Talk War

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.

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.

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.