Above, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) in the Atlantic back in 2019.
Ms Anniek Bao, is a reporter for CNBC International based in Singapore. She covers Asia’s economy, business and corporate finance, with a focus on China and the evolving dynamics of its diplomatic relations. In this report (https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/29/china-uk-starmer-xi-relations-visit-businesses-.html), she writes; “…..Starmer started the four-day visit on Wednesday, marking the first visit by a British prime minister in eight years…..”
British Gazette comment: It is to be hoped that IF Mr Trump decides to order an attack on Iran, he waits until the UK’s Prime Minister is in Japan, on his way back to the UK, or back in the UK at the time of such an as yet hypothetical strike.
A war in the Persian Gulf will cause oil prices to skyrocket. Largely because supply will be restricted. This of course may in a way help Russia as sanctions imposed by the G7/EU/UK coalition imposes a price cap on Russian seaborne crude oil at US $60 per barrel. Currently, the open market oil price is roughly around this figure. Any dramatic increase will mean that Russia will be able to get a bit more from those nations (China and India) willing to buy it. This cap restricts Western-provided insurance, shipping, and financing services for tankers carrying Russian oil, unless the cargo is sold at or below this price.
It will of course means that Mr Trump will get more money for the Venezuelan oil he is obtaining by piracy.
Oh, by the way – this to Mr Trump’s ever decreasing band of UK supporters: In ordering his sailors to help themselves to Venezuelan oil, he is taking a leaf out of the pages of the book of Queen Elizabeth the First (which the RN carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth [R08] is named after), who ordered the English privateers to attack and seize Spanish galleons carrying gold, silver and other valuables that the Spaniards had seized from the native Americans they had enslaved and conquered!
Of course an attack on Iran is something of a double edged sword for the increasingly embattled Mr Putin.
IF Iran ceases to become a supplier and supporter of his “Special Military Operation” in Ukraine it will only add to Mr Putin’s many woes.
As for the UK?
Well we will just have to hope and/or pray that the wind blows from the optimal direction at the optimal strength (not too little but not too much) to ensure that the UK’s mass collection of wind turbines produces the maximum amount of electricity, whilst the clouds are few in the skies above the UK’ many solar farms!
Oh, by the way; this situation is what the delusional Mr Miliband describes as a stable energy policy!
For Mr Miliband’s information: I know of a gentleman in Nigeria who is seeking a person with a UK current bank account to forward him the details of the said account so he can deposit US $50 million into it!