Talk War

Donald Trump’s escalating Iran conflict, the Strait of Hormuz blockade and the growing threat to global shipping dominate this explosive Talk War special as Isabel Oakeshott reports from Dubai after fresh missile alerts in the UAE, Sean Bell breaks down why America still cannot fully reopen one of the world’s most vital waterways, and former Royal Navy commander Tom Sharpe exposes how Iran’s decades-long military planning is outmanoeuvring Western strategy. From Project Freedom and Gulf state tensions to trapped cargo ships, oil prices, Royal Navy weakness and fears of a prolonged Middle East crisis, this gripping security deep dive unpacks how Trump, Tehran and the Hormuz choke point could reshape the global economy, regional alliances and Britain’s own defence vulnerabilities.

A new report out today has revealed that the UK military is SKINT! The defence forces can't afford to buy any new weapons until 2030.Meanwhile, Iran has sent a new 14-point peace plan to the US asking them to withdraw forces from the region, as the war drags on into another week.On this episode of Talk War, Jeremy Kyle General Ben Hodges, former Commander U.S. Army Europe, joins to discuss the defence funding crisis in the UK, and if the US is likely to accept the new peace plan.

Tensions in the Middle East surge after the US intercepts and seizes an Iranian cargo vessel, triggering fresh retaliation threats from Tehran and plunging the Strait of Hormuz back into chaos. With the vital shipping route flipping between open and closed, global markets and security hang in the balance as Washington and Tehran edge closer to direct confrontation.Featuring military analyst Sean Bell, journalist David Patrikarakos and US commentator Adam Coleman, the episode breaks down the escalating tit-for-tat, the fragility of multiple ceasefires, and why Iran may still hold the upper hand despite America’s military dominance. From nuclear negotiations to economic choke points, the discussion exposes the real leverage behind this conflict.As brinkmanship intensifies ahead of looming peace talks, the question is whether diplomacy can hold — or if this spirals into something far more dangerous. Talk War delivers the clearest picture yet of a conflict driven as much by strategy and messaging as it is by firepower.

Keir Starmer is facing mounting pressure over UK defence spending after former NATO chief Lord Robertson warned Britain is “not safe”, with retired General Sir Simon Mayall telling Talk War the country’s military capability has been dangerously eroded. As tensions escalate globally, the episode breaks down the high-stakes battle over the Strait of Hormuz, China’s influence over Iran, and Donald Trump’s unpredictable role in shaping the conflict’s outcome. With fresh scrutiny on Israel’s war with Hezbollah and the media narratives driving public perception, Talk War delivers a hard-hitting analysis of a world growing more unstable—and asks whether the UK is prepared for what comes next.

Lord George Robertson - who co-authored a spending review for the Government - has joined the chorus of voices criticising Keir Starmer and Labour for not investing enough in defence and how that is putting the UK at risk. He said that there should be cuts to welfare spending to better invest in defence. Keir Starmer said he does not agree with Lord's views, saying that defence spending is rising and that Labour is not complacent on the issue. On this episode of Talk War, Mark Dolan is joined by former Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood, who says that the Lord's comments are very bold but are based in reality. He also argues for a ringfenced increase in taxation to help with increasing the defence budget.

Talk War examines Britain’s growing security and economic crisis as Ian Collins is joined by Nigel Evans, former MI6 deputy director Nigel Inkster, Dan Hodges and Kevin Hollinrake to debate Lord Robertson’s warning that the UK is “not safe”, the pressure to cut welfare to fund defence, Donald Trump’s threat to rethink the US-UK trade deal, the IMF’s downgrade to Britain’s growth forecast, and the row over migrants being moved from hotels into HMOs and barracks, making this a punchy, search-friendly episode on UK defence spending, border security, Trump, Iran, Russia and whether Keir Starmer is prepared for a far more dangerous world.