I found this post on X particularly telling regarding the biases within the UK government.
As is noted, the government has put the entire Iranian state on the enhanced tier of its Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, while at the same time one third of the MPs in the cabinet and one quarter of MP's altogether receive funding from organisations sympathetic to Israel.
There is a massive problem with the purchase of influence within the UK government, but it does not come from Iran. The problem is with Israel, which can now be quite reasonably described as the biggest rogue state on earth, and is undoubtedly a greater threat to UK security given the current consequences of its actions in the Middle East.
Why isn't funding from the pro-Israel lobby being treated in the same way as that from Iran? Both are neofascist, theocratic states undertaking actions deeply repugnant to those committed to human rights, democracy and justice. That one is apparently favoured, despite that fact is profoundly worrying.
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Funding of MPs by any person or organisation implies buying influence. It is simply unacceptable.
Agreed
Absolutely agreed here too.
In the Neo-liberal age, even the truth can be bought and changed to suit those with the money. And there will be those who confuse their Antisemitism with Zionism and feed their fetid hatred of Jews. And meanwhile Muslims become the Wests ‘bogeymen’. The ‘people of the book’ behaving like this…………..it’s an unholy mess. And there is a rather racial undertow to it all too.
I have many concerns about the Islamic Republic of Iran, but the threat that they have any covert or overt influence on UK institutions including government, and law enforcement, has never worried me. Propaganda? Certainly. Cyber threats? Maybe. Influence within government? No.
The state of Israel however, have the ability to influence many areas of UK life, and do so, to great (and malign) effect, with lobbying, Hasbara, advanced cyberwarfare and surveillance, penetrating Downing St., all political parties, universities, schools, museums, publishers, broadcasters, esp. the BBC, the press, they can topple senior police officers, influence the policing of protest, and laws controlling the expression of political dissent, and the intimidation, arrest and incarceration of those who report on it, and of course, influence the removal and appointment of party leaders.
Please note – I am NOT referring to a “Jewish” lobby, not to the influence of those an ethnic or religious identity, but the influence of a foreign governent, that of the state of Israel. So please don’t waste time trolling me for “antisemitism”. I know that Israel is doing great harm to diaspora Jews by trying to conflate Judaism and the Jewish identity of diaspora Jews with its own criminal interests. I want to see Jews protected from antisemitism, not subjected to it.
That latest “Foreign influence” move by our government is a hypocritical farce. Follow the money.
Much to agree with
Agreed, Robert.
I take the view that Iran is of little threat to Europe- at least until now with the threat to the Gulf oil production. The House of Commons website tells us:
Those targeted by Iran in the UK include dissidents, journalists, regime opponents, Israelis, Jews, and sectors including government, travel and universities. BBC Persian and the UK-based news agency Iran International are among those who have long reported Iranian state threats.”
While this is wrong and shouldn’t be tolerated it is not aimed at our societies like the Wahabi terrorists financed by individuals in Arabia and the Gulf. The Israelis have conducted similar operations with Mossad.
Terrorism is a method, not an ideology as such. It is a convenient word to shut down any debate about why a state or non-state actor like Hezbollah are engaged in conflict.
Iran supports Hamas, Houthis, (both existed before Iranian support) and Hezbollah because they are seen as a resistance movement to Israel and its slow annexation of the rest of Palestine.
I also think it is likely that if the US had pressured Israel to accept the Arab League offer of 2002 with the recognition of Israel on 1967 borders, the ending of settlements and either some right of return or compensation, we probably wouldn’t be in this situation.
The Arab states wouldn’t want irregular armed groups and with American and European support for a settlement which supported the security of both communities, Iran would, by all accounts, have accepted it. Also less incentive to join Hamas etc
The Israelis have only ever offered a sort of County Council status and the US have always just gone along. So have we really.
The BBC Persia service is probably the least objective part of the BBC. It exists to deliver propaganda, and does.
. . . closely followed by BBC Scotland.
Much to agree with, go well richard..
cringe city
In the USA, Tucker Carlson is questioning the influence of Israel. It has, apparently, a permanent presence in the CIA and the Pentagon. He also noted all those with both a US passport and one from another country in positions of power (with the implication that it was Israel). There is a permanent Israeli military person in the Berlaymont – European Commission HQ. Why? In the case of the UK, it is worth noting that Israel, through its actions in the late 1960s (and the follow on in the 1970s caused the oil shock, inflation and the rise of neoliberalism). Israel is doing the same now. The UK should expell all Israeli diplomats and close the embassy, ditto all Israeli passport holders and cut off all links including transport and commercial. Israel is a rogue state, it is time it had a reality check. This will never happen under the current UK government because it has been penetrated by a state whose actions are inimical to the interests of the UK & its citizens. Failure to recognise this reality now, will have consequences.
Vested interest money is flooding our politics – and seems to have grown over recent years to the extent that political parties don’t really need members – and some like Labour and Tories prefer to get funds from Israel, big builders, big pharma, private healthcare , fossil fuel interests etc etc.<p>
The recent Rycroft review on foreign influence implied it was only ‘hostile’ states we had to think about – although it did mention possible bad actors from US – but as expected, didn’t mention Israel – which sponsors many cabinet members, and MP’s . The Met Police apparently have joint exchange programmes with Israel <p>
Is it any wonder people have lost faith in our ‘democracy’?
Robert Pape of Chicago University points out that the actions of Trump and Lloyds of London in four weeks have created a new world power, Iran, and downgraded the power of the USA and its allies.
The UK government is totally at sea, hosting a conference with others about how to open the Straits, including sanctions against Iran.
Have they forgotten that the Straits are not international waters they are Iran and Oman territory. Taking military action will be an act of war. Plus Iran already faces sanctions, more are not likely to to move the Iranian government.
The world is now a very different place than before the end of February 2026.
No steer is in for a shock because the public mood has changed and is moving very anti the funding of politicians etc by Israeli lobby groups.
Much to agree with
I’m an associate of Jewish Voice for Liberation. It was Jewish Voice for Labour, an antiZionist group for Labour members, until the coup. Jews were assaulted as antisemites, the ‘wrong type of Jew’ by non Jews such Woodcock (“Lord Mann”), suspended, expelled, deselected etc. The hand of Israel was behind it all.
Please see the Nick Corbishley article posted on Naked Capitalism today ” Keir Starmer’s Schrodinger’s War”. This class of journalism is very rare in the UK right now.
Very good
Here https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2026/04/keir-starmers-schrodingers-war.html
So……………Trump’s attacks on Britain’s supposed lack of help is just a smokescreen covering up the actual help we are giving them in this illegal war? Portraying us as not very well involved.
It’s a confection…a lie….its purposeful misrepresentation to me – disinformation by design and collusion.
Shameless.
Good from Gail Tverberg
Losing the Iran War May Be the Best Outcome for the World
How Starmer helps Trump bomb Iran ‘back to the Stone Age’
Honestly, I am starting to wonder whether there is a Trump/Starmer plot going on here and that Trump’s attacks on Starmer are a smokescreen to disguise it. This might explain why Starmer says the attacks on him do not trouble him.
Possible
Shouldn’t Lord Hermer, the Attorney General, arrest Keir Starmer for war crimes?