Final day @ #LDC & it’s been absolutely fascinating, somewhat unnerving & hugely thought-provoking. On now is a special addition of Mark Urban Iain Martin Deborah Haynes & Adam Boulton to discuss defence & the upcoming #GeneralElection 👇

What does the just announced general election hold for the United Kingdom & what role will defence & security play in the hustings? Mark Urban moderates a cracking panel with Iain Martin, Adam Boulton, & Deborah Haynes at the London Defence Conference. #LDC2024

What role will defence play in the General Election?

'Defence issues don't decide general elections until they do' - Iain Martin cites 2019 and 1983 as elections where defence mattered, at our first panel at day 3 of #LDC2024 with Adam Boulton Deborah Haynes Mark Urban

Fair to say I was pretty unimpressed by the PM’s general election launch. I have seen some strange things in politics, but that was bizarre. What on earth were they thinking? (Me on Times Radio with John Pienaar and Tim Montgomerie 🇬🇧 right after watching the farce in the rain)

The London Defence Conference is in full swing Security Studies with a superb panel on deterrence with Lawrence Freedman Niall Ferguson and Margaret MacMillan moderated by Mark Urban
#LDC2024

Flashbacks to my War Studies MA programme King's College London with a cracking panel of Niall Ferguson, Lawrence Freedman & Margaret MacMillan on the history & lessons of deterrence at the London Defence Conference. Reaction Iain Martin

In a more dangerous and competitive world marked by strategic convergence by competitors and adversaries, we need to urgently rebuild a culture of #defense , #resilience and #preparedness . 🙏 #LDC2024 King's College London Iain Martin for a brilliant conference on #deterrence 🙏

Security & Defence PLuS is at London Defence Conference

#LDC2024 kicks off with a Future Leaders Day, led by War Studies students. Today, young professionals and students will share their views on geopolitical challenges with leaders and practitioners in #security and #defence .

“The real danger is that you’re going to see the emergence of a reform of the left which is Galloway adjacent.”

Corbyn’s re-election would cause further headaches for Starmer within the left-leaning contingent of the Labour Party.

@IainMartin1 | Rachel Sylvester | Matt Chorley

'The regime requires balance, and maintaining a semblance of balance will be necessary for any succession to succeed and for the Islamic Republic to be preserved.'

The looming battle for succession in Iran | Afshon Ostovar

engelsbergideas.com/essays/the-loo…

Ebrahim Raisi, the Butcher of Tehran, aka President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, is dead. He played a key role in the mass execution of political prisoners in the late 1980s — perhaps as many as 5,000 murdered — and as president, he escalated enforcement of the hijab law,

As every time in Lviv, I visit the military cemetery, known as the Field of Mars. There are many fresh graves…

It’s time to hand in my body armour after 30+ years covering conflict for the BBC. How have our ways of surviving on the battlefield evolved? Here’s a bumper 🧵

If you enjoyed Dominic Sandbrook's brilliant Rest is History episodes on 1974, you might also enjoy this 'deep dive' into the housing market and policies of the time (which were extremely important – eg, remember the Thatcher-fronted pledge to cap mortgage rates!)

As Lord Chancellor, I approved the JAC recommendations to appoint Lord Burnett as LCJ, Bs Hale as Supreme Ct President & various other senior judges. I did so with no knowledge of the candidates' political views or whether they even voted. 1/4

Sir Michael Fallon on rebuilding the West’s military deterrence

Iain Martin (Iain Martin) speaks to Sir Michael Fallon, former defence secretary, about establishing Western deterrence in a new age of geopolitical uncertainty.

reaction.life/sir-michael-fa…

Latest NYT poll of key swing states v bad news for Biden bar Wisconsin and Pennsylvania:
Nevada - Trump 50%, Biden 38%. Huge margin for a swing state
Georgia - Trump 49%, Biden 39%. Another huge margin.
Michigan — Trump 49%, Biden 42%. Decent lead for swing state.
Arizona -

The madness of crowds | Armand D'Angour
engelsbergideas.com/notebook/the-m…

Even I, as a fan of the longue durée, reckon this is pushing it

This is our son James, 17. He's autistic, & very musical. He goes to Sound Lab, a brilliant music project for neurodivergent ppl, with plans to expand. Its current funding will soon end, so we're walking Hadrian's Wall in half term. Pls donate if you can! gofundme.com/f/james-harris…