On this episode of Talk War, the focus turns from Tehran to London, as Samara Gill reports from the Al Quds rally where chants, placards and intimidation raise urgent questions about anti-Semitism, extremism and policing in Britain. Her account of being mobbed while reporting adds a chilling edge to a debate about whether hatred linked to the Iran regime is now being openly displayed on UK streets.

Eylon Levy warns that Britain is facing a “Khomeinist fifth column”, as the discussion widens to the spread of anti-Israel activism, rising hostility towards Jewish people, and fears that universities, protests and public spaces are becoming more toxic. The episode also explores what these scenes say about Keir Starmer, the Met Police, free speech and Britain’s grip on national cohesion.

Isabel Oakeshott and Peter Bleksley then weigh in on the wider fallout from the Iran crisis, including Britain’s response to the Strait of Hormuz threat, the debate over immigration, integration and security, and whether the UK is showing enough strength at home while conflict abroad fuels division on the streets.

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In the explosive launch episode of TALK WAR, host Philip Ingram — former senior British military intelligence officer and NATO planner, and a familiar voice on Times Radio, Sky News and the BBC — tackles the question everyone’s asking: what the hell is going on right now?

Philip is joined by Tom Sharpe OBE, former Royal Navy Commander and Defence columnist at The Telegraph, plus Eliot Wilson — former Clerk of the House of Commons (2005–2016), former official to the House of Commons Defence Committee, Secretary to the UK Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and writer on politics, international affairs and security for City AM, The Spectator and The Hill (and Contributing Editor, Defence on the Brink).

Together they connect the dots between Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, Gaza, Ukraine, the Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb, and why China is watching Taiwan. They dig into the real drivers — oil, energy security, global shipping, maritime choke points and sea power — and ask whether the West is stumbling towards World War Three.

Plus: Trump’s strategy — “4D chess” or chaos? What the UK government really means by “defensive” support, the reality of the special relationship, the politics around Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford, and what the HMS Dragon saga says about British defence readiness.

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Former Defence Select Committee chair Tobias Ellwood delivers a stark warning about Britain’s military readiness as the Iran conflict escalates. Speaking on Talk War, the former soldier says “our defence posture is woefully inadequate for where the world is going”, arguing the crisis has exposed serious weaknesses in the UK’s armed forces.

Ellwood explains the strategic messaging battle behind the White House’s war videos, saying they are designed to “keep your nation supporting your actions” while leaders manage domestic opinion during wartime. But he also warns the conflict risks becoming a missed opportunity to deal with Iran’s long-standing influence across the Middle East.

The discussion also turns to Britain’s delayed response as HMS Dragon finally departs for Cyprus, raising questions about the state of the Royal Navy and the UK’s wider defence capability. Ellwood argues the crisis should be a wake-up call, urging politicians to put national security above party politics and increase defence spending as global tensions continue to rise.

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A fiery debate erupts on Talk War as former British ambassador to Iran Sir Richard Dalton clashes with Julia Hartley-Brewer over the legality of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Dalton insists the conflict is “an illegal war” and accuses Western leaders of escalating tensions, while the discussion turns heated over whether Iran was truly on the verge of developing nuclear weapons.

The episode explores the global fallout from the strikes — including Donald Trump’s claim the war could end “very soon”, the destruction of key Iranian military capabilities, and growing pressure for de-escalation. Dalton argues diplomacy and international law should be leading the response, warning the conflict could destabilise Iran and the wider region.

Later, defence analyst Simon Diggins examines what the next phase of the conflict might look like, explaining why eliminating Iran’s military capabilities is very different from achieving regime change. With questions over how long the war could last and whether Britain’s delayed deployment of HMS Dragon will make any difference, this episode breaks down the strategic stakes as the Middle East crisis continues to unfold.

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As the Iran conflict intensifies, Talk War brings together some of the sharpest voices in geopolitics and intelligence to unpack what happens next. Talk’s International Editor Isabel Oakeshott reacts to Britain’s slow military response, admitting “I’m embarrassed” as HMS Dragon finally heads toward the region while allies move faster. With the Strait of Hormuz under threat and global shipping disrupted, the stakes for the world economy and Western security are rising fast.

Former NATO commander Rear Admiral Chris Parry explains why Iran’s military power has been “very much diminished” after devastating strikes, while Jake Wallis Simons argues the regime’s capabilities have been shattered but warns the war may not truly be over until the threat itself is destroyed. Meanwhile, former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove raises serious questions about the political endgame — warning that military victory does not necessarily guarantee a stable outcome.

With analysis from across the military, intelligence and political worlds, this episode examines whether the war is really “very complete” — or if the most dangerous phase is still ahead.

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As tensions in the Middle East escalate, this episode examines what the Iran crisis means for Britain at home and abroad. Andrew Fox argues the UK has little to add militarily to the US and Israel, but says Britain should be showing firmer diplomatic support, including proscribing the IRGC. He also warns that the current moment has exposed a deeper problem: Britain’s armed forces are badly managed despite having one of the biggest defence budgets in the world.

The discussion also turns to Keir Starmer’s handling of the crisis, the strain on the UK-US relationship, and growing questions over military priorities after reports of culture-war reviews inside the armed forces while naval readiness is under fire. Andrew Fox says the Ministry of Defence looks “fundamentally unserious” at a time when global instability is rising and British defence capability is being tested.

Former Royal Navy commander Tom Sharpe then explains why the Strait of Hormuz blockade could hit the UK hard, with oil, gas and shipping disruption feeding directly into higher bills and wider economic pain. He warns that Britain remains dangerously dependent on global sea lanes while decades of underinvestment, bad procurement and shrinking naval strength have left the country exposed.

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Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Supreme Leader, has emerged as the regime’s new hardline figurehead. Former Iranian political prisoner Sheeva Maboudi says the move changes nothing for ordinary Iranians, describing it as an internal show of strength for the regime, the IRGC and its regional proxies rather than a genuine shift in power. She argues the Iranian people are united first and foremost around one goal: toppling the regime.

Ian also hears from Jason Brodsky of United Against Nuclear Iran, who warns that Mojtaba Khamenei represents continuity, not reform. He says the new Supreme Leader is deeply tied to repression, secrecy, extremism and the IRGC, and suggests the regime rushed to install him to prevent fractures inside its military and security apparatus. The discussion also examines why some in Britain are mourning the old regime, despite its record of executions, crackdowns and terror.

The episode explores the wider questions now hanging over the Iran crisis: what regime change could actually look like, whether a political vacuum is inevitable, and how much of Iran’s nuclear capability still remains.

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Jeremy Kyle speaks to former head of the British Army Lord Richard Dannatt about the escalating Iran conflict, the role of Donald Trump and whether the war could spiral further across the Middle East. Dannatt explains the likely military objectives — weakening Iran’s missile capability and stopping a nuclear weapon — but warns regime change is far less likely and the conflict could drag on as energy prices surge and tensions spread across the Gulf.

Jeremy also asks whether the crisis began with an Israeli intelligence opportunity rather than a carefully timed US strategy, and what that means for how long the conflict could last. With flights disrupted, oil prices rising and British citizens caught up in regional chaos, the episode looks at the wider impact of the Iran war on the UK and the global economy.

Former foreign and defence secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind also joins the programme to discuss Keir Starmer’s handling of the crisis, the strain on the UK-US special relationship and whether Britain should have moved military assets earlier to protect its Cyprus base.

Talk War from Talk.

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Julia Hartley-Brewer examines the fallout from the Iran conflict as Sir Keir Starmer comes under pressure over Britain’s response, the fraying US relationship and serious questions about UK military readiness. Speaking to former security minister Tom Tugendhat, Julia hears that while Britain is entitled to make its own decisions, Starmer has somehow alienated Washington, Tehran and his own backbenches all at once. Tugendhat says the US and Israel may have a lawful case for striking Iran, but warns the bigger issue is Britain’s failure to protect its own interests, with too few ships, too little kit and no clear sense of preparedness.

Israeli Foreign Ministry special envoy Fleur Hassan-Nahoum tells Julia that Israel and the wider region are paying a far higher price than rising fuel bills, with civilians repeatedly forced into shelters while Iranian missiles target Israel, the Gulf and beyond. She argues the Islamic Republic remains a threat not just to Israel but to the wider West, warning that Iran’s regime, the IRGC and its terror network have destabilised the Middle East for decades. The episode also looks at the appointment of a new supreme leader in Iran, the long-term aim of removing the regime’s military threat, and whether the Iranian people could eventually rise up against their rulers.

Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith rounds out the debate with a blunt warning that Britain has been caught flat-footed militarily and politically. He says the UK should already have had assets in the region, argues the failure to proscribe the IRGC is indefensible, and blames years of underinvestment in defence for leaving Britain exposed.

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Jeremy Kyle speaks to Talk International Editor Isabel Oakeshott from Dubai as the Iran conflict deepens and Donald Trump turns on Sir Keir Starmer. Oakeshott says Britain’s response has looked “woefully lacking”, with HMS Dragon still in Portsmouth and the UK appearing unable to match the pace of allies in the Middle East. The episode asks whether Starmer’s handling of Iran has weakened Britain’s standing with Washington and damaged the special relationship.

Oakeshott argues Starmer has landed in “the worst of all worlds” by trying to please everyone while showing no real strength. She says he is “completely insufficiently robust on every level” and warns the US now sees Britain as “not a reliable ally”. Jeremy and Isabel discuss Trump’s criticism, the pressure on UK diplomacy, and why Britain’s military capability is now being exposed in full view.

The conversation also widens into a row about British identity and national priorities, from defence readiness to culture war flashpoints at home. Oakeshott says Britain must rediscover confidence in its values and stop looking weak while the world becomes more dangerous. For listeners searching for Iran war, Keir Starmer, Donald Trump, UK defence, HMS Dragon and the UK-US special relationship, this episode is a sharp analysis of a government under fire.

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