The Bunker – News without the nonsense Dire Straits – Start Your Week with Ros Taylor and Andrew Harrison
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Mar 16, 2026 They break down Iran's blockade of the Straits of Hormuz and the global oil shock it could trigger. They consider Britain's possible involvement and security risks. They cover UK energy measures from solar balconies to targeted support for oil-heated homes. They discuss calls for a UK nuclear capability, EU energy politics, Labour’s EU outreach, and a dash of Oscars and culture-war banknote furore.
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Energy Support Will Be Targeted Not Wholesale
- Government energy support is likely to be more targeted than the broad subsidies of 2022 but may still be necessary if conflict persists.
- Taylor notes £50m targeted support and warns about repeating unsustainable blanket subsidies like Liz Truss's budget.
Defence Rhetoric Is Shifting Parties Toward Security Posture
- Political repositioning on national defence is occurring across parties amid the Iran crisis.
- Taylor interprets Ed Davey's comments on building UK nukes as distancing Lib Dems from the Greens and signalling continuity on security.
Orban Uses Energy Levers To Protect His Re-Election
- Hungary's obstruction on lifting Russian oil bans reveals EU divisions driven by domestic politics.
- Taylor explains Orban is leveraging pipeline reopening to shield his re-election chances while that move risks easing Russia's revenue stream.