Newslinks for Monday 23rd June 2025 | Conservative Home

Iran Pt 1) Where does the threat from Iran leave the West?

“Iran threatened to activate terror sleeper cells inside the United States if the country attacked, reports suggest. Sources told NBC News that Iran sent a communiqué to Donald Trump in the days before the US’s strikes, threatening to green-light the terror sleeper cells. Mr Trump received the message via an intermediary at the G7 summit in Canada last week. He later told reporters he was not “in the mood” to negotiate with Iran. Sleeper cells are essentially spies or terrorists who operate in the US and remain inactive until they are ordered to act.” – Daily Telegraph

• Don’s MIGA call Trump calls for ‘regime change’ to ‘make Iran great again’ – The Sun
• U.S. officials: Iran threatened terror attacks inside U.S. – NBC News
• Starmer left blindsided as the US goes it alone on Iran attack – The Times
• Starmer, Macron and Merz warn Iran ‘not to take any further action’ following US strikes – LBC News
• Iran steps up repression amid warnings of terror attacks in UK – The Times
• US asks China to stop Iran from closing Strait of Hormuz – BBC News
• NATO allies agree to 5 percent defense spending goal – Politico
• Met chief ‘shocked’ by planned Palestine Action protest – BBC News

Comment:

• No more hesitation – Starmer must do these five things now – Priti Patel, Daily Telegraph
• Iran has the most to risk if it declares war on the world – Roger Boyes, The Times
• A daring raid that means Iran’s brutal regime has now run out of options… the end of days beckons – Andrew Neil, Daily Mail

> Today: James Cartlidge: Iran is a threat to the UK but we won’t defend ourselves with ambition and unfunded promises

Iran Pt 2) Does Iran still have its nuclear capabilities?

“After overnight strikes on Iran, President Trump on Sunday declared the operation a “success,” and said that Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities were “completely and totally obliterated.” But his early public pronouncements contrast with more cautious assessments by the U.S. and Israeli militaries. The Israeli military, in an initial analysis, believes the heavily fortified nuclear site at Fordo has sustained serious damage from the American strike on Sunday, but has not been completely destroyed, according to two Israeli officials with knowledge of the matter. The officials also said it appeared Iran had moved equipment, including uranium, from the site. A senior U.S. official similarly acknowledged that the American strike on the Fordo site did not destroy the heavily fortified facility but said the strike had severely damaged it, taking it “off the table.” The person noted that even 12 bunker-busting bombs could not destroy the site. The damage assessments by Israel and the United States are ongoing, and they have not made any final conclusions.” – The New York Times

• Did Trump’s strike pay off? New images show Iran’s nuclear ambitions in ruins – Daily Telegraph
• Trump talks of regime change in Iran and insists US ‘obliterated’ nuclear sites – The Guardian
• JD Vance says US at war with Iran’s nuclear program, not Iran – Reuters
• Operation Midnight Hammer: how the US strikes on Iran unfolded – The Times

Comment:

• Starmer’s Iran errors have humiliated UK & isolated us from key allies… it’s shameful US & Israel had to go it alone – Harry Cole, The Sun
• Starmer is walking a tightrope in his handling of Trump – Kitty Donaldson, The i
• Iran could be more dangerous than ever – Samuel Ramani, Daily Telegraph
• US might have killed any immediate threat of an Iranian nuke but here’s why it may not have won the war yet – Mark Almond, The Sun

Reform’s Robin Hood tax

“Nigel Farage will announce a Robin Hood-style tax tomorrow on rich foreigners up to £250,000. The Reform UK leader plans to impose a one-off payment on newcomers or those hoping to return to the UK. Labelled as an “entry contribution”, the law would target non-dom foreigners who live in the UK but pay no tax on foreign income. Reform has consistently attempted to place itself as the party of the working class, with Farage stipulating that he aims to represent the people who “set their alarm clocks” in the morning. But Labour and Conservative critics have slammed the plan as lacking substance and “ruinously irresponsible.”” – Daily Express

• Nigel Farage vows to slap rich foreigners with £250k ‘Robin Hood’ tax – and hand the money to poor Brits – The Sun
• REVEALED: The 10 Cabinet Ministers at risk of being toppled by Nigel Farage’s turquoise tsunami as Reform storms into 9-point lead – GB News
• Reform UK: People like to back winners so we’ll do well in Scotland – The Times
• Reform council bosses dubbed ‘idiots and clowns’ over costly referendum idea – Lancashire Telegraph
• Tory defects to Reform UK on flagship London council as Nigel Farage eyes political gains across the capital – The Standard

Comment:

• Reform will ensure non-doms contribute to Britain – Nigel Farage, Daily Telegraph
• This is why Reform is on the cusp of victory – James Frayne, Daily Telegraph

> Today: Farage is a master political salesman – but can he sell voters on a flat tax for non-doms?

Badenoch’s attack on equality law

“Labour will paralyse public services and hand more power to unaccountable quangos under plans to introduce an equality law, Kemi Badenoch warns in the Mail today. From next year, the Government will force public authorities to give ‘due regard’ to disparities in income and socio-economic status when making decisions. This ‘socio-economic duty’ – part of the 2010 Equality Act that has yet to be enacted – could enable public bodies to make spending decisions that penalise middle-class areas… Badenoch says the Tories blocked the duty for 14 years as it was ‘obviously misguided’, and accuses Labour of running out of ideas and doing things ‘nobody asked for’. It will ‘paralyse public services and hand more power to unaccountable quangos’, she says. Labour is consulting on how to implement the duty, having pledged to roll it out in its manifesto.” – Daily Mail

Comment:

• Labour’s new equality law is a bureaucratic nightmare dressed up as progress – Kemi Badenoch, Daily Mail