Newstalk Daily

As Britain watches a deeply volatile conflict between Israel, the United States, Iran and other parts of the Middle East, Keir Starmer finds himself in a major foreign policy test, and his instincts are as closely scrutinized as his domestic polling.
Starmer has taken a quite cautious legal approach, refusing to commit the UK to offensive strikes on Iran and insisting that British military action must be lawful and clearly in the national interest. That stance has drawn sharp rebukes from US President Donald Trump, and critics at home who argue he's wobbling under pressure.
But behind this modern dilemma is a long shadow, the legacy of Tony Blair and the Iraq War, whose legal and strategic controversies still shape how Labour approaches military intervention.
So today, we're asking, is Starmer's stance in Iran defined by principle or just by a fear of repeating the mistakes of Blairism
Joining Ciara to discuss this is Glen O’Hara - Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at Oxford Brookes University and author of New Labour, New Britain?: How the Blair Governments Reshaped the Country

A Midlands garda detective’s simple act of kindness during the first Covid lockdown spiralled into a national story. He loaned a dusty, unclaimed bike to a local farmer with a knee injury, and ended up suspended for more than several years, investigated by the NBCI, and facing a disciplinary board.
The farmer told of feeling “like a criminal” as officers searched his home and retrieved the €50 bicycle, leaving him stressed and traumatised. The detective was eventually cleared of all charges, but the saga didn’t end there. Now, the State has agreed to a confidential High Court settlement worth around €275,000. A judicial review over sick pay remains ongoing.
Journalist and author Paul Williams, whose latest book is Crooks 2: More Stories Behind the Headlines, joins Ciara Doherty to trace the full story behind “Bikegate,” from the spring of 2020 to today’s settlement, exploring the lessons — and lingering questions — about compassion, discretion, and disciplinary systems inside An Garda Síochána.

It was meant to be private. Instead, it’s all over YouTube. Newly released recordings of depositions given by Bill and Hillary Clinton to the House Oversight Committee have thrown fresh political fuel onto the long-burning fire of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
What was supposed to be a closed-door hearing quickly turned combative. A photo from inside the room was leaked online. Lawmakers veered into questions about conspiracy theories like “Pizzagate.” Republicans pressed both Clintons about Bill’s documented flights on Epstein’s private jet in the early 2000s. Hillary repeatedly distanced herself from Epstein and redirected questions toward her husband.
Bill Clinton has acknowledged taking several trips on Epstein’s plane in 2002 and 2003 but has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activity. Hillary Clinton has long insisted she had no relationship with Epstein.
So, what do these tapes tell us? Former RTÉ Washington Correspondent and University of Galway journalism lecturer Carole Coleman joins Ciara Doherty to assess what’s new, what’s theatre, and where the Epstein investigation goes next.

A row is erupting over the cost of criminal legal aid — and it’s about far more than legal fees. The State spent more than €115 million on criminal legal aid last year, a jump of over a third, even though case numbers fell. Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan wants to scrap the current payment system in the District Court and replace it with a flat fee per client. He says it will simplify things and speed up cases.
Critics warn it could drive experienced defence lawyers out of the system and risks cutting corners on justice. Recent figures showing 31 lawyers earning over half a million euros each from legal aid have only intensified the debate. Meanwhile, Aontú’s Paul Lawless argues that repeat offenders on social welfare should contribute towards their defence costs.
So, is reform overdue — or a threat to basic rights?
Ciara Doherty is joined on the podcast today by defence solicitor Frank Buttimer and Mayo TD Paul Lawless.

The war on Iran continued today, following the killing of the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, over the weekend. In Lebanon, Hezbollah has entered the war. Oil tankers are stalling in the Strait of Hormuz as global markets brace for impact.
In this bonus edition of Newstalk Daily UCD’s Dr Edward Burke tells Ciara Doherty we are facing the most dangerous regional moment in decades. Edward says the fallout from the US–Israeli strikes on Iran could mean a heightened terrorism threat in Europe, soaring energy costs and even the risk of a global recession. He describes Trump’s America as being on an “interventionist high” — acting in ways that are “chaotic and capricious.”
Is this a short, brutal escalation — or the start of a wider regional war with global consequences?