As a ceasefire in the Middle East teeters on the edge, Prime Minister Keir Starmer heads to the Gulf. But is this a diplomatic masterstroke or a "smoothing over exercise" after the UK was left on the back foot by Donald Trump?

In this episode of Whitehall Sources, Calum Macdonald is joined by political strategist Jo Tanner and former Number 10 advisor James Nation to pull back the curtain on:

The Strait of Hormuz: Why this narrow stretch of water is the "core of the crisis" for UK diesel, fertilizer, and energy prices.

The Starmer Reset: Did the UK fail its Gulf allies during the US offensive strikes?

The "Nerd Threshold": James Nation explains the specific law that stops Rachel Reeves from holding an "Emergency Budget"—and why a 10p fuel duty cut is the big political battleground.

The July Price Cap: Is the Treasury’s "wait and see" approach a gamble with the hospitality and travel sectors?

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