UK must use its influence & muscle if needed to get all sides to step back from brink of war in Middle East

Danger of war

THE world holds its breath as the Middle East teeters, once more, on the edge of a major conflict.

It is clear that all-out war is “a real danger” after Hezbollah, just one of Iran’s evil proxies, tried to rain rockets on Israel and Israeli fighter jets launched preemptive attacks on the terrorists’ launch sites in Lebanon.

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Both sides insist their actions are not over.

Time and again Israel’s enemies attack it knowing full well that it will defend itself, then feign outrage when it does and use that self defence as a pretext for more “revenge”.

As ever, it is innocent families on both sides who invariably get caught in the cross-fire, and a full-scale war will only make things infinitely worse.

It is not enough to hope that calm heads will prevail, because there are too many who are in positions to promote peace who have absolutely no interest in doing so.

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Indeed, they are the ones fanning the flames and pouring fuel on the fire.

The West, including Britain, must increase its efforts to douse those flames and use its influence — and muscle if necessary — to persuade all sides to step back from the brink.

Keir in the mire

LABOUR enjoyed notable political success in opposition pointing out the cronyism that seemed rife under the last Government and which left a nasty smell in the nostrils.

Sir Keir Starmer, his deputy Angela Rayner and others in the party’s higher echelons promised that, if they came to power, they would clean up the sleaze.

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So it is disappointing to see the new Government mired in cash-for-jobs allegations of its own so early in its administration.

The appointment of Labour donor Ian Corfield as director of investment at the Treasury and the unrestricted access to Downing Street given to fellow donor Lord Alli are just a couple of examples.

We do hope that this is not what Sir Keir is talking about when he says things will get worse before they get better.

Trust is hard to win and easily lost.

Sir Keir must act quickly to wash away any whiff of hypocrisy.

Kate so great

HOW we have missed Princess Kate’s wonderful smile regularly lighting up our lives.

So it was a joy to see her beaming by husband Prince William’s side as they arrived for the Sunday service at Crathie Church, near Balmoral, yesterday.

It was her first public appearance for more than a month.

We sincerely hope we will soon be seeing much more of her in the public eye.