Talk War

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.

Former NATO secretary general and former Labour defence secretary Lord Robertson has delivered a speech, criticising 'vandals' at the Treasury for not investing properly in defence spending, and putting the UK's national security 'in peril'. As Keir Starmer faces pressure to invest more in defence, particularly after the Iran War and HMS Dragon exposed the UK's weaknesses, how serious do we need to get?Today on Talk War, Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by Retired British Army colonel Tim Collins OBE to discuss Lord Robertson's comments. He argues that the Government have little understanding of defence and its role in the global order, and that is shown by the Strait of Hormuz blockade and their lack of understanding on why things have gone wrong. And Julia is also joined by David Patrikarakos. special correspondent at the Daily Mail, who argues that the UK is behind the curve on funding, and they are still stuck in the paradigm of thinking that war looks like it did in WW2.

Talk War zeroes in on the escalating Strait of Hormuz crisis, as Julia Hartley-Brewer leads a hard-hitting discussion on Donald Trump’s move to blockade Iranian oil exports, the failure of ceasefire talks, and the growing threat to global energy, food and supply chains. With contributions from Lord Robertson, Andrew Fox, Liam Halligan and Rear Admiral Chris Parry, the episode examines how the Iran blockade could send oil, gas, fertiliser and fuel prices soaring, leave Europe facing jet fuel shortages, deepen the cost of living crisis and expose Britain’s military and political weakness, with Keir Starmer accused of looking absent, ineffective and unprepared as the US takes the lead in the Middle East.

Sir Keir Starmer is currently visiting the Middle East to talk with Gulf leaders about the ceasefire deal and ongoing peace in the Middle East. But given the UK's dismal response to the conflict, what does he hope to achieve?On this episode of Talk War, Jeremy Kyle is joined by Mail on Sunday columnist Dan Hodges to discuss the "humiliation" of the British Royal Navy during this conflict, the chronic underinvestment in British defence, and what Starmer hopes to achieve on his visit. And Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, Former Commander US Army Europe, to discuss the ceasefire deal, the ongoing disagreement between the U.S. and Iran about what the deal says, and what will actually happen with the Strait of Hormuz.

Barely 24 hours after the ceasefire deal was agreed, it already appears to be on rocky footing, after Iran claimed Israel had breached the deal by striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The US and Israel have both rejected the claims, saying that Lebanon was not part of the deal, but the future of the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remains uncertain. On the latest episode of Talk War, Jeremy Kyle is joined by a range of guests to dig into the latest from the Middle East, the state of the ceasefire, and including Keir Starmer's visit to the region and if it will achieve anything.Featuring:James Price, former Government special adviserIsabel Oakeshott, Talk International Editor Priti Patel, Shadow Foreign SecretarySir Richard Dalton, Former British Ambassador to the Islamic Republic

Sir Keir Starmer jetted out of the UK today for the Middle East, hours after a ceasefire deal was reached between the USA and Iran, in order to meet with different leaders in the region to discuss peace.But is him showing up after a deal has been reached a little like Commodus turning up after missing the war in "Gladiator"? That's what Col. James Sunderland, former MP and military expert, thinks about the PM's latest overseas visit, as he joined Kevin O'Sullivan to dissect the visit.And Iranian activist Laila Jazayeri joined Kevin to discuss ongoing support from some in the UK for the existing Iranian regime, and what is needed to secure real regime change in the country.

The two-week ceasefire deal between America and Iran is less than a day old, and questions remain around what exactly peace will look like, if the Strait of Hormuz will reopen fully, and Ian Collins is joined from Dubai from Isabel Oakeshott, who discusses Keir Starmer's visit to the region and if he will contribute anything to the ceasefire discourse. He is also joined by journalist and broadcaster, Peter Oborne, and former Chief of Staff for Joe Biden, Susan Platt, to discuss why Trump wanted this ceasefire and the lasting consequences of the war.

At the eleventh hour last night, the U.S. and Iran reached a deal for a two week ceasefire while the two countries negotiate on a longer-term end to the conflict that has dominated global headlines for over a month. With the war now on pause, what does it mean for oil prices as the Strait of Hormuz reopens, and what will both sides get out of the deal?And now Prime Minister Keir Starmer has headed to the Middle East for talks with allies - but what does he hope to achieve? Live from Dubai, Isabel Oakeshott joins Jeremy Kyle to discuss the local reaction to the end of the war and what the region hopes to get from it. And Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by author Jake Wallis Simons for a discussion about how America may have won tactically, but Iran hopes the trump card when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz - and Lord Dannatt, former head of the British Army, joins to explain the the thin line between winning and losing in conflicts like this, and the importance of Pakistan in securing this deal.And Former Ukrainian Government Adviser Cormac Smith joins Julia to discuss how the US is getting involved in Hungary's upcoming election and what that means for Ukraine.