Monthly Archives: May 2026

UK to deploy drones, fighter jets, warship for future Hormuz security mission

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This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

UK Defense Secretary John Healey leaves Downing Street after attending the weekly Cabinet meeting at Downing Street in London, United Kingdom on October 14, 2025. [Raşid Necati Aslım – Anadolu Agency]

The United Kingdom will deploy drones, Typhoon fighter jets and the Royal Navy warship HMS Dragon as part of a future multinational mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz, the UK Defence Ministry said on Tuesday, Anadolu reports.

The announcement came after a virtual summit involving defence ministers and representatives from more than 40 countries participating in the planned multinational military mission.

According to the ministry, the UK contribution will include autonomous mine-hunting systems, counter-drone capabilities and mine-clearance specialists, backed by 115 million pounds ($152 million) in new funding.

The package will also feature the Royal Navy’s modular “Beehive” system equipped with autonomous Kraken drone boats designed to detect, track and respond to threats.

HMS Dragon is already heading to the Middle East after additional preparations and training, the ministry said, adding that the destroyer’s advanced Sea Viper air defence system would be available for potential future operations in the Strait of Hormuz.

British Typhoon fighter jets stationed in the region will also be prepared to conduct air patrols over the strategic waterway.

Defence Secretary John Healey said the UK was “playing a leading role to secure the Strait of Hormuz.”

Iran sets 5 conditions for new talks with US: Report

“New funding for autonomous mine-hunting and counter-drone systems, our advanced Typhoon jets and HMS Dragon are strong and clear commitments,” Healey said.

“With our allies, this multinational mission will be defensive, independent and credible,” he added.

The ministry said the operation would become active “when conditions allow” and stressed that the mission’s purpose was to restore confidence in commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global trade route through which around one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.

The UK currently has more than 1,000 military personnel stationed across the region, including counter-drone teams and fast-jet squadrons, according to the statement.

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

dizzy: Starmer & Co are clinging on to support Israel and increase the UK’s active participation in Israel’s genocidal expansion despite clearly lacking a mandate.

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer confirms that he doesn't know anything about democracy.
Keir Starmer confirms that he doesn’t know anything about democracy.

Continue ReadingUK to deploy drones, fighter jets, warship for future Hormuz security mission

Palestine Action barrister wins appeal in contempt case

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https://www.declassifieduk.org/palestine-action-barrister-wins-appeal-in-contempt-case/

A protest outside Woolwich Crown Court where the Palestine Action activists were tried (Photo: Alamy)

Rajiv Menon KC faced proceedings which his chambers said were unprecedented in English legal history

A leading human rights barrister has won his appeal against contempt of court proceedings, which were levelled at him for a closing speech in the trial of Palestine Action activists. 

The court of appeal’s ruling on Tuesday in the case of Rajiv Menon KC comes as it has also emerged that four of the defendants found guilty in a retrial can be sentenced as terrorists.

Three court of appeal judges found that the trial judge, Mr Justice Johnson, “had no jurisdiction” to refer the case against Menon to the High Court. 

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Campaign group Defend Our Juries (DoJ) said: “Rajiv Menon KC did what every defence barrister should be free to do – in discharging his duty to his client: he told a jury the truth about their own rights.”

“The fact that contempt of court proceedings were even brought against a barrister for his closing speech – for the first time in British legal history – should deeply concern everyone who cares about the rule of law,” the group added.

Menon had been accused of violating Johnson’s orders in the first trial of six activists who broke into an Israeli-owned arms factory near Bristol in 2024 at the height of the Gaza genocide.

He barred the lawyers from inviting the jury to disregard the court’s ruling of law or to acquit the defendants on the basis of conscience, known as the principle of jury equity.

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Original article at https://www.declassifieduk.org/palestine-action-barrister-wins-appeal-in-contempt-case/

Keir Starmer says that he's banning words and phrases now as well as placards.
Keir Starmer says that he’s banning words and phrases now as well as placards.
Palestine Action joke that appeared in the UK satirical magazine 'Private Eye'.
Palestine Action joke that appeared in the UK satirical magazine ‘Private Eye’.
Keir Starmer confirms that he doesn't know anything about democracy.
Keir Starmer confirms that he doesn’t know anything about democracy.
Continue ReadingPalestine Action barrister wins appeal in contempt case

Palestine Action Activists to Be Sentenced As Terrorists in Move Kept Secret From Jury and Public

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https://novaramedia.com/2026/05/12/palestine-action-activists-to-be-sentenced-as-terrorists-in-move-kept-secret-from-jury-and-public/

From back left to right: Jordan Devlin, Charlotte Head, Zoe Rogers, Samuel Corner. Front row from left: Leona (Ellie) Kamio and Fatema Rajwani. Credit: handout

‘More outrageous than proscription.’

by Harriet Williamson 12 May 2026

A court will seek to sentence four Palestine Action activists found guilty of criminal damage at a site owned by Israel’s biggest weapons manufacturer as terrorists, even though they were not convicted of terror charges, Novara Media is now able to report. 

The ‘terror connection’ was kept secret from the jury and UK media outlets were barred from reporting on this due to court-imposed restrictions, which were lifted on 12 May. This is believed to be the first case in British history where a court will attempt to sentence activists taking direct action as terrorists.

Judge Jeremy Johnson is expected to add a ‘terrorist connection’ to the charges of Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona (Ellie) Kamio and Fatema Rajwani under section 69 of the Sentencing Act 2020, despite the jury only convicting them of criminal damage and having no knowledge that a terror link could be later imposed. 

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Being sentenced as terrorists means the defendants could face significantly longer time in prison and be listed as terrorists upon release – imposing severe limitations on their lives. Most have already served 18 months on remand, with Corner incarcerated for 21 months. 

In a preparatory hearing back in March 2025, the judge ruled that there appeared to be a ‘terrorist connection’ as the activists were attempting to influence the Israeli government by restricting its access to weapons. 

Judge Johnson said: “On s1(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2000, Rajiv Menon KC and others strongly argued that influencing government was not the purpose of the action – the purpose of the action was to damage weapons and save lives. I accept that this was one motivating factor – but that does not mean that another purpose was not to damage property to be made available to the Israeli government and thereby influence the Israeli government.”

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https://novaramedia.com/2026/05/12/palestine-action-activists-to-be-sentenced-as-terrorists-in-move-kept-secret-from-jury-and-public/

Image of the original Fascists Mussolini and Hitler.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Justice Secretary David Lammy. The original Fascists Mussolini and Hitler salute the UK Labour Party.
Keir Starmer confirms that he doesn't know anything about democracy.
Keir Starmer confirms that he doesn’t know anything about democracy.

Continue ReadingPalestine Action Activists to Be Sentenced As Terrorists in Move Kept Secret From Jury and Public

Campaigners and union reps demand NHS ‘cease all contracts with Palantir’

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/campaigners-and-union-reps-demand-nhs-cease-all-contracts-palantir

 NHS staff blockade the entrance to NHS England’s headquarters in central London demanding the cancellation of its contract with Palantir, which campaign groups say supplies advanced technology to Israel’s military, April 3, 2024

US tech giant granted ‘unlimited access’ to patients’ data

HEALTH union reps, public ownership campaigners and Amnesty International UK demanded the NHS “cease all contracts with Palantir” today after the US tech company was granted “unlimited access” to patients’ data.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting was urged to reconsider a “staggering decision” to grant external staff from firms including Palantir access to patients’ identifiable data while working on its flagship platform.

An NHS England internal briefing note published today by the Financial Times said it would create an “admin” role which “permits unlimited access to non-NHS England staff” to the National Data Integration Tenant (NDIT) and identifiable patient data within it.

The NDIT is a part of a larger tool made to aggregate disparate NHS data into a single system called the Federated Data System, which earned Palantir a £330 million government contract in 2023.

As well as the controversial US tech firm, access to patients’ data could be given to any other outside firm contracted to work on the Federated Data System.

Previously, access to sensitive information required individuals working on the NDIT to apply for permission for specific data sets, the FT reported.

All-round access was initially meant to be reserved for NHS England employees with security clearance.

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Article continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/campaigners-and-union-reps-demand-nhs-cease-all-contracts-palantir

Related: Palantir to be granted ‘unlimited access’ to NHS patient data

Continue ReadingCampaigners and union reps demand NHS ‘cease all contracts with Palantir’