1. UK US relationship.

Increased defence spending at the expense of foreign aid.

Prime Minister’s visit to the American president.

Starmer cuts aid to fund hike in defence spending

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyrkkv4gd7o

Starmer slashes aid to fund major increase in defence spending

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/feb/25/starmer-slashes-aid-to-fund-major-increase-in-defence-spending

Starmer defends slashing aid budget to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP - UK politics live

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/feb/25/yvette-cooper-labour-mike-amesbury-keir-starmer-conservatives-kemi-badenoch-uk-politics-live-news-updates

Donald Trump might have made a bad mineral deal with Ukraine

https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-bad-mineral-deal-ukraine-volodymyr-zelenskyy

Starmer wins Trump over - but Ukraine uncertainty lingers

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c871120g92ro

How Keir Starmer buttered up Donald Trump

https://www.politico.eu/article/how-keir-starmer-buttered-up-donald-trump

Will this crisis do for Keir Starmer what the Falklands did for Thatcher?

How can we defend ourselves if America has ultimate control of our nuclear deterrent and controls the intelligence we need to be able to operate on a modern battlefield?

Will we become dependent on the French nuclear umbrella? De Gaulle built the French system independently of the U.S. and NATO.

• Should the women affected by the pensions changes be allowed to take legal action against the government.

 Waspi women threaten legal action over pensions row

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyjx9dn38wo

• Non Crime hate incidence

See two extracts from the Telegraph supplied by Pat at the end of this document.

Responding to non-crime hate incidents

https://www.college.police.uk/app/major-investigation-and-public-protection/hate-crime/responding-non-crime-hate-incidents

Non-crime hate incidents from June 2022 to April 2024

https://www.met.police.uk/foi-ai/metropolitan-police/disclosure-2024/july-2024/non-crime-hate-incidents-june2022-april2024

Tuesday briefing: Why everyone’s suddenly worked up about ‘non-crime hate incidents’

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/26/tuesday-briefing-why-everyones-suddenly-worked-up-about-non-crime-hate-incidents

New Code and guidance for non-crime hate incidents

https://www.college.police.uk/article/new-code-and-guidance-non-crime-hate-incidents

• Should we have played the Afghanistan cricket team?

England out of Champions Trophy after Afghanistan thriller

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/c70wqd51yk5o

Apart from the fact that the English team lost should we really play against a country that does not recognise the rights of women and has banned the women’s team from playing cricket?

• Was jail appropriate punishment for MP Mike Amesbury?

MP Mike Amesbury's jail term suspended on appeal

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8yy0116y8o

• Where these Ghanian parents right to send their child to Ghana to avoid him becoming involved with gangs?

Son loses case against parents over move to Africa

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdryre7y4n0o

• Green investment.

BP to slash green investment and ramp up gas and oil

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3374ekd11po

Half of homes need heat pump by 2040, government told

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c70ekknr2rwo

Britain’s net zero economy is booming, CBI says

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/24/britain-net-zero-economy-booming-cbi-green-sector-jobs-energy-security