We speak your mind. Enjoy free-thinking comment that champions your values. | | Sir Keir Starmer and Phil Shiner, left, in 2014 |  | Robert Mendick Chief Reporter | The Telegraph disclosed on Tuesday that Sir Keir Starmer had worked pro bono on a legal case that would have terrible ramifications for British troops who served in Iraq. Phil Shiner, the now-disgraced lawyer, had brought a case to demand that British jurisdiction be applied in Iraq. Sir Keir acted for human rights groups intervening in support of the claim.
Now there’s been a new development. Today, we are reporting on a chapter written by Sir Keir in a book edited by Shiner, in which the now Prime Minister suggested that European human rights laws were needed for the investigation of abuses committed by UK forces in Iraq.
He wrote that the methods for enforcing European Court of Human Rights laws were “much better developed and far more effective” in holding governments to account.
Sir Keir’s actions triggered years of criminal investigations into British soldiers who had been wrongly accused, at enormous cost to the taxpayer.
My colleague Tom Cotterill, The Telegraph’s Defence Editor, has spoken to many of them, and one word stands out: betrayal.
Rachel Webster served four tours over her 24-year career, and considered taking her own life after being wrongfully arrested over a series of deaths in Iraq.
| Rachel Webster, a former Army captain, was arrested over allegations of abuse in Iraq dating back to 2003 | Brian Wood, awarded the Military Cross for gallantry and leadership under fire in Iraq in 2004 during the Battle of Danny Boy, received a letter through the post telling him he was being investigated for murder.
He told us: “I was prepared to die on the battlefield for my men and country. To stand in the dock ... and get cross-examined on my actions during and after the battle was a betrayal.
“The allegations were absolutely horrific – unlawful killing, mutilation and mistreatment of prisoners of war. That just did not happen. Phil Shiner’s criminal conduct has left a trail of devastation. Lives have been ruined. Innocent men and women have been driven to the brink of suicide.”
Continue reading ➤
The Iraq veterans ‘betrayed’ by Starmer ➤ | | The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and an accompanying strike group have arrived in the Middle East | | Joe Barnes and Harriet Barber | Donald Trump is building a “beautiful armada” in the Middle East. The US president hopes to use the growing blockade to scare an embattled Tehran into agreeing to abandon its nuclear ambitions. The USS Abraham Lincoln arrived on Monday, bringing with it a daunting strike package that could be used to devastate Iran if it fails to cooperate.
Meanwhile, the US has issued multiple threats of retaliation over Iran’s brutal treatment of protesters. Notably, much of the machinery onboard the aircraft carrier was deployed to the Caribbean ahead of Nicolas Maduro’s capture. With Trump buoyed by the success of the Caracas raid, he is now weighing the possibility of military action in Iran. As he gathered hardware in the Middle East, Trump warned: “Time is running out...As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL!” But what is his fleet really capable of? Ahead of the potential action, we take a closer look at the weapons in his arsenal.
Continue reading ➤ | | Mattha Busby Before my sex hiatus, I prioritised physical chemistry over emotional intellect. Now, it feels impossible to meet someone with both Continue reading ➤ Allister Heath Starmer’s oikophobia is erasing so much that is great about Britain Continue reading ➤ Tom Tugendhat I fought in Iraq. Starmer tied our hands Continue reading ➤ | | Sir Keir Starmer said he wanted a more “sophisticated” relationship with China | | We all know the feeling: walking through a historic neighbourhood like Clifton or Bedford Square, admiring the joy and dignity of the architecture, only to turn a corner into a modern estate of drab, identikit boxes. While 75 per cent of Britons prefer the Georgian aesthetic, a blizzard of regulations mean that building in this style is now functionally impossible. Continue reading ➤ | |  | | Benjamin Netanyahu attends the funeral in Meitar, southern Israel | | It was the day Israel was finally able to turn the page on arguably its darkest chapter. At the funeral for Ran Gvili, Israel’s final hostage, faces were etched with grief for the heroic policeman who charged off to fight Hamas on October 7, 2023. But there was also uncertainty for what lies ahead. When Benjamin Netanyahu claimed to have fulfilled his promises to the families of the missing, grimaces and bitter laughs rippled through the crowd, exposing divisions that could threaten his rule and showing the wounds of that day will long endure. Continue reading ➤ | | | | | Sybilla Hart with her husband, Charlie, who runs Skymeadow Gallery | | It’s been 40 years since Lovejoy hit our screens and became an instant family favourite, but what is it like to be married to a real life antiques dealer and have your home turned into an art gallery? Sybilla Hart reveals the highs and lows and shares how her husband, Charlie, is always in search of the ultimate “sleeper” – an undervalued painting. Continue reading ➤ | | | Jacob Rees-Mogg stood in for Camilla Tominey on yesterday’s episode of The Daily T podcast where he made the case for IS bride Shamima Begum’s safe return to Britain, and for the Conservatives to give way to Reform UK in upcoming by-elections. The episode also features an interview with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch in which she calls recent defectors to Reform “drama queens”. Continue reading ➤ | | | It is a real life case that sounds more like the plot of a horror film. In 2023, an NHS trust in Norfolk called in exorcists after staff reported seeing the ghost of a girl in a red dress wandering the wards of a hospice. The Telegraph’s investigation into the case sheds light on the longstanding – but little-known – relationship between the NHS and exorcists, of whom there are believed to be more than 40 in England. Continue reading ➤ | | | Ó Briain hosted all 21 series of Mock the Week | | Mock the Week returns on Sunday three years after being axed by the BBC. The one thing host Dara Ó Briain won’t miss? “People with stopwatches timing how much we did of each [political] party”. The comedian also tells Chris Benion that he’d “love” to do Strictly Come Dancing, but a hole in his knee sustained from a heavy tackle during a celebrity football match puts him out of the running. Continue reading ➤ | | | For many of us, a cup of tea means comfort: soothing, warm and distinctly British. However, new research suggests our daily brew may be less innocent than it seems. From microplastics in tea bags to its effects on iron absorption, digestion and sleep, experts reveal what’s really in your cup – and how to drink it more wisely. Continue reading ➤ Here’s another helpful article for you this morning: | | Go to any bookshop in January and you’ll find the shelves creaking with the weight of self-help titles. From Atomic Habits to The Let Them Theory, popular psychology books are keeping the publishing industry afloat, thanks to their huge success on TikTok.
Our advice? Forget them. Novelists have offered wisdom and comfort long before the advent of “life coaches”, whether in the wit of Charles Dickens or the moralising of George Eliot. Our critic shares her personal list of the 10 books she reaches for in times of need.
Continue reading ➤ | God save our pubs Every weekday, Orlando Bird, our loyal reader correspondent, shares an off-piste topic that has brought out the best of your opinions and stories. Orlando writes...
In recent weeks, The Telegraph has advanced many arguments for the importance of the pub. It appears that our esteemed Chancellor has (sort of) taken note.
There was one case, though, that I hadn’t seen made, until the Rev Philip W Darby wrote to the Letters page: “Having served as a vicar for some 55 years, I can only add to the calls to preserve Britain’s pubs.
“There have been so many occasions during my ministry when I have been approached in the local by a parishioner who wanted to talk about some concern but was reluctant to come to the vicarage. So much pastoral work has been done and continues to be done at the bar.”
Besides pints and packets of crisps, there is spiritual sustenance to be found in these glorious places. Sam Barlett agreed: “My father was a sporting country parson, with two parishes in Rutland from the 1940s until the early 1970s. Claiming his sermons made him thirsty, he’d follow his flock to the pub for a glass after church. There, his parishioners could talk to him more freely than at the rectory.”
David Dunn, meanwhile, was recalled: “In the 1950s, our vicar would lead the way to the pub, which was next door to the church. A larger than life character (and physically substantial), he drove an ancient Austin 7. One day, my father accepted a lift. As he got into the car, he was told not to put his feet on the floor, as that was the road.” Are you a pub pilgrim? Send your responses here, and the best of the bunch will feature in a future edition of From the Editor PM, for which you can sign up here.
Please confirm in your reply that you are happy to be featured and that we have your permission to use your name. | | Find as many words as you can in today’s Panagram, including the nine-letter solution. Visit Telegraph Puzzles to play a range of head-scratching games, including PlusWord, Sorted, and Quick, Mini or Cryptic Crosswords.
Yesterday’s Panagram was GEOMETRIC. Come back tomorrow for the solution to today’s puzzle. | |
Thank you for reading. Have a fulfilling day and I hope to see you tomorrow. Chris Evans, Editor
P.S. I’d love to hear what you think of this newsletter. You can email me your feedback here. | |
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