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Lisa Haseldine

Lisa Haseldine

New Statesman

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Andy Burnham looked ill at ease in Berlin

Andy Burnham has been in Berlin today – his first bilateral diplomatic visit since entering Downing Street nearly three months ago. The Prime...

08.10.2026 20

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Has the plague broken out in Russia?

On the evening of Friday 2 October, Daria Shipilova, an employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute, died in a district hospital in the Russian city...

06.10.2026 20

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

A middle-class guide to apocalypse prepping

Earlier this month, the government launched its ‘Prepare’ campaign, urging us to plan for all manner of emergencies and put together a kit of food...

04.10.2026 10

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Bunker mentality / A middle-class guide to apocalypse prepping

Earlier this month, the government launched its ‘Prepare’ campaign, urging us to plan for all manner of emergencies and put together a kit of food...

01.10.2026 10

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Was Putin planning to attack France, Italy and Spain?

Since the American CIA chief John Ratcliffe made an unannounced trip to Moscow in late August to meet with his Russian intelligence counterparts, a...

24.09.2026 30

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Is Vigil right about Putin’s interest in Svalbard?

Speaking on the sidelines of the Brics summit in Delhi last week, Vladimir Putin once again insisted that Russia had no plans to attack Europe....

15.09.2026 20

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Diane Abbott is embarrassing Britain

With parliament back after the summer break, the debate around increasing Britain’s defence spending – so febrile just two months ago – is...

04.09.2026 20

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Is Europe brave enough to keep pointing the finger at Putin?

Just under a month after three drones were discovered in quick succession at Leipzig airport, the German government took the unexpected step of...

03.09.2026 30

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Is Europe brave enough to keep pointing the finger at Putin?

Just under a month after three drones were discovered in quick succession at Leipzig airport, the German government took the unexpected step of...

03.09.2026 20

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Can Burnham help Ukraine stand on its own two feet against Russia?

Andy Burnham arrived in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv this morning, his first trip abroad since entering Downing Street last month. The Prime...

24.08.2026 20

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Firing a senior banker won’t save Putin’s faltering war economy

In a sign of the unease about Vladimir Putin’s ongoing war in Ukraine that exists behind closed doors in Moscow, one of Russia’s most senior...

19.08.2026 30

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Firing a senior banker won’t save Putin’s faltering war economy

In a sign of the unease about Vladimir Putin’s ongoing war in Ukraine that exists behind closed doors in Moscow, one of Russia’s most senior...

18.08.2026 20

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Ukraine is having fun attacking ‘Russia’s Amazon’

Have you ever wondered how much it costs to buy a drone, body armour, a combat helmet, a body bag or an AK assault rifle magazine in Russia? Not on...

05.08.2026 30

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

What can Europe expect from America’s ‘Nato 3.0’ review?

The moment many European leaders had been awaiting with nervous anticipation arrived yesterday evening when the American Under-Secretary of War,...

28.07.2026 20

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Burnham’s support for Ukraine is off to a positive start

Andy Burnham has given precious little away on his approach to foreign and defence policy since taking office last week. Today, however, we got a...

27.07.2026 20

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Trump has not forgotten about Greenland

If European leaders had a bingo card of all the fights Donald Trump could pick with them, at this week’s Nato summit in Ankara they would have won a...

08.07.2026 20

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

The defence investment plan is Starmer’s sad swansong

With just a few weeks until he is expected to step down as prime minister, Keir Starmer chose a drone factory in Berkshire as the location from which...

30.06.2026 30

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

The Defence Investment Plan won’t save Starmer’s legacy

Despite resigning as prime minister and leader of the Labour party on Monday, Keir Starmer is determined to publish the much-delayed defence...

24.06.2026 40

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Tensions / Why did a Russian warship fire at a British yacht in the Channel?

As the fallout from Keir Starmer’s defence funding row continues, Britain has been served a timely reminder of the importance of being prepared for...

17.06.2026 30

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Starmer has left Europe in quiet despair

Foreign diplomacy is usually a refuge for Keir Starmer. But as the Prime Minister touched down in Evian-les-Bains, France for this week’s G7 summit,...

16.06.2026 30

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Will John Healey’s resignation make Starmer listen on defence?

After a week of government paralysis, it appears something has finally broken the deadlock: John Healey has resigned as Defence Secretary. In a...

11.06.2026 30

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Poking the bear / Russia won’t give up Armenia without a fight

How do you fight an election if you’re under house arrest? If you’re the Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan, once the richest ethnic...

05.06.2026 40

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Russia is relying on drones to bring it victory in Ukraine

Earlier this week, Ukraine was subjected to one of the largest aerial assaults by Russia since the start of Vladimir Putin’s invasion over four...

05.06.2026 40

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Russia is relying on drones to bring it victory in Ukraine

Earlier this week, Ukraine was subjected to one of the largest aerial assaults by Russia since the start of Vladimir Putin’s invasion over four...

04.06.2026 40

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Russia won’t give up Armenia without a fight

How do you fight an election if you’re under house arrest? If you’re the Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan, once the richest ethnic...

04.06.2026 40

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Politics / Was Donald Trump’s great-uncle a Nazi?

Donald Trump has long claimed to be proud of his German ancestry. But the American president might be wise to reconsider. Christ was one of the Nazi...

17.05.2026 50

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Politics / Was Donald Trump’s great-uncle a Nazi?

Donald Trump has long claimed to be proud of his German ancestry. But the American president might be wise to reconsider. Christ was one of the Nazi...

16.05.2026 60

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Was Donald Trump’s great-uncle a Nazi?

Donald Trump has long claimed to be proud of his German ancestry. But the American president might be wise to reconsider. Christ was one of the Nazi...

16.05.2026 40

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Mothers’ ruin / Why is maternity care in Britain getting worse?

Chelsea and her partner had been trying for a baby for two years. Following several miscarriages, she became pregnant again last spring. ‘We were...

11.05.2026 40

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Mothers’ ruin / Why is maternity care in Britain getting worse?

Chelsea and her partner had been trying for a baby for two years. Following several miscarriages, she became pregnant again last spring. ‘We were...

11.05.2026 40

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Russia / Putin’s paranoia was plain to see at Moscow’s Victory Day parade

Thanks to Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin could enjoy his Victory Day parade in Moscow safe in the knowledge that no Ukrainian drones would come hurtling...

10.05.2026 30

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Putin’s paranoia was plain to see at Moscow’s Victory Day parade

Thanks to Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin could enjoy his Victory Day parade in Moscow safe in the knowledge that no Ukrainian drones would come hurtling...

09.05.2026 40

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Trump’s missile cut has left Germany exposed

It has been a choppy 12 months for transatlantic relations since Friedrich Merz was sworn in as chancellor of Germany a year ago today. Fittingly, he...

06.05.2026 40

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Europe / Trump’s missile cut has left Germany exposed

It has been a choppy 12 months for transatlantic relations since Friedrich Merz was sworn in as chancellor of Germany a year ago today. Fittingly, he...

06.05.2026 40

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Gwyn Jenkins: ‘Russia remains the gravest threat to our security’

With Donald Trump’s noisy war on Iran about to enter its third month, it can be easy to forget that another conflict is going on much closer to...

29.04.2026 40

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

How does Starmer plan to secure the Strait of Hormuz?

Despite usually being a fan of escaping domestic trouble with travel abroad, Keir Starmer would be forgiven for thinking his trip today was terrible...

17.04.2026 50

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Even dirty Russian tricks might not save Viktor Orban

With a week to go until Hungary heads to the polls, Prime Minister Viktor Orban is fighting to save his political skin. Unusually for a set of...

05.04.2026 60

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Ice age / Russia has its eyes on Svalbard

Lisa Haseldine has narrated this article for you to listen to. The quiet hillside by Longyearbyen’s church gives visitors to the capital of...

03.04.2026 50

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Russia has its eyes on Svalbard

The quiet hillside by Longyearbyen’s church gives visitors to the capital of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago an austere but beautiful panorama of...

02.04.2026 60

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Ice age / Russia has its eyes on Svalbard

The quiet hillside by Longyearbyen’s church gives visitors to the capital of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago an austere but beautiful panorama of...

02.04.2026 70

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Britain’s defence spending is lower than we thought

Whenever Keir Starmer and his ministers are pressed on the lack of a plan to raise Britain’s defence spending with any speed, they skirt the...

26.03.2026 50

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Can Europe help fix Britain’s defence muddle?

Could an agreement for Britain to join Europe’s defence fund ‘Security Action for Europe’ (Safe) be back on the cards? Speaking in Paris...

25.03.2026 70

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Pay up / Reeves should tax expats to fund Britain’s defence spending

Open the first page of any British passport and you will be met by a request on behalf of the King to give its ‘bearer such assistance and...

21.03.2026 50

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Reeves should tax expats to fund Britain’s defence spending

Open the first page of any British passport and you will be met by a request on behalf of the King to give its ‘bearer such assistance and...

21.03.2026 50

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

'J.D. Vance was right': Is Europe finally waking up?

The organisers of the Munich security conference weren’t subtle. A large statue of an elephant stood in one of the lobbies. The logo on all official...

19.02.2026 60

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

The Democratic primary in Munich

While all eyes and ears at the Munich security conference will be on US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday, it was America’s Democrats who...

15.02.2026 80

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Rubio offers an olive branch to the Europeans

As Marco Rubio boarded his flight for Munich on Thursday night, he sought to reassure nervous Europeans that they weren’t about to be berated by...

15.02.2026 60

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Starmer: Britain must be ready for war

It’s no secret that Keir Starmer prefers foreign diplomacy to the domestic side of his job. So after perhaps the most difficult week of his...

14.02.2026 750

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Has Marco Rubio done enough to reassure Europe?

As Marco Rubio boarded his flight for Munich on Thursday night, he sought to reassure nervous Europeans that they weren’t about to be berated by...

14.02.2026 50

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine

Security conference / Will Merz get his 'transatlantic reset' with America in Munich?

The Munich security conference started with a bang today. Breaking with tradition, German chancellor Friedrich Merz opened the conference with a...

14.02.2026 100

The Spectator

Lisa Haseldine