiths and backgrounds, standing against those who seek to divide us. He said: 'Today, as we mark 20 years since the tragic events of 7th July 2005, my heartfelt thoughts and special prayers remain with all those whose lives were forever changed on that terrible summer's day. 'We remember with profound sadness the 52 innocent people who were killed in senseless acts of evil – and the enduring grief of their loved ones. The scene in Tavistock Square, central London, after the attack on a double decker bus (PA) 'We recall, too, the hundreds more who carry physical and psychological scars, and pray that their suffering may ease as the years pass. 'In doing so, we should also remember the countless stories of extraordinary courage and compassion that emerged from the darkness of that day. 'The selfless bravery of our emergency services, transport workers, and fellow citizens who rushed towards danger to help strangers reminds us of the very best of humanity in the face of the very worst.' Other members of the royal family are to join services and memorials to mark the anniversary. The Prince of Wales carries a wreath during a service at the July 7 memorial in Hyde Park (PA) On behalf of the King, The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will attend the National Service of Commemoration at St Paul's Cathedral from 11.30am on Monday. The King also stressed the importance of communities coming together in times of adversity. Flowers left by the July 7 memorial plaque at Aldgate Station, London (PA) He said: 'While the horrors will never be forgotten, we may take comfort from the way such events rally communities together in solidarity, solace and determination. 'It is this spirit of unity that has helped London, and our nation, to heal. 'As we remember those we lost, let us therefore use this 20th anniversary to reaffirm our commitment to building a society where people of all faiths and backgrounds can live together with mutual respect and understanding, always standing firm against those who would seek to divide us.' Sir Keir said: 'Today the whole country will unite to remember the lives lost in the 7/7 attacks, and all those whose lives were changed forever. 'We honour the courage shown that day— the bravery of the emergency services, the strength of survivors, and the unity of Londoners in the face of terror. 'Those who tried to divide us failed. We stood together then, and we stand together now— against hate and for the values that define us of freedom, democracy and the rule of law.' Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: 'Twenty years have passed since 7/7 but the passage of time makes what happened that day no less shocking. It was an appalling attack on our capital city and on democracy itself. 'As we come together to mark this anniversary, my thoughts remain with the victims, survivors and all who loved them. Amid the horror of that day, we saw the best of people, our emergency services, first responders and ordinary Londoners who bravely acted to help one another. Their courage continues to inspire us. 'We will always confront the threats facing this country to keep the public safe and preserve our way of life.'
Western Telegraph
34 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
Society ‘struggling' to respond to link between smartphones and youth extremism
In an interview as the 20th anniversary of the July 7 attacks is marked, Jonathan Hall KC said current methods used by extremists to influence potential recruits are 'a million miles' from the tactics used in the run up to 2005. Suicide bombers Mohammed Sidique Khan, 30, Shehzad Tanweer, 22, Hasib Hussain, 18, and Jermaine Lindsay, 19, set off bombs on three Tube trains and a bus, killing 52 people in the single worst terrorist atrocity on British soil. Ringleader and recruiter Khan appeared to be a pillar of the community, steering local youths away from crime and drugs by organising outdoor activities and helping to set up a gym in a mosque basement, but was in reality a fanatic. The wreckage of the bus that was blown up in Tavistock Square (PA) Mr Hall told the PA news agency the wide availability of smartphones has transformed radicalisation since then. 'The principal distinction from the era of 7/7 is the smartphone era,' Mr Hall said. 'That has changed the landscape. It has led to a different model of radicalisation. 'With 7/7 the indications were that Mohammad Sidique Khan was grooming people, there was a youth club, they went and did rafting together. 'Those sorts of outdoorsy, in person, group grooming activities, those feel a million miles away from the online world of radicalisation. 'I'm not aware of any sane person who seeks to argue the current wave of very young people becoming involved in terrorism, or extreme violence where it's not ideological, that that's not related to the internet and to the ready availability of smartphones. 'There's a very live debate about the ethics, the legality and the practicalities of which response is best. 'But we are absolutely grasping at straws and struggling, at the moment, as a society to work out what the correct response is. 'No one in their right minds would allow their children to allow a stranger into their bedroom, but that's what we've done with phones.' The attacks exposed the deadly threat from homegrown terrorists with 'appalling clarity', Mr Hall said. 'What 7/7 did, is it revealed with appalling clarity that our fellow citizens are willing to kill us. 'That very unsettling insight is as true today as it was back then, except you now have to bring in British citizens who have been inspired by extreme right-wing ideology to join the predominant Islamist threat. 'But that was the real kicker from 7/7. I think it really brought home this idea of the homegrown threat.' A police officer with a leaflet at Kings Cross station, London appealing for information into the bombings (PA) Commander Dominic Murphy said July 7 was 'a seminal moment' for counter-terrorism policing, leading to a series of changes that continued after the five terror attacks in the UK in 2017. He said that while Islamist groups are still the main threat to the UK, right wing terrorism is a growing problem, and there is concern that younger people are being drawn into extremism. In 2024, 39 of the 248 people arrested for terrorism offences were aged 17 and under, while children aged 11 to 15 made up the largest proportion of those referred to anti-extremism scheme Prevent (2,729 out of 6,884). 'Islamist remains our main threat. We do see a growing right-wing terrorist problem,' Mr Murphy said. 'We're increasingly seeing younger people involved in that right-wing threat as well, which is deeply concerning for us. 'But of course, we also see people that don't have a clear or fixed ideology. 'We can't say clearly that they're an Islamist terrorist, we can't say clearly that they ascribe to a right-wing ideology. 'Nonetheless, they're consuming large amounts of violent media online, and they might have a mixed or unclear ideology – that means, of course, we still need to be concerned about the threat to the public. 'It's diversified a lot even since 2017 and I think the online environment and the world environment adds a whole new layer of challenge to the threat that we face.'
Times
an hour ago
- Times
Can Musk's new party shake up American politics?
The world's richest man announced that he was challenging the two-party consensus of US politics on Saturday night with, as is his custom, the results of a poll on X, the social media platform he owns. The question preoccupying Elon Musk on 4th July, to which he probably already assumed the answer, was, 'Should we create the America Party?' Of the 1.2 million users who replied, 60 per cent said 'yes', which was enough for Musk to press on: 'Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom'. The idea is that a new, more pro-business, fiscally responsible party could emerge and take disillusioned voters from both the Republicans and Democrats. After falling out with President Trump in May when he exited his role leading Doge, the government's efficiency drive, Musk now plans to take revenge and mastermind a new third party that will end the status quo. Musk's announcement did not come as a great surprise to figures in Trump's orbit. Ever since the tech billionaire left his White House role, he has threatened to use his remaining powers to inflict electoral pain on the Republican party. In recent weeks, as the war of words between Trump and Musk has worsened, this has moved from simply withholding funding to creating a rival party. The question is: will it actually change the political landscape? There's a long history of third parties forming to great fanfare and then struggling to break through against the weight of the two party system. In 1992, Ross Perot ran as an independent candidate for president and managed 19 per cent of the popular vote, but no electoral college votes. Musk, however, plans to start small. While any new party would struggle to field a candidate for president and come up against many structural issues, the question is whether by having a narrow focus Musk can buck the trend. The plan is to begin by targeting the 2026 midterms: 'One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just two or three Senate seats and eight to ten House districts', Musk wrote. Here Musk says he is channelling his inner Epaminondas, referring to the Theban statesman who in 371 BC defeated a Spartan army at Leuctra. Through a mix of leadership, innovation and focus, the military tactician permanently changed the balance of power among the Greek states. With Republicans already concerned about the prospect of losing the House next year, the idea is that a few wins in key battles would allow Musk's party to play kingmaker. He wrote: 'Given the razor-thin legislative margins, that would be enough to serve as the deciding vote on contentious laws, ensuring they serve the true will of the people.' The party would then in theory have a deciding vote when it comes to key issues on spending and the future direction of politics. Musk's dislike of Trump's ' Big Beautiful Bill ' was one of the key reasons for their falling out, with Musk seeing it as piling up debt the US cannot afford. However, for all the talk of a new movement or a gap in the market so far the cast of characters voicing interests reads a little like a list of individuals who have fallen out of favour with Trump. Anthony Scaramucci, Trump's exiled former communications adviser, has said he'd like to talk. A few Harris-backing billionaires have also voiced interest. The initial response from both Democrats and Republicans is one of cautious scepticism. 'It won't go anywhere; it's a bid to stay relevant that will fade away,' one Maga figure declared. Meanwhile, Democrats wonder if it could actually benefit them by taking votes away from the official Republican candidate in tight races with North Carolina and Maine, both seen as key battlegrounds. The Democrat hope is Musk splits the vote on the right, allowing their candidates to sneak ahead. What Musk has in his favour is money and online reach. Already members of Maga are threatening to quit X in protest. These parts of the Maga movement have ridiculed the idea that a man who wasn't born in the USA — he hails from South Africa — could convincingly set up a party that claims to be the real party of America. Musk has already found out the hard way that money isn't everything. After piling millions behind a Republican candidate race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court earlier this year, the Democrat-backed candidate, Susan Crawford, won. As a senior Republican put it: 'I don't think Musk has much of a chance to buy a seat that will have an impact. If he takes on a Trump-backed Republican he will probably lose in the general election because the Democrats will be motivated to vote against the Musk candidate and Trump will not show up. Musk, without Trump, is a man without a base. Speaker Boehner used to say that 'a leader without followers' is just taking a walk in the woods'. However, Musk's backers argue that he has been written off many times before and has the focus, money and influence to go and succeed where others failed. What is clear is that Musk has no plans to leave the battlefield.
