Daily Politics from the New Statesman Trump’s “demented” Easter and fragile ceasefire | Will and Anoosh's weekly round up
Apr 11, 2026
A rundown of Trump’s bizarre Easter speech and threatening rhetoric toward Iran. A look at Britain’s vanishing middle class and rising tax pressures. Discussion of Greens targeting Labour on housing and political strategy. Reactions to Zack Polanski’s public image and controversial policy headlines. Retail drama from sackings to supermarkets building pubs and other odd store tactics.
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Trump's Easter Photo Op Became War Rhetoric
- Donald Trump turned an Easter White House event into aggressive war rhetoric about Iran, linking a photo-op with threats like 'obliterating' and seizing oil.
- Will Dunn describes the balcony scene with a seven-foot Easter Bunny and Trump saying bizarre lines about wanting bombs and attacking civilian infrastructure, creating surreal international risk.
Rhetoric That Normalises Targeting Civilians
- Trump used rhetorical confusion to dismiss war-crime concerns, asking "what's a war crime?" while advocating attacks on civilian infrastructure like desalination plants.
- Will Dunn highlights the danger of messaging that normalises targeting power stations and bridges, which international law counts as war crimes.
Britain's Growing Squeezed Middle Problem
- The UK government is moving away from universalist protections and leaving a growing 'squeezed middle' exposed to economic shocks.
- Anoush Chakelian notes rising inflation expectations and examples like teachers being pushed into strikes as salary restoration fails, showing widening middle precarity.