Chris Doyle

Finally, after years of foot-dragging, the UK government has published an official definition of anti-Muslim hostility. This sparked howls of derision and anger from the right, perhaps fearful this would restrict their favorite pastime of unashamed Muslim bashing.

Ever since the mid-1990s, I have been deeply involved in the debates on every foreign intervention the UK has and has not made in the Middle East. This has meant protracted meetings with ministers, parliamentarians and officials, as well as debates in the media.

The American-Israeli strikes on Iran have been widely compared to the 2003 war on Iraq. As ever, there are significant commonalities and major differences.

A single interview with an American diplomat has triggered a furious joint statement from 14 states, most of them allies of the US. Is there a precedent for an interview of a sitting ambassador of any state that has created such shock waves? The online reaction was often hysterical.

Not for the first time, the media bubble in London has been opining on how many days Keir Starmer has left as prime minister. That was last week as Morgan McSweeney resigned as his chief of staff, followed by his head of communications. The Cabinet secretary also stood down.