For the first time in Israel’s history, this week the government passed a budget in election year. Passage of the bill avoided immediately triggering elections and now means they will take place closer to the October deadline. The NIS 850.6 billion (approximately £203.5bn) spending package is unprecedented in scale. Not
Europe faces a critical and urgent defence readiness gap. The War in Ukraine has led to a necessary reckoning by European governments of their capacity to prepare for and respond to a range of security threats, while the conflict in the Gulf has underlined that we are destined to live
Between a rock and a hard place The security situation the UK faces is the most tense and dangerous for 80 years. The recent publication of the US national security strategy (NSS) was extremely alarming, portraying European liberal democracies as somehow a political or ideological threat to the United States.
Ninety years ago, the Spanish civil war pitted an elected popular front government against Franco’s fascist forces actively supported by Hitler and Mussolini. Take a look at Picasso’s famous painting of the Nazi bombing of Guernica now displayed at the UN. Left-wingers urgently pressed the UK’s Conservative Government to arm
‘Trade not Aid’ is a provocative slogan for any development advocate. It overlooks areas, including humanitarian response, where no-one thinks trade can substitute. But more challenging is the suspicion of a cynical appropriation; replacing concern for global justice with a grasping, narrow self-interest. This reaction is understandable, but we must
The Islamic Republic of Iran, for decades a powerful symbol of ideological strength and aggressive regional ambition, now faces a perhaps accelerating path toward its collapse. In recent years, it has become clear that the regime is no longer capable of holding itself together. Its ideological degeneration has spread across
Virginia, previously governed by Republican Glenn Youngkin, has elected Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former member of the U.S. House, as its next governor. New Jersey, which at times appeared surprisingly competitive, ultimately delivered a decisive victory for Democratic governor-elect Mikie Sherrill, marking the first time since the 1960s that the
Russia’s war against Ukraine and the Hamas/Israel conflict have spawned two solidarity networks: one healthy and one that is definitely not. Visible and practical support for Ukraine is vital and should be maintained as the war grinds on. Ultra-leftist organisations active on Palestine oppose our government, as well as Israel,
This famous quote is too often ignored in Whitehall, especially when it comes to legal advice. As Ministers and senior officials wrangle over the forthcoming Budget one source of additional funds is now being actively considered. This is to repurpose all of the Russian assets (and not just the interest)
The Gleneagles Summit 2005, Eriko Sugita / Reuters 20 years ago, the words of Nelson Mandela rang out in Trafalgar Square. He called on the world to Make Poverty History stating that ‘as long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest’.
