Newscast (BBC News) – Episode Summary

Episode Title: The Week: How Does Starmer Handle Trump, Grok and What's Going On In Iran?
Date: January 9, 2026
Host: Adam Fleming
Guests: Lise Doucet (BBC Chief International Correspondent), Sienna Rogers (Deputy Editor, House Magazine), Alva Ray (Political Editor, New Statesman)

Episode Overview

This episode of Newscast delivers a comprehensive exploration of two major topics:

1. The escalation of protests in Iran and the nature of the regime's response, with in-depth analysis by Lise Doucet from the BBC.
2. A roundtable on the challenges for UK Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer, especially in managing relations with Donald Trump and navigating domestic issues, featuring Sienna Rogers and Alva Ray.

Additional hot topics include the controversy over tech platform X's AI chatbot Grok, the ongoing cost of living crisis in the UK, internal Labour Party dynamics, and key upcoming policy battles.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Protests and Political Crisis in Iran

(00:38 – 12:34)

Causes and Nature of the Protests

• Protests began on December 28, triggered by shopkeepers shuttering stores due to the collapse of Iran’s currency and soaring import costs.
• The unrest quickly escalated from economic grievances (inflation near 50%, cost of living) to broader political demands, with chants of “death to the dictator, don’t be afraid.”
• The current situation is described as the most significant protest movement in Iran since the Green Movement of 2009.

Lise Doucet (01:33):

"Every new wave of unrest leaves tinder such that when the spark is lit, it lights the embers of the last uprising. So it quickly spread from being protests and strikes over the cost of living ... to slogans being chanted on the streets like death to the dictator, don’t be afraid."

Regime's Response

• Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in his 80s and in power since 1989, blamed "vandals" while acknowledging the economic grievances.
• Focused criticism on opposition figures and on Donald Trump, especially in light of the recent “12-day war” with Israel.

Lise Doucet (03:24):

“Predictably, [Khamenei] blamed the unrest on vandals, even though in another comment he had said that some of the economic grievances were legitimate.”

• Regime's crackdown involves both selective brute force and, interestingly, some restraint—possibly due to Trump's warnings.

US Role and Trump’s Rhetoric

• Donald Trump has repeatedly warned the Iranian regime that harming protesters would prompt a severe US response.
• The hosts note the unpredictability and seriousness attached to Trump’s threats, given his recent actions in Venezuela.

Lise Doucet (05:15):

“Three times he has warned the Iranian leadership that if you hit hard and kill protesters, I will hit you hard... and he added that that message had been sent very strongly to Iranian leaders.”

Information Blackout & Uncertainty

• Internet blackouts and misinformation make assessing developments extremely difficult.
• Each protest leaves wider cracks in clerical rule, but the process from “cracks to crisis to collapse” is described as “highly unpredictable.”

Life Inside Iran: Contrasts & Defiance

• Lise shares first-hand observations of everyday Iranian life: women quietly defying dress codes, high-spirited hospitality, and the stark cultural contradictions ("death to America" in one street; Americanos and banter in cafes next door).
• Iran is portrayed as far less cowed and closed than Westerners may expect.

Lise Doucet (10:10):

“Iran is a country of great surprises…especially this new generation, they just want to have a normal life, they want to be part of the international community…from death to America to Americanos. It is a country of great contradictions.”

BBC Coverage of Iranian Protests

• The BBC asserts it is giving due attention to Iran, despite some complaints of insufficient coverage—pointing to daily dispatches and extensive reporting across platforms.

2. UK Politics: Starmer, Trump, Grok, and Labour’s Domestic Strategy

(13:32 – 37:41)

The Challenge of Handling Trump

• Both John Bew (Number 10’s foreign affairs adviser) and Peter Mandelson are cited as arguing that the UK cannot realistically confront Trump—"you've actually just got to suck it up and work out how you can live with him."
• Labour MPs are divided between those who want to see a tougher stance and those who accept the realpolitik: maintaining friendly ties with the US is seen as “the requirement of this age,” despite discomfort from the left.

Sienna Rogers (15:38):

“Even there’s police, the politics of it. But also economically, we know, we saw the tariffs situation. They are so constrained in what they can do…they are acting a lot of the time as if they're scared of him and scared of his reactions.”

“Grok” and the AI Content Crisis

• The episode covers the controversy around X/Twitter’s AI, Grok, which was used to digitally undress women in photos. Initially, the feature was available to paid users, but the company later restricted it further after public outcry.
• Downing Street's response is noted: tougher language from Starmer's team on Grok, citing its alignment with Labour's strong stance on violence against women and girls.

Adam Fleming (16:59):

“You can post a picture of somebody and tell Grok to take their clothes off... inevitably that's ended up with loads of pictures of women in bikinis without their permission.”

Influence of Advisers and "The Real Foreign Secretary"

• Alva Ray explains that Jonathan Powell (Starmer’s National Security Adviser, formerly Chief of Staff to Tony Blair) is a significant behind-the-scenes influence, often referred to as “the real Foreign Secretary.”
• Powell’s doctrine: never force the UK into publicly choosing between the US and Europe.

Alva Ray (20:10):

“That is exactly word for word what Jonathan Powell writes in his book...choosing one or the other, or seeming to choose one or the other is a mistake…”

Starmer’s Approach: Diplomacy Over Declarations

• Examples: Instead of public condemnations during tense moments (such as Trump’s controversial summit with Zelensky), Starmer prefers private calls and behind-the-scenes efforts.
• This approach, while less visible, is considered more pragmatic—but opens him to criticism of not being forceful enough.

Parliamentary Dynamics: Communication Lapses and Defense Spending

• Tensions highlighted over delays in Starmer talking with Trump after key international incidents, which opponents tried to exploit.
• Debate over defense spending: reports of an unaccounted £28bn gap, delays in hitting the 3% GDP target, and Labour's struggle to reconcile defense with cost-of-living priorities.

Sienna Rogers (24:19):

“It looks like obviously Kemi Badenoch was really pressing on when exactly are we going to get to 3%. Starmer did not reply, did not give a time. We're in real big trouble now...”

Labour’s Cost of Living Messaging & Frequent U-Turns

• Starmer is doubling down on the “year of cost of living” with new policies (fare freezes, energy bill reductions), but the measures are often seen as incremental or slow-moving by both the public and MPs.
• Labour MPs express frustration that it takes too long to see results from their concerns, despite the government finding focus.

Internal Labour Party Struggles & Leadership Speculation

• Ongoing factional tension within Labour: whispers of potential leadership challenges to Starmer, but no consensus on any successor.
• Starmer is described as more engaged and fighting back, but polling remains weak, leaving Labour vulnerable to Farage-led populist threats.
• New dynamics in key unions—especially a leftward shift in Unison’s leadership—may signal future internal struggles and policy debates.

Sienna Rogers (36:03):

“The leadership of Unison, which is the biggest union in the country, has changed...it has shifted dramatically to being explicitly, extremely critical of the government and Keir Starmer...and the group of trade unions who are affiliated to the Labour Party have definitely drifted now to the left.”

Policy Flashpoints to Watch

• Forthcoming contests and possible rebellions on special education reform, guidance on same-sex spaces, and jury trials.
• These will test the government’s parliamentary management and Labour’s internal unity.

Notable Quotes and Moments

• On Iran’s Unrest:
  "Every new wave of unrest leaves tinder such that when the spark is lit, it lights the embers of the last uprising."
  — Lise Doucet (01:33)

• On Trump’s Threats:
  "Three times he has warned the Iranian leadership that if you hit hard and kill protesters, I will hit you hard...be careful. We could be coming for you next."
  — Lise Doucet (05:15)

• On Diplomatic Realism:
  "You’ve actually just got to suck it up and work out how you can live with [Trump]."
  — Paraphrasing John Bew and Peter Mandelson (15:05 – 15:24)

• On Labour’s Predicament:
  "They are acting a lot of the time as if they're scared of him and scared of his reactions...That’s the requirement of this age."
  — Sienna Rogers (15:38)

• On Labour Party’s Internal Struggles:
  "Often the ones who are most outwardly loyal are the most vicious in private."
  — Sienna Rogers (30:07)

• On the Unpredictable Nature of UK Politics:
  "Labour is still at 17 points in the polls...there are all sorts of rumours flying around about really, really awful internal polling that Labour HQ has."
  — Alva Ray (32:18)

Key Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamps | |---------------------------------------------|--------------| | Iran Protests (Lise Doucet) | 00:38–12:34 | | UK Politics/Westminster Roundtable Begins | 13:32 | | Trump/Labour and Foreign Policy | 15:05–22:09 | | Grok, AI, and Tech Policy | 16:59–17:39 | | Labour, Defence Spending | 23:43–25:29 | | Cost of Living Crisis & Labour Strategy | 26:59–29:57 | | Labour Leadership Tensions/Future | 29:57–36:03 | | Policy Issues to Watch (Unions, Social Policy)| 36:03–37:37 |

Takeaways

• Iran is facing its most significant unrest in over a decade, with protestors unbowed by regime crackdowns, while external actors (notably the US under Trump) exert unpredictable pressure.
• Starmer’s Labour government is walking a diplomatic tightrope with the US, forced into pragmatism over principle, while domestic critics clamor for a firmer stance—both on Trump and on issues like AI harm.
• Cost of living remains central to Labour’s agenda but lacks headline-grabbing measures, and the party’s internal cohesion is threatened by both ideological rifts and union politics.
• Ongoing leadership speculation reflects Labour’s electoral anxieties, compounded by persistent poor polling and the possibility of a Farage-led rival.
• Key upcoming policy areas—defense spending, social reforms—will further test Prime Minister Starmer’s grip on both government and party.