Politics LIVE: Donald Trump 'very disappointed' in Keir Starmer for blocking US from using Chagos air base to strike Iran

President Donald Trump has said he is "very disappointed" after Sir Keir Starmer blocked the US from using Diego Garcia to carry out strikes on Iran.

The Republican President said Downing Street's initial refusal to let US forces use the Chagos Islands base was unlike anything that had "happened between our countries before."

While Sir Keir had denied the US permission to conduct strikes from bases such as Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford, he eventually said he would allow access to Diego Garcia for "specific and limited defensive purposes."

In an interview with The Telegraph, President Trump said Sir Keir "took far too long" to u-turn on the policy.

President Trump said: "That’s probably never happened between our countries before...It sounds like he was worried about the legality.

"All of a sudden [Mauritius] was claiming ownership.

"He should have fought it out and owned it or make him take it, if you want to know the truth. But no, we were very disappointed in Keir."

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Eluned Morgan says Plaid Cymru’s 'defining project' is independence.

Baroness Eluned Morgan has told the launch of Welsh Labour’s Senedd campaign that Plaid Cymru’s "defining project" is independence.

She said: "What will their government be focused on from day one? However they dress it up, Plaid’s defining project is independence and they will start planning it from the day they get into power.

"Committees, commissions, white papers, timetables, political energy poured into separation, not delivery.

"If your first priority is a referendum, your second priority is everything else."

Scottish Labour would build rail link to Glasgow Airport

Scottish Labour would build a rail link with Glasgow Airport if it wins the next election, the party’s leader announced on Monday.

The project was considered in the early years of the SNP administration, but scrapped in 2009 by then finance secretary John Swinney, as a result of pressures caused by the financial crash.

In the years since, the plans featured in designs for the Clyde Metro, an expansive transport project covering Glasgow and surrounding areas, which is at an early phase.

Scottish Labour said on Monday the creation of the link would be a “national priority”.

Party Leader Anas Sarwar said: "For almost two decades, the SNP has wasted public money and kicked the can down the road on development of a Glasgow Airport rail link.

"In doing so, they have not only squandered millions of pounds of taxpayers’ cash, they have squandered the economic opportunities that such a project could bring.

"Most modern cities across Europe have a rail link to their main airports, and it is bizarre that Glasgow should still not have one in 2026, despite plans having been discussed nearly 20 years ago.

"A Scottish Labour government under my leadership would back the development of a rail link once and for all, ending the delay and wasteful spending of the SNP."

Yvette Cooper says 'I don't think anyone would mourn' Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has said no one would mourn the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei but added the UK was not involved with what had happened.

Asked if the UK supports the way in which Iran’s de facto leader was killed, she told LBC: "No, that is not something that we were involved in."

When pressed if Labour supports the end result, Ms Cooper said: "I don’t think anyone would mourn what has happened, because this is obviously part of a regime that has been not only brutally pursuing its own citizens, but also supporting terrorist activity across the region, destabilising activity through proxies across the region.

"But it is not something that we were involved in."

Zack Polanski says Keir Starmer is 'unable' to stand up to Donald Trump

Zack Polanski has said there could be "serious consequences" for Britons after Sir Keir Starmer was "unable" to stand up to Donald Trump.

The Green Party leader said: "The events of the past 48 hours have laid bare Keir Starmer's utter inability to stand up to Donald Trump and this weakness could have serious consequences for the safety of British people.

"We now face being dragged into another illegal war in the Middle East which has now pulled in multiple countries. People in this country do not want this and it must not be allowed to happen.

"Starmer must withdraw permission for the US to use UK bases to launch airstrikes on Iran and parliament must be given a vote on any UK involvement."

Labour approves £1bn contract for helicopter maker Leonardo

Labour has announced a £1billion contract with helicopter maker Leonardo, which it says will secure 3,300 British jobs.

As part of the deal, 23 new medium-lift helicopters will be provided by the company to the UK’s armed forces, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.

The contract also includes further investment in Proteus, the UK’s first autonomous uncrewed air system – which recently undertook its first flight and is made by Leonardo.

The Italian company’s plant in Yeovil, Somerset, was previously left in limbo as it awaited the Government’s decision on whether to award the contract.

Announcing the deal, Defence Secretary John Healey said it was a "major vote of confidence in British industry", while Chancellor Rachel Reeves described it as a “historic partnership”.

Mr Healey said: “This defence investment works for Britain on every level. It strengthens our Armed Forces, secures thousands of skilled British jobs, and sets up big export opportunities.

"It is a major vote of confidence in British industry, British workers and British innovation.

"This Government’s broad deal makes Yeovil the proud home of Leonardo’s global military helicopter production, building world-class helicopters for our forces and allies around the world for many years to come.

"It backs British jobs and security today and makes the UK a pace-setter in uncrewed, technology and innovation for tomorrow."

Evacuation plans being drawn up for Britons in the Middle East

Officials are understood to be working on plans for the potential evacuation of more than 100,000 Britons from the Middle East.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper indicated that 102,000 British nationals have registered their presence in the region.

She said a total of about 300,000 British citizens are in Gulf countries targeted by Iran.

British nationals are being advised to follow the instructions of local authorities and monitor the Foreign Office’s travel advice, which officials expect to change rapidly.

Those in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been urged to register their presence with the Foreign Office online.

The Government has used the registration scheme before to provide urgent updates to people affected by international crises, but it has not previously needed to deal with so many people in so many different countries.

UK is 'not at war with Iran' in the wake of an attack on an RAF base, says minister

The UK is not at war with Iran, a Government minister has said, in the wake of an attack on an RAF base in Cyprus.

Middle East minister Hamish Falconer told the BBC an "unmanned drone" had hit the runway at RAF Akrotiri and inflicted "relatively limited damage."

But asked if the UK was now at war, he said: "The UK is not at war.

"Let me be really clear, the UK took a deliberate decision not to be part of the first wave of strikes conducted by the United States and Israeli governments.

"But in the face of reckless attacks from Iran on a whole range of allies in the region, those are Gulf allies in which there are many, many UK nationals, probably 300,000.

"In response to requests from those Gulf allies we took the decision, as the Prime Minister announced last night, to support the US’s request to use our bases in order to conduct defensive actions.

"There are ballistic missile launches in Iran, pointed at the Gulf and it is vital that those missile launches are taken out in the face of these completely reckless attacks."

Ftse and pound plummet immediately at market opening as Middle-East conflict ripples through Britain

The Ftse 100 plummeted 0.9 percentage points to 10,810.50 just minutes after opening at 8am.

London’s blue-chip index sank sharply from Friday’s record close of 10,910.55p.

The dramatic drop signals a broad fall in share prices, typically driven by weak earnings, poor economic data or growing investor pessimism.

Our Money Reporter Joe Sledge is keeping an eye on the markets this morning. You can read his report here.

Yvette Cooper says it is 'not in the UK's interests' to support the US and Israel's actions in Iran over the weekend

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has said it was "not in the UK’s interests" to support the US attack on Iran over the weekend.

She told Times Radio: "I think our guiding issue has been about UK interests and about what we think is the right way forward.

"And our assessment was that it was not in the UK’s interests to provide support for the action that took place over the weekend.

"But it is in UK interests and it is the right thing to do, given how many British citizens that we have in the region, to support this defensive action now."

James Cartlidge said the Tories would take the side of the US and Israel over Iran strikes

Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge told GB News the Conservatives would take the side of the US and Israel over the strikes on Iran if they were in Government.

The senior Tory said: "Labour is unable to say where they stand and sitting awkwardly on the fence.

"The Prime Minister now effectively u-turning to give permission in very different circumstances.

"I did say a few weeks ago if the US, our closest ally, judged that was now the time to take further action, then yes.

"If they asked permission for support and hypothetically we were in Government we would have granted that. We're very clear on that.

"It's disappointing to see the Prime Minister not giving strong leadership when our country desperately needs it."

Yvette Cooper says the Government is allowing US to use UK bases

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has said the Government is allowing the US to use bases to attack missile sites for "defence" reasons.

She told Sky News: "This is about the defence of our partners in the Gulf and defence of countries where we have so many British citizens and interests in those those countries.

"We continue to believe that we want to seek negotiated solution, a diplomatic process.

"That’s always been our view and it’s one of the reasons why we made a deliberate decision not to be involved or provide support for the US strikes that took place over the weekend."

"It’s a specific, limited agreement about the defence of Gulf countries, and many of those Gulf countries were not involved in any of the strikes on Iran."

YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG WITH ALL THE UPDATES FROM IRAN HERE.

Children could face mandatory curfews on social media

Children could face mandatory curfews on their social media use under plans being considered by Labour.

A consultation is set to be launched later today Technology Secretary Liz Kendall is examining widespread measures to curb the impact of social media on young people's lives.

One of the touted measures is banning children from accessing social media at night to stop addictive apps and platforms from disrupting their sleep.

Here's what's happening today in Westminster

Good Morning. Here's what's happening today in Westminster and beyond.

All eyes are on the Middle East with Sir Keir Starmer's Government coming under increasing pressure to clarify its position over Britain’s involvement in Donald Trump’s war on Iran.

We'll be joined by the Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer later this morning.

Closer to home, our Political Editor Chris Hope sat down with the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood in Copenhagen for a wide ranging interview. You can read Chopper's interview here.

Later this morning, Reform's Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick will reveal a "scandal" involving Chancellor Rachel Reeves at 8.30am on social media. He'll also appear alongside party leader Nigel Farage a press conference from 11am.

As the fallout from losing the Gorton & Denton by-election to the Green Party's Hannah Spencer (who will be sworn in as the fifth Green MP later today), Sir Keir will use his address to the Parliamentary Labour Party at 6pm to try to convince his MPs to stand by him.

Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch will be making a keynote speech at Policy Exchange at 1.30pm, while Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth will be appearing at the Institute for Government to discuss devolution and Plaid’s vision for Wales.

Welsh Labour Leader Eluned Morgan will be announcing the party’s Senedd election pledges in a speech later today, with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar outlining his priorities for Scotland’s transport infrastructure.

Here on GB News, we'll be joined this morning by Mr Falconer, Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge and Shadow Defence Minister Mark Francois.