Going beyond the ordinary news headlines
For a second day running, the Israel-Iran conflict leads the way as Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between the two nations. It comes after the US joined Israel in bombing Iran over the weekend, claiming to have wiped out Iran’s nuclear sites. Iran has returned retaliatory strikes on US bases in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Despite the US President announcing a ceasefire and Israel confirming it, it’s unclear how accurate this is. Iran has denied a ceasefire and has continued striking Israel.
It’s set to be a difficult week for the prime minister as Labour backbenchers mount a rebellion over cuts to welfare.
Ahead of the NATO summit this week, the UK is amongst the countries agreeing to up defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035.
The home secretary has moved quickly to proscribe Palestine Action under anti-terror law. It comes just a day after activists broke into an RAF base and vandalised two military planes.
Over 100 Labour MPs have launched a significant rebellion against the government’s welfare reform bill, supporting a formal amendment to block its progress until further consultation and comprehensive impact assessments, especially regarding disabled people, are carried out. Spearheaded by senior figures including Meg Hillier and Vicky Foxcroft, this revolt highlights deep concern over proposed cuts to Personal Independence Payments (PIP), which could push as many as 250,000 people, and 50,000 children, into poverty. The bill, a central plank of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s plan to save £4.8 billion a year, faces internal dissent despite assurances from cabinet ministers that it is vital to protect the welfare state.
The rebel amendment could stall, or even derail, the bill if selected by the Speaker and backed by opposition MPs. With around 70 to 100 Labour MPs prepared to defy the government, Keir Starmer’s leadership may face its toughest test yet. Lisa Nandy and Angela Rayner have warned rebels they risk losing the whip or facing deselection, a move that has already driven Vicky Foxcroft to resign her government role. The Commons is due to vote next week, and unless the government offers major concessions, particularly on PIP criteria and protections for disabled people, the rebellion threatens serious political consequences.
A U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Iran was announced by Donald Trump after 12 days of intense conflict involving strikes on Iranian nuclear sites (Fordow, Natanz, Isfahan) and Iranian missile attacks, including one on a U.S. base in Qatar. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu confirmed the agreement, while Iran’s foreign minister said it would halt military operations only if Israel stopped its attacks first. Despite the ceasefire, fresh missile barrages continued into the early hours, killing at least four in Israel and nine in Iran, as both nations issued conflicting statements over whether hostilities had truly ended.
The ceasefire’s durability remains uncertain amid ongoing mistrust and sporadic missile exchanges. Washington has credited Qatar’s mediation efforts and Trump’s “deal-making” role, while urging both sides to respect the terms. International pressure is mounting to solidify the truce, with contingency planning underway for renewed violence if either nation breaks the pledge. The diplomatic window now opens for potential de‑escalation and renewed nuclear negotiations, but analysts warn that without clear verification and trust-building, the “12-day war” might only resume.
The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has announced her intention to ban the direct-action group Palestine Action under anti‑terrorism laws, placing it alongside organisations like Hamas and ISIS, after activists broke into RAF Brize Norton and vandalised two military aircraft with red paint. The group has previously targeted defence factories, including Thales in Glasgow and Elbit facilities in Bristol. Clashes erupted in Trafalgar Square during protests against the decision, with police enforcing an exclusion zone around Parliament and arresting demonstrators supporting the group. Criticism has been raised by civil liberties advocates, including Baroness Shami Chakrabarti, who warn that the move could suppress legitimate protest and set a dangerous precedent.
The proscription order will be presented to Parliament next week and is expected to pass easily, given Labour’s majority. Once approved, membership or support for Palestine Action could lead to up to 14 years in prison, and police will actively dismantle its operations. The decision has reignited debate over balancing state security and civil liberties, especially for pro‑Palestinian activism. Meanwhile, continuing demonstrations across London suggest the government’s move may fuel further protest and legal challenge over free speech rights.
Tuesday’s front-page headlines feature various reports on the latest from the Middle East. Several newspapers report on the ceasefire agreed between Iran and Israel, brokered by the United States, whilst others focus on Iran’s retaliatory strikes on US bases after the United States decided to enter the Israeli war against Iran over the weekend. A handful of papers weigh up the UK’s role if the war were to escalate, it comes after criticism that the UK has been slow to back the United States’ attack on Iran.
Copyright WTX News 2025
