![\"Keir](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1216.jpg\")
Keir Starmer speaking to broadcasters this morning. Photograph: BBCShare<\/a><\/p>\nUpdated at\u00a005.40 EDT<\/p>\n
Key events<\/p>\n
Show key events only<\/p>\n
Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n
Trump says he’s postponing strikes on Iranian power plants for a five day period<\/p>\n
Donald Trump has said he has instructed the defence department to postpone all airstrikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five day period, Yohannes Lowe reports<\/a>. This is subject to the \u201csuccess\u201d of ongoing \u201cmeetings and discussions\u201d, Trump said in a Truth Social post<\/a>.<\/p>\n Trump’s post on his Truth Social platform Photograph: Truth Social<\/p>\n Yohannes has more on our Middle East crisis live blog.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, is due to make a written ministerial statement today about HS2. According to a report<\/a> by Jim Pickard and Gill Plimmer in the Financial Times, she will tell HS2 management to explore how they could save costs by cutting the maximum speed at which HS2 trains would be able to run. Pickard and Plimmer explain:<\/p>\n double quotation markKey to Alexander\u2019s thinking is that HS2 trains are being built with a specification to run at up to 360km per hour, which would make it one of the fastest lines in the world \u2013 although they were not expected to run faster than 330km per hour most of the time.<\/p>\n Ministers believe that HS2 would have to either send the new trains as far as China to test them on an existing high-speed track, or wait until a bespoke test track is built in the UK. That would not be the case if the trains were to run at a slower speed, the government believes.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you look at potentially reducing it down to about 320kph across the piece, then you save potentially billions of pounds in construction costs as well as some years off the timeframe for delivery,\u201d the official said.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Streeting says government will fund replacement ambulances for those destroyed in antisemitic arson attack<\/p>\n Wes Streeting, the health secretary, has said the government will provide help for the Jewish community ambulance service, Hatzola Northwest, which had four vehicles damaged or destroyed in an arson attack.<\/p>\n Speaking to the media on a visit to the site of the attack in Golders Green, north London, Streeting said:<\/p>\n double quotation markThe Jewish community should not be left footing the bill for this despicable attack, which is why tomorrow morning, at the latest, we will have four ambulances in place to replace those that have been destroyed, and we\u2019ll be working to replace those ambulances on a permanent basis, and we will fund the replacement of those ambulances.<\/p>\n Those responsible for this attack must know that the Jewish community will not face up to this hatred alone. The whole country will stand with them.<\/p>\n Wes Streeting at Golders Green in London this morning. Photograph: Alberto Pezzali\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n According to Richard Spencer and Matt Dathan in the Times<\/a>, at the Cobra meeting this afternoon ministers will discuss giving the Competition and Markets Authorities new powers to stop energy companies profiteering from the global oil and gas shortage. They say:<\/p>\n double quotation markA government source said: \u201cWe\u2019re looking at strengthening the Competition and Markets Authority<\/a> so it can go after more firms ripping people off. We want to check that it has the necessary powers to ensure families struggling with the cost of living are properly protected.\u201d<\/p>\n And in the Daily Telegraph<\/a>, Christopher Jasper and Genevieve Holl-Allen say ministers will discuss how to avoid triggering panic buying at petrol stations. They report:<\/p>\n double quotation markOne source said the government was grappling with \u201cbehavioural science\u2019\u2019 and studying the 2021 fuel-supply crisis \u2013 the first for two decades \u2013 which saw pumps run dry across the country after reports of a shortage of tanker drivers.<\/p>\n While Britain produces more than enough petrol to cover demand, the bulk of diesel volumes come from imports, which could be disrupted as Iran continues to prevent shipping<\/a> leaving the Persian Gulf.<\/p>\n Ministers are said to be nervous about communicating any concerns about fuel supplies<\/a> for fear of sparking a rush to the pumps.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>DfE says new school nurseries will cut childcare costs in poorest areas<\/p>\n Keir Starmer was visiting a school in south-east London this morning to publicise a government announcement about another 331 schools in England getting funding to build or expand nurseries.<\/p>\n In its news release<\/a>, the Department for Education says:<\/p>\n double quotation markA further 331 schools across the country have been successful in applying for a share of \u00a345 million funding to build or expand nurseries on their site<\/a>. The new nurseries will add to the vibrant childcare market and create over 6,000 more childcare places for children from St Ives to Gateshead, on top of the up to 6,000 already being delivered from the first phase of the programme.<\/p>\n New figures published today show over a million parents now use the government\u2019s funded childcare offer. But the data also reveals lower take-up in poorer communities, highlighting the need to target new places where families face the biggest barriers to accessing childcare.<\/p>\n School-based nurseries already play a major role in filling those gaps, making up around 35% of childcare provision in the most deprived areas, compared with 16% in the least deprived<\/a>.<\/p>\n Keir Starmer with a pupil during a visit to St Paul’s Church of England Primary School in south-east London Photograph: Stefan Rousseau\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a>Starmer condemns ‘horrific antisemitic attack’ on Jewish community ambulance service in London<\/p>\n Keir Starmer has described the arson attack on a Jewish community ambulance service in Golders Green, north London, as \u201chorrific\u201d antisemitism.<\/p>\n Asked about the attack, he told broadcasters:<\/p>\n double quotation markThis is a horrific antisemitic attack. And of course my thoughts, I think all of our thoughts, will be with those in the vicinity, the residents who are understandably very concerned, the Jewish community across the country deeply concerned.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve already been in touch with community leaders this morning and will continue to do so during the day.<\/p>\n But antisemitism has no place in our society and it\u2019s really important that we all stand together at a moment like this.<\/p>\n Here is Kevin Rawlinson\u2019s story about the incident, which is being treated by the police as an antisemitic hate crime.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Starmer says there’s ‘no assesssment’ saying Iran targeting Britain with long-range missiles<\/p>\n Keir Starmer has also dismissed suggestions that people in Britain at risk from missiles fired from Iran.<\/p>\n At the weekend there was suggestion that the UK might be vulnerable after it emerged that Iran<\/a> had fired two ballistic missiles at the UK\/US military base on Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands.<\/p>\n Even though one missile was intercepted, and another fell short and did not reach its target, the attack generated concern because it had been assumed<\/a> that Iran did not have long-range missiles with the capacity to reach London (2,700 miles from Tehran), let alone Diego Garcia (3,300 miles from Tehran).<\/p>\n Asked if Britain was within range of Iranian missiles, Starmer replied:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe carry out assessments all the time in order to keep us safe, and there\u2019s no assessment that we\u2019re being targeted in that way at all.<\/p>\n But of course, it\u2019s my job to ensure that British interests, British lives are always uppermost in my mind.<\/p>\n What we need here is de-escalation, and that\u2019s why we had a statement from a number of countries last week about what we need to do about the strait of Hormuz, which obviously needs careful coordination and a viable plan.<\/p>\n Asked specifically about the missiles aimed at the Chagos Islands, Starmer said these were \u201creckless acts by Iran against British interests\u201d but that neither of them reached the target.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Starmer says ministers will look at ‘every lever’ available to help people with cost of living at Cobra meeting on Iran war<\/p>\n Keir Starmer has said ministers will consider \u201cevery lever\u201d available to them to help people with the cost of living when the Cobra emergency committee meets to discuss the war in Iran this afternoon.<\/p>\n Speaking to in a pooled TV interview while on a visit this morning, he said:<\/p>\n double quotation markCobra is the opportunity at the highest level to bring people together on matters of real, significant national importance.<\/p>\n Obviously Cobras are usually used for military considerations, consular considerations, but I think with the Iran war, most people are very concerned now, not only what they\u2019re seeing on their screens in relation to the conflict itself, but also that question of: \u2018How is it going to affect me and my family?\u2019<\/p>\n And so today we\u2019re looking at the economic impact, and I am asking for every lever that\u2019s available to the government to deal with the cost of living to be discussed at Cobra.<\/p>\n Hence we\u2019ve got the Bank of England and others there.<\/p>\n But I want to make sure that when it comes to the cost of living, we\u2019re doing everything we possibly can at a very difficult period like this.<\/p>\n He also said he knew the cost of living was \u201cthe number one issue in the minds of people across the country\u201d. He went on:<\/p>\n double quotation markIt\u2019s really important for me to emphasise that this government always has the cost of living, centre of our mind when we\u2019re making decisions,<\/p>\n Graeme Wearden has a good summary of this morning\u2019s economic news on his business live blog.<\/p>\n Keir Starmer speaking to broadcasters this morning. Photograph: BBCShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.40 EDT<\/p>\n No 10 says Starmer had ‘constructive’ call with Trump after he shares TV sketch mocking PM as scared of him<\/p>\n Good morning. It is the last week the Commons is sitting before the Easter recess and, in normal circumstances, we would be focusing on domestic policy, and announcements coming out before the holiday period. But today, with the world focused on what will happen if Iran does not comply with the \u201cdeadline\u201d set by Donald Trump for the opening of the strait of Hormuz tonight (he says he will \u201cobliterate\u201d Iran\u2019s power plants if he does not get his way<\/a>), foreign policy will dominate.<\/p>\n Starmer has two important meetings on the topic this afternoon. One of them will be live on TV, but unfortunately it will be the duller and less consequential one \u2013 his meetinng with the Commons liaison committee. After that he will chair a meeting of the government\u2019s Cobra emergency committee, where the government will be taking decisions about how it will respond to the possibility that the energy price crisis could get significantly worse. In a sign of how serious the economic consequences could get, Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England, is attending.<\/p>\n Ultimately, what happens in the UK will largely be determined by what happens in Washington, and whether Trump decides to escalate or de-escalate, and, frankly, that is anyone\u2019s guess. He implies one thing at one moment, and something completely different at another point. His defenders say he\u2019s a brilliant exponent of the madman theory of diplomacy<\/a>; the alternative view is that he is just mad.<\/p>\n Starmer actually spoke to him last night, and this is what a No 10 spokesperson said about the call after it was over.<\/p>\n double quotation markThe prime minister spoke to the president of the United States, Donald Trump, this evening.<\/p>\n The leaders discussed the current situation in the Middle East, and in particular, the need to reopen the strait of Hormuz to resume global shipping.<\/p>\n They agreed that reopening the strait of Hormuz was essential to ensure stability in the global energy market.<\/p>\n They agreed to speak again soon.<\/p>\n Starmer has worked had to establish a cordial relationship with Trump. In line with almost every PM since the second world war, he has worked on the basis that being polite in public allows the UK to exercise influence on the administration in private. But Starmer spoke to Trump last night only hours after the president posted a clip on his Truth Social account of a sketch from Saturday Night Live UK brutally mocking the prime minister as someone scared of him. (You can watch it here,<\/a> although I wouldn\u2019t bother because, as comedy, it\u2019s abysmal.)<\/p>\n And Starmer does not seem to be exerting much influence. The No 10 readout suggests that Starmer and Trump did not decide anything substantive; saying they agreeed that \u201creopening the Strait of Hormuz was essential to ensure stability in the global energy market\u201d is a bit like saying they agreed that night followed day.<\/p>\n But No 10 says the call was \u201cconstructive\u201d. They say it lasted about 20 minutes.<\/p>\n Here is the agenda for the day.<\/p>\n Morning: Keir Starmer<\/a> is on a visit in London where he will speak to broadcasters.<\/p>\n 11.30am: Downing Street holds a lobby briefing.<\/p>\n 2.30pm: Starmer gives evidence to the Commons liaision committee.<\/p>\n 2.30pm: Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, takes questions in the Commons.<\/p>\n After 3.30pm: John Healey, the defence secretary, is expected to give a Commons statement on the war in Iran<\/a>.<\/p>\n Afternoon: Kemi Badenoch is on a visit in the east of England.<\/p>\n Afternoon: Starmer chairs a Cobra meeting<\/p>\n If you want to contact me, please post a message below the line when comments are open (between 10am and 3pm), or message me on social media. I can\u2019t read all the messages BTL, but if you put \u201cAndrew\u201d in a message aimed at me, I am more likely to see it because I search for posts containing that word.<\/p>\n If you want to flag something up urgently, it is best to use social media. You can reach me on Bluesky at @andrewsparrowgdn.bsky.social. The Guardian has given up posting from its official accounts on X<\/a>, but individual Guardian journalists are there, I still have my account, and if you message me there at @AndrewSparrow, I will see it and respond if necessary.<\/p>\n I find it very helpful when readers point out mistakes, even minor typos. No error is too small to correct. And I find your questions very interesting too. I can\u2019t promise to reply to them all, but I will try to reply to as many as I can, either BTL or sometimes in the blog.<\/p>\n