DANIA AKKAD, Author at Charlie Alford

Inside Labour Together’s secret battle against Jeremy Corbyn

Post author:DANIA AKKAD
Post published:24 June 2026
Post last modified:2 July 2026

Newly released documents reveal the inner workings of Labour Together and its role in covertly undermining Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour party. The documents were disclosed to Corbyn in response to a subject access request. They contain emails from Labour Together’s two key figures Morgan McSweeney and Josh Simons. McSweeney went on to be Keir Starmer’s chief of staff while Simons became a cabinet minister until he resigned following revelations that he had hired a reputation management firm to “proactively undermine” journalistic investigations into Labour Together, McSweeney and Sir Keir Starmer. Simons subsequently vacated his Makerfield constituency seat for Andy…

Palestine Action lawyer faces renewed contempt proceedings

Post author:DANIA AKKAD
Post published:23 June 2026
Post last modified:2 July 2026

Judge rules to refer Rajiv Menon KC once again over his closing speech in trial of pro-Palestine activists A leading British civil rights barrister faces contempt proceedings once again after a judge decided to refer allegations against him for a second time. The original proceedings brought against Rajiv Menon KC were thrown out last month for procedural reasons.But on 22 June, Mr Justice Johnson ruled that Menon’s case met the necessary “threshold conditions” to proceed and that it was in the public interest to do so. He said the case should be referred to a judge who can “deal with the…

Jury refuses to convict Palestine activists over arms firm raid

Post author:DANIA AKKAD
Post published:18 June 2026
Post last modified:2 July 2026

Hung jury in case of four protesters who raided Wolverhampton arms factory said to produce “military aircraft parts for Israel” After more than 17 hours of deliberation, a jury at Birmingham crown court has failed to reach a verdict over whether four pro-Palestine activists committed criminal damage at an arms factory. Iain Evans, Hana-Yun Stevens, Frank Sherman, and Hisham Alkhamezi were each accused of criminal damage at a factory owned by Moog, a US aerospace firm, in Wolverhampton. During the trial, the jury saw footage from helicopters and CCTV cameras which showed the defendants crashing through the site’s front gate and…

Israeli arms imports to UK surged during Gaza war

Post author:DANIA AKKAD
Post published:18 June 2026
Post last modified:2 July 2026

UN trade data shows value of military goods from Israel to UK increased by a factor of more than 100 between 2023 and 2025 The value of Israeli military goods imported into the UK multiplied by more than 100 times during the war on Gaza, an analysis of international trade data by Action on Armed Violence has revealed. Figures from the UN Comtrade database show that UK imports from Israel of arms, ammunition and related parts increased from just £55,000 in 2023 to almost £5.9 million in 2025. That is equivalent to around a 10,589 percent rise during two years in…

Investigation urged over illegal UK arms shipments to Israel

Post author:DANIA AKKAD
Post published:16 June 2026
Post last modified:2 July 2026

After Declassified helped uncover a suspicious military transfer from Britain to Israel, over 60 MPs and Lords have called for answers Over 60 MPs and Lords have demanded answers over illegal shipments of weaponry from Britain to Israel via Belgium. MPs who have signed the letter include Diane Abbott, Richard Burgon, John McDonnell, and Hannah Spencer, while the Lords include Baroness Sayeeda Warsi and John Hendy KC. It has also been signed by Abtisam Mohamed MP, who sits on the foreign affairs select committee. The move comes after Declassified, Belgian NGO Vredesactie, Irish news outlet The Ditch, and Palestinian Youth Movement…

Israeli property event referred to authorities over illegal settlement ads

Post author:DANIA AKKAD
Post published:16 June 2026
Post last modified:2 July 2026

The UK government has referred the Great Israeli Real Estate event to the Advertising Standards Authorities (ASA) as it has emerged that properties for sale in illegal Israeli settlements were promoted at the show. Organisers had said last week that all exhibitors at the event would provide information only about properties for sale within the Green Line – the internationally recognised border between Israel and Palestine. But on Monday, Declassified revealed that brochures circulated at the event advertised developments in at least seven illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Declassified now understands that on Sunday, the day the…

Illegal West Bank settlements advertised at Israeli event in London

Post author:DANIA AKKAD
Post published:15 June 2026
Post last modified:2 July 2026

Despite denials from organisers, evidence gathered inside the event shows occupied Palestinian land was being marketed Properties from seven illegal settlements were advertised at the Great Israeli Real Estate Event on Sunday in London, days after more than 100 MPs and groups urged the UK government to ban it. Organisers had told journalists last week that all exhibitors at the event “without exception” would only provide information about properties for sale within the Green Line – the internationally recognised border between Israel and Palestine. But brochures circulated at the event which Jewish Anti-Zionist Action (JAZA) shared with Declassified and others posted…