Discussing a forthcoming book by investigative journalist Paul Holden titled The Fraud: Keir Starmer, Morgan McSweeney and the Crisis of British Democracy.
Downing Street’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, who was the director of the Labour Together think tank, undated image (PA)
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Holden’s book will contain allegations of irregularities concerning what he calls “a secret unlawful fund” and more than £700,000 of hidden donations to a think tank run by McSweeney.
These revelations are potentially dangerous for McSweeney. Far more importantly, they may impact viscerally on Starmer himself.
This is because, according to Holden, the purpose of McSweeney’s think tank, misleadingly called Labour Together, was to supercharge Starmer’s path to Downing Street.
Once Starmer was installed in No 10 he rewarded McSweeney by making him Downing Street chief of staff.
The Tory Party is now claiming that new evidence has come to light that “raises the question of whether a criminal offence has been committed”.
In a letter to the Electoral Commission, Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake makes the devastating allegation that the “funds were used by Labour Together in a sustained political campaign to bring down Jeremy Corbyn and secure the election of Keir Starmer as leader of the Labour Party”.
This is especially significant because official records show Starmer did not declare any support from the group in the official Commons register.
Under the Commons code of conduct, MPs are required to declare support worth more than £1,500 designed to help their “candidacy at an election for parliamentary or non-parliamentary office”.
To put the charges made into plain English, the Tories are in effect accusing McSweeney of arranging a secret slush fund to launch Starmer into Downing Street.
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People take part in a march held in support of Palestine, takes place before the football match between the national football teams of Italy and Israel in UEFA Nations League in Udine, Italy on October 14, 2024. [Michele Novaga – Anadolu Agency]
Israeli newspapers and cross-media reports reported that Israel temporarily escaped expulsion from the European Football Association (UEFA), after intense diplomatic pressure was exerted by American and Israeli officials on the federation’s leaders, in light of increasing calls to exclude Israel from European competitions due to the war on Gaza.
Israeli media and several reports have confirmed that Israel has temporarily escaped expulsion from the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) following intense diplomatic pressure from US and Israeli officials. The push comes amid growing calls to ban Israel from European football competitions due to its ongoing military campaign in Gaza.
UEFA had been expected to discuss the possible exclusion of Israel under pressure from Qatar. However, that move was postponed after strong diplomatic intervention.
According to political analyst Trita Parsi, who posted on X, the United States — although not a UEFA member — played a direct role in lobbying European officials to prevent the suspension from being added to UEFA’s official agenda.
As a result, Israeli clubs will continue to participate in continental tournaments, as Maccabi Tel Aviv is scheduled to play its Europa League match against the Greek team PAOK Thessaloniki as scheduled.
Reports said that a series of behind-the-scenes talks involving diplomats, football officials, and influential sports figures in Europe helped reach this temporary compromise.
Meanwhile, a group of advisers at the UN Human Rights Council has called for Israel to be excluded from both UEFA and FIFA. However, the council does not hold any formal authority over international football bodies.
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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.Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpAVote Labour for Genocide.
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Hundreds of people gather in front of the Municipal Theater to protest drone attacks targeting the Global Sumud Fleet, which set sail to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, in Tunis, Tunisia on September 25, 2025. [Mehmet Akif Turan – Anadolu Agency]
The United Nations and the European Union on Wednesday condemned attacks on the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was intercepted off the coast of Greece while en route to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid.
A spokesperson for the European Commission, Eva Hrncirova, said: “The freedom of navigation under international law must be upheld. … So, no attacks, no drone strikes, no seizures. Any use of force against the flotilla is not acceptable.” She added: “We respect the humanitarian commitment of the people who are on board the flotilla.”
Italy also strongly condemned the attack. Its Defence Minister, Guido Crosetto confirmed that a navy frigate has been activated to be on hand for possible rescue operations.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called for stopping these attacks, stating that “those responsible for violations must be held to account,” and also demanded an “independent, impartial, and thorough investigation.”
According to informed sources, three drones flew over the Omar Al-Mukhtar vessel, which was sailing alone to join the flotilla — raising serious concerns among its crew.
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said: “Attacks and threats against those trying to deliver aid to and support the hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza who are suffering famine and starvation defy belief.”
Activists on board reported that Israeli forces attacked the flotilla using flash bombs, flares, and suspected chemical substances. They said multiple drone strikes occurred, with explosions heard near the Greek coast.
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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.Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpAVote Labour for Genocide.
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People, holding Palestinian flags, gather at the Port of Tripoli to show their supports as the “Omar al-Mukhtar” ship, which will join the Global Sumud Flotilla from Libya, prepares to leave in Tripoli, Libya on September 16, 2025. [Muhammed Semiz – Anadolu Agency]
The Global Sumud Flotilla on Tuesday rejected Israel’s demand that its vessels dock in Ashkelon to transfer humanitarian aid to Gaza, describing the request as part of Tel Aviv’s long-standing blockade of the Palestinian enclave, Anadolu reports.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Monday warned that flotilla ships would not be allowed to enter what it called an “active combat zone” and accused the Palestinian resistance group Hamas of organizing the mission.
It said aid could instead be unloaded at Ashkelon Port in southern Israel and transferred to Gaza “quickly and in a coordinated manner.”
In a statement, flotilla organizers dismissed the Israeli proposal, stressing that it is not a neutral logistical request but a tactic to obstruct relief and delegitimize those who challenge the siege.
“Since May 2025, after lifting its so-called ‘total blockade,’ Israel has permitted an average of only 70 trucks per day into Gaza, while UN agencies estimate that 500 to 600 trucks are required daily to meet basic needs,” the statement said.
It cited Israel’s record of intercepting vessels, blocking convoys and restricting routes as evidence that the intent “is not to facilitate relief but to control, delay and deny it.”
The flotilla noted that rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have condemned Israel’s restrictions as violations of international law and obstructions of impartial humanitarian assistance, Anadolu reports.
“Painting a peaceful humanitarian mission as a ‘breach of the law’ is a pretext for violence against civilians acting lawfully to deliver aid,” the statement continued, warning that such rhetoric “flouts international law” and places lives at risk.
The group urged governments, UN agencies and humanitarian organizations to ensure safe passage and protection for aid workers, uphold international humanitarian law by rejecting Israel’s siege, and act decisively to end what it described as “the ongoing genocide in Gaza.”
It warned that “anything less risks entrenching a system of forced starvation, deprivation and collective punishment that is costing thousands of Palestinian lives.”
The flotilla includes vessels carrying humanitarian aid, international activists and parliamentarians seeking to break Israel’s blockade by directly reaching Gaza.
On Sept. 16, the International Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza announced that the flotilla’s ships would gather near the island nation of Malta to sail together across the Mediterranean toward Gaza’s shores, without specifying a date.
It is the largest effort of its kind, aiming to reach Gaza, where 2.4 million Palestinians live under an Israeli blockade that has lasted 18 years.
Israel has previously intercepted Gaza-bound ships, seizing the vessels and deporting those on board. UN investigators recently concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, where more than 65,300 people have been killed since October 2023.
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpAKeir 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.Vote Labour for Genocide.
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View of the FIFA logo on December 01, 2022 in Doha, Qatar [Catherine Ivill/Getty Images]
The UN experts on Monday called on FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel’s national football team from international competitions, saying it is a “necessary response to address the ongoing genocide in the occupied Palestinian territory,” Anadolu reports.
“The conclusion of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel, that Israel is committing genocide is the latest in a growing number of international bodies affirming that genocide is being committed,” the experts said. They recalled that the International Court of Justice’s interim order of Jan. 26, 2024, reminded every country of its legal duty to act against genocide.
“Sports must reject the perception that it is business as usual,” they said. “Sporting bodies must not turn a blind eye to grave human rights violations, especially when their platforms are used to normalize injustices.”
The experts clarified that the call targets the state of Israel and not individual players, saying: “We have always maintained that individuals cannot bear the consequences of the decisions their government makes.”
They further urged FIFA to “stop legitimizing the situation arising from Israel’s unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” stressing: “There is a legal and moral imperative to take every measure possible to end the genocide in Gaza now.”
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpAKeir 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.Vote Labour for Genocide.
