Daily Politics from the New Statesman

As the war in Iran enters its second month, President Trump has delivered a prime time address promising, simultaneously, that the conflict will be over “very shortly” and that the United States is preparing to hit Iran “extremely hard”.Thousands more US troops have arrived in the region in recent days, including a marine expeditionary unit as the president is reportedly weighing options for a potential ground assault, such as an attempt to seize the Iranian oil export hub on Kharg Island, which Trump has said the US could take “very easily.”But what options does the President actually have and what would be involved in an attempt to forcibly re-open the strait of Hormuz? Katie Stallard is joined by Ruben Stewart, senior fellow for land warfare at the IISS think tank and a former infantry officer and UN peacekeeper.

Keir Starmer delivered one of his routine updates on the war in Iran in a press conference from Number 10 this morning - but this one was a little meatier than usual.Will Lloyd is joined by Ailbhe Rea to discuss

Green Party support is surging after its by-election victory in Gorton and Denton last month.But is Zack Polanski’s party leaving its environmental principles behind? Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Megan Kenyon to discuss.

As ministers and backbenchers criticise Shabana Mahmood’s immigration plans, is Labour about to water them down? And what is behind the splits over the policy?Anoosh Chakelian and Ailbhe Rea go behind the scenes of Labour’s battle over immigration reform.

Morgan McSweeney’s stolen phone, Kemi Badenoch’s council tax claims and the UAE defence attache, Group Captain Sandy Sandilands. Will Dunn and Anoosh Chakelian round up their stories of the week.

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What does the Instagram and YouTube verdict mean for the UK's proposed social media ban?A California jury has found Meta and Google liable in a case that accused them of building intentionally addictive platforms.Here in the UK, the government is consulting on whether to ban children from using social media. Australia and Spain have already implemented similar bans, and France has backed a ban for under-15s.So, are the social media giants facing a reckoning? And should the government intervene in our kids’ social media use?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Hannah Barnes.READ: Parents must also take responsibility for online safety https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/social-media/2026/03/parents-must-also-take-responsibility-for-online-safety

Ed Miliband, everyone would agree, is a central part of the Labour government. The ex-Labour leader is a hugely popular figure within the party.Is his power and influence greater than we realise?Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Will Lloyd to discuss.READ: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2026/03/a-certain-idea-of-ed-miliband

Donald Trump is grappling with the consequences of staging a military intervention in Iran without a clear plan.Modern conflicts are often driven less by coherent national interest than by the instincts and ambitions of powerful leaders.From the Strait of Hormuz, to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, to the tension between China and Taiwan - miscalculation, overconfidence, and the enduring unpredictability of war are reshaping global power.Katie Stallard is joined by Philips O’Brien, American historian and professor of strategic studies at the University of St Andrews.