EU-UK diplomacy, security and global affairs
Andy Burnham has promised to take an unrelenting stance on small boat crossings in the wake of the Ceuta crisis. The Greater Manchester mayor says the situation demands immediate, coordinated action across government.
Hundreds of EU citizens in the UK have received Home Office letters saying their post-Brexit settled status was granted ‘in error,’ sparking urgent legal challenges. Migrant rights groups are demanding an immediate suspension of all revocation proceedings.
A Conservative MP has made the extraordinary claim that French navy personnel fired warning shots near his vessel while he was crossing the English Channel. The incident has reignited tensions between London and Paris over Channel waters.
Chan Mathok Atak, 19, from Sudan, has pleaded not guilty to endangering 165 people on a small boat crossing the Channel to the UK. The case has been sent to Crown Court for trial.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky became the first foreign leader to visit Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street, just 11 days into the new government. Mayor Andy Burnham says the choice sent an unmistakable message of British solidarity with Ukraine.
A Russian frigate carried out a 30-minute live-fire exercise in international waters just off Plymouth, prompting the Royal Navy to monitor the vessel throughout. The drill took place close to the UK’s largest naval base at Devonport.
More than half of UK business leaders want the government to prioritise rebuilding its relationship with the EU, new Institute of Directors data reveals. With a landmark UK-EU summit approaching in May 2025, pressure is mounting on Downing Street to deliver tangible results for British firms.
Keir Starmer travelled to Kyiv on Thursday to meet President Zelensky and announce a fresh £450 million military aid package. The visit signals London’s determination to hold firm on Ukraine even as Western unity faces growing strain.
Craig Foreman, a Briton detained in Iran on spying charges since January 2024, has had his prison sentence extended by two additional years, his family says. The news has deepened fears over his fate as diplomatic efforts remain stalled.
Prince Harry’s planned week of Invictus Games publicity collapsed into chaos, with legal setbacks and damaging headlines overwhelming the positive narrative Team Sussex had carefully prepared. The Duke’s UK media battle is looking increasingly difficult to win.
