23 January 2024 , 22:07
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When British military interventions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya proved, to put it politely, not stunning successes, it’s no wonder there is unease over the PM authorising attacks on Houthis in Yemen.
Avoiding a vote in Parliament and not even notifying Opposition leader Keir Starmer shows how gung-ho Rishi Sunak is becoming. This Red Sea conflict he seems to be getting us sucked into could turn out to be as unpredictable as previous wars in the region. Nobody should pretend there’s an easy way to stop the Iran-backed Houthis launching missiles and drones at shipping. But those advocating military action need to put forward a clear strategy for how this confrontation can be brought to an end. The Middle East requires ceasefires and peace deals – not more wars.
Ban the blades
Keir Starmer’s accusation that the Conservative Government failed a generation by leaving knives on Britain’s streets is a charge with the ring of truth to it. The terrible toll of people killed by blades – last year a heartbreaking 247 – is more than a shocking statistic. Each one of that total is a lost life and a grieving family. The number has quadrupled since the Tories came to power in 2010, a chilling and dismal record. Five Tory Home Secretaries in eight years promising but failing to deliver a ban on zombie knives and machetes proves that spin was always more important than action. We welcome Starmer’s vow that Labour would consider outlawing a wider range of weapons, possibly including swords.
A toy’s story
At least snubbed director Greta Gerwig and the film’s lead Margot Robbie can console themselves with the fact that if there was an Oscar for the most fun film of the year, Barbie would sweep the board.