Monday, January 19, 2026

Asked if he "genuinely" thought Donald Trump was considering military action to take over Greenland, Keir Starmer said at his emergency news conference: "I don't actually. I think this can be resolved and should be resolved through calm discussion."

That was the only moment when the prime minister seemed to challenge the US president head on. I imagine that Trump is not bothered about Starmer saying the future of Greenland is a matter for Greenlanders and Danes, and that Trump's use of tariffs as a weapon is "completely wrong". 

But saying he doesn't believe the Great Big Serious Threat that the president has made? That might be asking for trouble.  

Otherwise, Starmer's response was to act as a human bollard, as Sean O'Grady says. Victoria Richards says the president is using the language of an abusive husband. David Maddox wonders when the prime minister will deploy his ultimate weapon, the royal family. Simon Walters asks if a World Cup boycott would work. 

When was the last time an MP fought a by-election after changing parties?

Answer at the bottom of today's email 

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Daily briefing

Robert Jenrick: I told Kemi Badenoch to kick Liz Truss out of the Tory party

New Reform MP distances his party from former prime minister's "careless and cackhanded" mini-Budget

Sixty Labour MPs sign letter urging social media ban for under-16s

The open letter urges Keir Starmer to copy the Australian law that came into effect in December

Blow for Kemi Badenoch as another Tory MP joins Nigel Farage's Reform

Shadow foreign minister Andrew Rosindell has followed Robert Jenrick 

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QUOTATION OF THE DAY

I have concerns about using what I think is a questionable constitutional authority, imposing unilateral tariffs on Nato allies to achieve this objective

Mike Pence, Donald Trump's former vice president

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Quiz answer: Mark Reckless, November 2014, after defecting from Conservatives to Ukip; he held Rochester and lost it in the general election the following year

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