Richard Ratcliffe ended his hunger strike today after 21 days. Don’t say it ended in failure. There is only glory in trying to protect your wife, reunite your family and ask for the truth. Throughout he has shown untold dignity and compassion. Admire him, support him, help him.

In closing words of UN Security Council meeting, Ukrainian ambassador stares at the Russian Ambassador: “There is no purgatory for war criminals. They go straight to hell, ambassador.” In a final humiliation for the UN, the whole session had been chaired by Russia.

Spare a thought for the new Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch on board HMS Queen Elizabeth in New York Harbour as she delivers a keynote speech today telling an "audience of US investors why the UK is the best place in the world to invest".

Tony Blair: "Here are 5 words I never thought I would say: Thank God for John Major. To John, to Michael Heseltine, for years I stood against you, tonight, it is an honour to stand with you." A new world being born, or dying.

Asked why Macedonia wanted to join the EU at the time of UK departure, the foreign minister for Macedonia Nikola Dimitrov suggests "perhaps those inside forget how cold it is outside".

Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori have been released. Official.

Nigel Farage says Leave won "without a single bullet being fired", except of course a bullet was fired, and a 3 & 5 year old are motherless.

How Astra Zeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot struck a deal with Oxford to ensure their vaccine is available to the world’s poor. “My kids would kill me if I did not do this”. It has agreed to supply 1 billion doses for low-and-middle-income countries.

Conservative Party 2001 election slogan:" In Europe, but not run by Europe". Currently being updated: "Not in Europe, but run by Europe"

Claire O'Neill, sacked by No 10, says "my advice to anybody to whom Boris is making promises - whether its voters, world leaders, ministers, employees or indeed family members - is 'Get it in writing, get a lawyer to look at it and make sure the money is in the bank'."

For those interested: after Iran's abhorrent execution of fellow journalist Ruhollah Zam, I am not chairing tomorrow's discussion with EU envoys based in Tehran on economic relations with Iran. I'm sure envoys will discuss how trade must be contingent on respect for human rights.

This photo haunts me, and should haunt everyone - British, Iranian and American - involved in the failure to find a way to negotiate the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. All those that will not compromise - for whatever reason of state - should look into those eyes.

Overall UK political silence about Hong Kong with exceptions eg @ChukaUmunna, @TomTugendhat Barry Gardiner for Labour condemns police but unable to answer when asked if British National overseas passport holders in HK should be given automatic right of abode and to work in UK.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe at her mother's home in Tehran with one ankle tag.

David Miliband on Radio 5 "I see Brexit as an act of unilateral political disarmament. It’s the greatest giveaway of political power that a country has voluntarily ever done".

Strong interview with Karim Khan ICC prosecutor in Sunday Times “I am not saying that Israel with its democracy and its supreme court is akin to Hamas, of course not. I couldn’t be clearer, Israel has every right to protect its population and to get the hostages back. But nobody has a licence to commit war crimes or crimes against humanity. The means define us. “There were attempts to kill Margaret Thatcher, Airey Neave was blown up, Lord Mountbatten was blown up, there was the Enniskillen attack, we had kneecappings … But the British didn’t decide to say, ‘Well, on the Falls Road [the heart of Catholic Belfast] there undoubtedly may be some IRA members and Republican sympathisers, so therefore let’s drop a 2,000lb bomb on the Falls Road.’ You can’t do that. “Law must have some purpose, that’s what separates states that respect the law from criminal groups and terrorists. And that’s all I have been trying to do, apply law based on facts, and that’s what we must do whatever condemnation we get.” Interview by @christinalamb

New Labour policy. Labour MPs will vote down May deal, cos it fails six tests, push for GE, fail to get one, and then campaign for a public vote in which the choice is solely between the May deal that Labour has already rejected and no deal/Armageddon. What an offer.

Rare joint statement from US, German, French, EU and UK foreign affairs committee chairs lambasting Turkey and Trump.

Odd the BBC news hounds think that John Major opposing Conservatives in an election campaign is not a story. Instead, "we are going to talk [yet again] to Nick about tonight's election debate". Poor old John. He was only Conservative PM.

Chancellor Philip Hammond: The Cabinet has not yet had a full discussion of what should be the Government's preferred "end state position" for the UK after Brexit. It's official. HMG has no agreed destination on Brexit. 18 months on.

Untrue. MPs had time to pass big counter-terrorism and border security act. Royal Assent Feb 2019. Described as long hard forensic look at how to combat modern terrorism, it included lengthier sentences. If BJ sees gap in terror laws now he had the legislative vehicle to fill it

From a wide-ranging report by the Centre for American Progress - a think tank close to the Biden administration - on what to do if Putin invades Ukraine. This passage says U.K. govt so compromised by Russian money, the US may have to intervene. americanprogress.org/article…

Former international development secretary Andrew Mitchell says his govt has condemned hundreds of thousands of children to starvation . Quite a statement.

Ratcliffe ends meeting with Liz Truss frustrated by her refusal to discuss Iran debt “They can’t keep hiding behind ‘there are things we can’t tell you’ & ‘there are secret reasons that are too complicated to explain’. Our story is not that complex. It doesn’t wash after 5 years”

V respected Iranian reporter here saying UK has paid its £400m debt to Iran and UK Iranian dual nationals Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori will be released.

Quite a moment when David Gauke, ex-Justice Secretary, feels compelled to say "It would be helpful if the govt could clarify if it believes in the rule of law."

Is there anyone in charge of UK Middle East policy? Last week the UK suspended talks with Israel over a further free trade deal with foreign sect saying what Israel is doing in Gaza "is extremist, dangerous, repellent and monstrous". One week later the UK trade envoy acts as if it's business as usual. Fundamentally, not serious.

Asked why the UK did not take part in an EU ventilator scheme, the Foreign office permanent secretary said "It was a political decision. The UK mission (UKREP) briefed ministers about what was abailable and what was on offer and the decision is known". So much for missed emails.

UK Brexit Dept rejects a Freedom of Information request from Reuters on whether it has sought legal advice on staging a second referendum, or reversing Article 50, Says not in the public interest and would weaken UK negotiating position. Preposterous.

Sir Kim did see relevant part of TV debate. He told Johnson directly his lack of support was a factor in his resignation. Seen by all, Boris repeatedly refused to back Sir Kim as Ambassador in the debate. Ungarbled and unedited, he let him down. And now he dissembles.

Sir John Major on proroguing Commons to enforce Brexit:"I don't think anybody who proposes that or even lets that flip through their mind for a second has any understanding of what parliament is about, what sovereignty is about, what leadership is about or what the UK is about".

UK government's delay of Russian influence report is inexplicable, damaging and shaming, says Hillary Clinton. theguardian.com/politics/201…

Fiona Hill, ex White House Russia director,says, “Russia has managed to turn London, & all kinds of people who work in it, into one of their instruments. Billions of £s have been brought into London by oligarchs working with the Kremlin. We are foolish to let this continue”.

Chatham House is one of the most prestigious international relations think tanks so when its director @bronwenmaddox gives her annual lecture, it is an occasion. Last night she said “Israel has always had objectives that are difficult to reconcile - one is getting hostages back and the other is the pursuit of Hamas. I am unconvinced, as are a lot of other people, that the technique they have chosen which is bombarding Gaza and flattening it, is going to achieve either of those things”. She said “The US and Europe should make clear to Israel that while its wish to eradicate Hamas is justifiable, it is pursuing a military course unlikely to achieve that goal and the level of civilian casualties is intolerable. What is more it has fallen into a trap that Hamas has set by reacting in a way that loses the world’s support”. She called for the West to do more to pursue Israel to accept a two state solution. She added it was also legitimate to claim “western countries, above all the US, allowed the Israeli Palestinian conflict to fester and for Israel to abuse its power to expand its settlements on the West Bank in land earmarked for a future Palestinian state”. She framed her criticism of the West’s stance towards Israel in a broader context of its mounting impact on the claims in the Global South that the West exhibits double standards. She said “The consent of many countries for supporting the old order is unravelling and that is partly because of the accusation from many countries that those that wrote the rules 70 years ago wrote them in their own favour and respect them only when it suits them”. Although she said this accusation is not novel, “it needs to be answered if support for international law and institutions is to continue”. She said “There are not many countries that initially denied Israel a right to respond to the deliberate slaughter by Hamas on October 7, but Israel's bombardment and constraint on humanitarian aid has lost it much of the world support, and there is cause for that. “It is entirely possible to condemn Hamas and now to criticise Israel for its response and for the casualties that it has caused. Even in the US and the UK some of Israel’s warmest supporters have begun to say so”. She said the "white hot" criticism of the West for months has been that “it cares about Ukrainian suffering and not Palestinian, that it defends international law in Ukraine, but not the West Bank and Gaza or Iraq. If countries that support Ukraine and are working for peace in the middle east do not realise how powerful this charge has become, or answer it, they will fail to help solve either conflict or other such as in Sudan”. She added "they will also fail to understand how this charge is a challenge to the waning respect for the old principles of world order and the contest that is going on about new ones". Kudos to her for addressing head-on the difficult accusations of western double standards. Right to say western countries have national interests so degree of inconsistency inevitable, but West has left its principles open to being weaponised by luminous hypocrites such as Russia. She said unsure either UK front bench prepared to voice the concerns of Britain's younger generation about UK foreign policy

British political reporters right to stick together to stop No 10 choosing who scrutinises the PM. Big principles at stake. Number 10 seems to back free trade in goods but not in information.

Lord Cameron did not just miss some Union Jacks when he went home early from Albania to hear in person that told Rishi Sunak had decided to being forward his appointment with a firing squad. The FS cut meetings with the President and Chief Special Prosecutor on Anti-Corruption and Organised Crime. A big effort was being made to improve relations with UK and the discourtesy has not been received well.

Report from Iran via her lawyer say Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe is being freed today.

A consequence of May's likely resignation is that the unresolved question of Britain's future relations with Europe, to be negotiated in phase 2 of talks, will largely be decided on hustings in a Tory Party leadership contest. Fewer than 120,000 deciding on behalf of 46m.

Chris Patten, a pro European and former Hong Kong governor, absolutely lays into EU leaders for signing draft investment deal with China. “If this deal goes ahead it will make a mockery of Europe’s ambitions to be taken seriously as a global political and economic player”.

How Labour spent today. Abbott built support for a march against fascism on November 17, Corbyn flew to Geneva to discuss Chile, McDonnell plugged a meeting on October 20 to discuss fascism, Thornberry went to Crawley and had a "good discussion" about Brexit.

Extraordinary Jeremy Hunt sent a lightweight substitute to take Prime Ministers Questions. Constitutionally unusual and looks as if she was not even fully briefed on the pensions triple lock.

Claire O'Neill, sacked by Dominic Cummings on Friday from running the UK climate change conference in Glasgow, claims Johnson has provided net zero leadership. Britain fought hard diplomatically to run this conference as a sign of its post-Brexit engagement. Cannot afford this.

Nigel Farage is interviewed by Die Zeit about meeting Julian Assange, and Russian money. He does not like it. zeit.de/politik/ausland/2017…

Josep Borrell EU foreign policy chief today "I am coming from Washington, and I dare to say – well, yes – Israel is provoking famine. 'Oh, how do you say that? What evidence do you have?' "Come on, what evidence do I have? "Hundreds of trucks are waiting to enter [Gaza], and it is absolutely imperative to make crossing points work effectively and open additional crossing points. It is just a matter of political will, Israel has to do it. It is not a question of logistics. It is not because the UN has not provided enough support. The support is there, waiting. Trucks are stopped, people are dying while the land crossings are artificially closed. And yes, it is good to look at support by sea or by air, but we have to remind [ourselves] that we have to do it because the natural way of providing support is being closed, artificially closed. "We send parachutes to a place that is one hour by car from the next airport. Why do not we not send it to the airport? Because they do not let it, and this is unacceptable. Starvation is used as a weapon of war. Yes, starvation is used as a weapon of war. Let’s say that".

If Sunak is calling an election and sending his battered troops into battle on July 4, he will be doing the likely new PM an additional favour. The first major international event to be hosted by the newly elected government is a meeting of the European Political Community, a Macron inspired event that assembles roughly 50 European leaders inside and outside the EU. It is in the diary for July 18 at Blenheim Palace. As such it will be a chance for Starmer to speed date Europe, and more importantly to signal the UK is seeking to put relations with Europe on a new footing.

German ambassador to UK.

"The father of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday he was in the process of applying for a French passport to maintain his ties with the European Union after Brexit". Quite a lot of cake being consumed and retained by the Johnson family.

Andrew Mitchell U.K. development minister says U.K. no longer development super power, merger between DFID and foreign office a mistake and the bed and breakfast costs of a failed asylum policy is eating up his aid budget. In short, a disastrous self-inflicted wound.

It's just been revealed that a British consular staff member in Hong Kong has been tortured by the Chinese police. The foreign secretary appeared on numerous media outlets and was asked about Brexit, Prince Andrew, Mourinho and a Tory twitter handle.

Meeting between Baerbock and Netanyahu became difficult, as did Cameron's with Katz. Baerbock reportedly recommended that Israel stop circulating the photos of life supposedly returning to normal in the Palestinian enclave “as they don’t portray the real situation in Gaza. There is hunger in Gaza.” At this point, Netanyahu is said to have raised his voice and insisted, “It’s real. It’s reality. It’s not like what the Nazis staged, we’re not like the Nazis who produced fake images of a manufactured reality.” According to the Channel 13 report, the German foreign minister responded, “Are you saying that our doctors in the field in Gaza aren’t telling the truth? Are you saying that the international media is lying?” Cameron told Katz UK not going to proscribe IRGC.

Germany in latest comic delaying tactic says no tank deliveries are possible cos officials need to check its stocks of Leopards “of all types, both those held by our own armed forces & by industry”. 11 months into a war, an army starts an inventory of the tanks at its disposal.

Labour has achieved its stated objective in this election of bringing the country together. No matter where you look - Scotland, Wales, Northern England, Midlands. Eastern England, London - Britain has said no to Labour's equivocation on Brexit. One Nation, One Message.

Everyone will have a view on Bercow's personality and neutrality, but this graph shows he made the executive answerable to MPs, often when Ministers refused to be so. By this alone, he revived a moribund parliamentary democracy in the UK.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have joined the World Health Organization and Save the Children in an appeal to G20 leaders meeting this weekend to honour promises to get COVID-19 vaccines to low-income countries where just 3% of people have had a jab.

Corbyn "yes, we do need to have some difficult conversations starting with Saudi Arabia & Gulf states that have funded extremist ideology"

Zelensky visit. UK PM says UK "will provide hundreds of air defence missiles and further unmanned aerial systems including 100s of new long-range attack drones with a range of over 200km. These will all be delivered over the coming months."

Important announcement from Boris Johnson that the UK will prevent Russian companies from raising capital in the City of London. Await detail.

Iran executes protestor, 23, for allegedly stabbing pro-regime officer. Likely to be the first execution of many. theguardian.com/world/2022/d…

It is also difficult to see a future for a politician that makes these kinds of threats to independent regulators in the now mistaken belief it would advance his career.

Remember Tony Blinken the US Secretary of State said South Africa's case seeking the court's protection from a potential genocide in Gaza was meritless. By 15 votes to 2 the court told Blinken he is entirely wrong.

Der Spiegel after a plane brief with Scholz on his war goals."Victory for Ukraine does not seem to be an option. The strategy could be called active waiting. The Germans are cautiously supplying arms, participating in boycotts & waiting for Putin to say his war goals are reached"

Corbyn has limited time to stop a new tranche of MPs choosing to sit as an separate Labour group. He has been told to change, requiring him to back a People’s Vote, set up a credibly-run inquiry into anti-semitism, and reorganise his office. Purify or mollify. His choice.

"Nanny made a serious bish". Priceless from Nicholas Soames on Jacob Rees-Mogg to @RSylvesterTimes. There is blue on blue, but old Etonian on old Etonian is a different class.

Parliament denied a vote, the electorate denied a vote and cabinet denied a vote. Conservative Party seems to believe UK's future relationship with Europe is still its private property, confined to 315 MPs, and then 100,000 party members, disproportionately old, wealthy, Southern

As most Hackney residents will know, Andrew Boff has been dedicated to his version of the Conservative cause in inner London for decades. To see him thrown out of Tory annual conference for the mildest expression of dissent is shocking, and revealing.

James Clyburn the senior African American Congressman that backed Biden saving his candidacy on the damage caused to the Biden campaign by defund police slogan.

You can spell it anyway you want Andrew, but Labour is objectively not a Remain party in this election. It's fine to deceive yourself, but not others.

Of no concern to 99.99 % of UK population, but UN voting to remove a UK judge at International Court of Justice punctures the post-Brexit brand Global Britain. Losing sovereignty by the day.

David Cameron to be sanctioned for failure to attend job interview.

Theresa May, facing possible redundancy, does what many people do in the situation - rings a trade union.

Oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Igor Shuvalov - worth a combined $19bn - sanctioned with immediate effect by UK. Putin associates now cut off from their significant UK interests including mansions worth tens of millions. Pair's assets frozen. Overall, 15 oligarchs now sanctioned.

Nigel Farage this week called @Andrew_Adonis a twisting little weasel for wanting a second EU referendum, but today says he is warming to the idea of a 2nd vote. A reverse ferret.

How many BBC reporters does it take to ignore a story? Endless blather about mood and Andy Burnham.

I wrote a piece about how the Ashoori family had to raid their savings and take on debts to pay a sudden £27,000 Iranian fine arising from his arrest, and in 12 hours flat you raised the money. The family are so truly grateful to you for your kindness. crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-…

Overnight YouGov poll for @peoplesvote_uk shows that people split 63% to 37% against the deal - when “don’t knows are excluded - and that 59% now favour a People’s Vote/ 2nd Ref, rising to 64% if deal is rejected. UK govt insists a 2 ref will only be divisive, and not decisive.

My recollection is my father never saw editing the London Evening Standard as a part-time job.

Extraordinary that Theresa May's former chief of staff gives credence to reports that Johnson is going through sham negotiations to get a deal with EU, and in reality is bent on no deal. Again raises the Johnson character issue. Is he trustworthy ?

35 Palestinians in tents killed overnight in air strike by Israel as many warned might happen if Rafah was attacked. Israel has its explanation that 2 Hamas terrorists were killed. BBC Today has foreign office minister @annietrev on programme and do not ask her a single question about UK view of this. All about national citizens service. Remarkable. Ps Truly, an age of impunity.

Missing in the headline in the Mail today, but in same poll, 48 to 34 support for a referendum. Asked to choose between PM deal and Remain, voters opt to remain 46 to 37. Her deal is less popular than No Deal, and Remain more popular than No Deal.

Another harsh portrait on how the UK is now being viewed from abroad. "What we’re seeing is a country that’s determined to commit economic suicide but can’t even agree on how to kill itself. It is an epic failure of political leadership".

BBC World at One on the genocide case at the International Court of Justice. "This case has given us a glimpse into how some other parts of the world view the conflict". What a mass of assumptions packed into that sentence.

“The age of the experts is over” declares Labour MP Richard Burgon. In Burgon’s case it never started, an expert replies. Sad that any front rank politician celebrates ignorance.

The New York Times either has great contacts with the Greater Manchester police or with US intelligence. You decide.

In his Marr interview, Boris Johnson preaches the need to behave with "fearlessness and common sense". Put that in the drawer along with all the other focus grouped messages that leaves the British public havering on the threshold of their front door.

Tulip Siddiq took the trouble to read these words out from Richard Ratcliffe to MPs in debate today. Unfortunate if a prime minister to walked past a man on hunger strike … but doubtless the PM was busy.

A country deep in crisis, led by Theresa May, now awaits the verdict of Sir Bill Cash, Geoffrey Cox, & Nigel Dodds. What a hand we have dealt ourselves.

It is a Russian practice to bomb towns to bits, pause, permit some citizens to leave their life long homes and then add the word “humanitarian” to this brutality. There is nothing humanitarian about these corridors. They are an integral part of the commission of a war crime.

Mrs May looks wrong footed. "The only election candidate to start her campaign by launching a cult of personality and end it in hiding".

Joe Biden reported in Washington Post allegedly commenting on his own questioning of the Gaza death toll: “I am disappointed with myself “.

Easier to be a commentator, but the contrast between Gordon Brown's breadth, ideas and remorseless drive on BBC Radio 4 this morning with Boris Johnson's inchoate performance this evening was striking.

Former UK defence secretary Ben Wallace in Telegraph says Netanyahu’s tactics will fuel the conflict for another half century and obliterate the voice of moderate Palestinians.

Obama ends McCain eulogy with Hemingway: “Today is only one day in all the days that will ever be. But what will happen in all the days that will ever come can depend on what you do today.” An ostracised Donald Trump meets the challenge by going to play a round of golf.

Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay said the intimidation of Anna Soubry illustrates the divisions a 2nd referendum would stir. In saying this, he gave succour to those prepared to use political violence. The best reference politicians should make to these thugs is to the police.

At Balkans summit Angela Merkel raised her eyebrows and gave out a thin smile when told by Theresa May she was not to answer questions from the British press, and only take a solitary question from a German reporter. One summit issue was media freedom in the Balkans.

BJ says he has only been PM for 120 days. He was foreign secretary and sponsored the counter terror bill introduced in June 2018. It contained none of the measures BJ says now essential. Did he lobby for them in Govt at relevant point or make them all up to win an election?

No, the U.K. is not a laughing stock. A week to Brexit deadline, record COVID figures, a new US President, China taking final control of Hong Kong. And Downing Street is gripped by a power struggle about the future of this man.

As reports circulate of up to 100 killed in Northern Gaza, Israeli security minister Ben Gvir says "the episode proves that the transfer of aid is not only madness but also endangers our forces. Transferring aid to Gaza harms our soldiers and serves as oxygen for Hamas". The breakdown in social order, widely predicted by aid agencies and the UN, has happened. UK and US govt, unwilling to confront the fact they were dealing with some Israeli politicians that wanted to starve Gaza into submission, reduced to advocating aid air drops. UK ministers told MPs this week it is impossible at this stage to tell if humanitarian law is being breached.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe on a return to jail “I am an emotional wreck, already missing my baby. How will I survive not talking to her or seeing her again for God knows how long? I won’t survive it I know. Not this time. Enough is enough, I can’t do more. I am so desperate".

It's 5.45 am in New York and Parliament is still sitting, the UK Supreme Court has declared. An airplane at JFK needs to start up its engines, and speed the PM back to London. Meetings with Rouhani, and a speech to the UN General Assembly may have to be cancelled. Humiliation.

Leader of House announces unexpectedly there will be a chance for MPs to vote tomorrow against overseas aid cut and if ministers are defeated, aid will be restored to 0.7% of GNI from January 2022. Suggests govt been told they will lose in court if do not allow explicit vote.