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I have just spoken to the French ambassador to the UK - who very rarely does anything on camera - to talk about the need for de-escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict amid growing concerns the US will get involved.

It's a moment of great jeopardy for all European allies, our prime minister, and all European leaders pushing for de-escalation.

The message from the French ambassador today is to step back and de-escalate.

There will be talks in Geneva tomorrow between Iranian officials and Europe's leading politicians - David Lammy, as well as the foreign ministers of France, Germany, although no country formally confirming.

It is all an attempt to find a solution.

The big question is: will Donald Trump listen?

On his way to the G7 summit in Canada this week, Macron made a stop in Greenland to explicitly make the point that it is sovereign territory, amid Trump's threat to annex the Danish territory.

When the US president left the summit early, Macron suggested it was due to events in the Middle East - but Trump tweeted that the French president was "publicity seeking", adding: "Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong."

Sky's political editor Beth Rigby asked France's ambassador to the UK if this exchange has harmed what once seemed to be a good relationship between the two leaders.

Helene Duchene replied: "Oh, I don't think so. I saw the tweet, of course. But, you know, they have a longstanding relation.

"President Macron was already there, he's the only leader who was there during the first mandate of President Trump."

As a result, she said, the pair have a "longstanding" and "efficient" relationship.

France's ambassador to the United Kingdom has told Sky News that there is no military solution to eliminating Iran's nuclear programme, and called for de-escalation and a return to negotiations.

Speaking to our political editor Beth Rigby, Helene Duchene said France is "very concerned" about Iran's nuclear programme, but argued that negotiation is the path forward rather than the risk of broader regional instability.

She said: "The message we have is that we are, of course, very concerned by the Iranian nuclear programme. It's a serious threat to our security interests, to the security interests of the region. We see that for long since this programme has been discovered in 2003.

"But, we don't think that there is a military solution for eliminating this nuclear programme because, you know, even destroying [Iran's] Fordow [facility] would maybe delay, degrade the programme."

Duchene also argued that destroying that facility - that only the Americans have the weaponry to achieve - would come with an "important risk at the nuclear level with contamination, proliferation and enormous risk on destabilisation of this region".

"So our message is that the good thing to do is de-escalate and negotiate because it's the way we can find a solution," she added.

'There is another solution'

Asked how hopeful she is that her government and others will be able to persuade President Trump to not strike and instead negotiate with Iran.

The ambassador replied that they have to "take the initiative" and "create a dynamic" to make the point that there is "another solution" to the danger of Iran's nuclear programme "that we can achieve with negotiation".

She would like to see a "strong agreement which is going to help reduce the capabilities" and leave Iran with a nuclear programme that is "limited", can be "verified", and "that will bring the real de-escalation".

Tomorrow's talks in Geneva tomorrow being held by the French, German, and British foreign ministers with their Iranian counterpart are a "way to show that there is another way to go than a military strike".

Sky News deputy political editor Sam Coates has, as ever, given his insight on the day's news in this morning's episode of Politics at Sam and Anne's.

He highlighted just how important it is that Foreign Secretary David Lammy is meeting both the Americans and the Iranians in the next two days.

"That is just a really important moment tomorrow," he says of the meeting with Iran and European allies in Geneva on Friday.

"And David Lammy at the helm of these discussions directly with Iran, having flown directly from the US means that he is an utterly pivotal figure in what's going to happen in the next 48 hours. 

"I suppose the fact that that meeting tomorrow is taking place means the whole world is being given some breathing space because surely nothing will now happen before that meeting has concluded.

"And the consequences of that meeting have been digested. So we've got 24, 36 hours for everyone to draw breath, plan and debate what happens next."

Listen to the full episode at the top of the page, or tap to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

By Alexandra Rogers, political reporter 

The UK's largest trade union saw its membership jump by 200% in the 10 local authorities won by Reform at last month's local elections.

Unison figures show its membership increased by an average of 272% in the week after the results were announced, which saw Reform take control of 10 councils and pick up more than 600 councillors.

The data, shared with Sky News, shows an average of 64 people joined the union in the week beginning 5 May, following the poll in England on 1 May - compared with an average of 28 for the previous week and 21 for 2025 as a whole.

In a speech celebrating his party's gains, Mr Farage warned workers at councils now controlled by Reform - including Durham, Kent, Doncaster and Staffordshire - to seek "alternative careers" if they worked on diversity or climate change initiatives.

Mr Farage has sought to bring the Trump administration's so-called Department of Government Efficiency - nicknamed DOGE - to the UK in a bid to slash the costs of the state.

He has singled out council spending and environmental policies for particular criticism.

David Lammy is set to meet with his counterparts from France, Germany and Iran - as well as the EU - in Geneva tomorrow.

The foreign secretary is hotfooting it back to Europe from the United States to discuss the unfolding situation in the Middle East.

A UK official said: "The UK has had long-standing concerns about Iran's nuclear programme for many years and the foreign secretary is ready to support talks to press for a diplomatic solution to this, reiterating need for diplomatic settlement to address nuclear issue for the long term."

We've just had the latest data for people crossing the English Channel in small boats.

Some 244 people made the journey in four boats yesterday - an average of 61 people per vessel.

If added to the previous six days of crossings, it shows that 2,066 have made the crossing since last Thursday.

The worst day for crossings was last Friday - when 919 people made the voyage in 14 boats.

Speaking to broadcasters earlier today, Sir Keir Starmer was asked about advice provided to the government by Attorney General Richard Hermer.

Sky News reported earlier that Hermer has concerns about the legality of Israel's actions against Iran.

The PM insisted - as he has before - that "the attorney's advice is never just disclosed by any government".

Sir Keir Starmer has just been speaking to broadcasters about the situation in the Middle East.

The prime minister reiterated his calls for de-escalation in the conflict, and insisted a diplomatic resolution was the way forward.

Starmer said: "All of us, the UK included, are very concerned about the nuclear program that Iran is developing."

He added that he also recognised Israel's right to self-defence.

But he added that de-escalation is needed to avoid the conflict spilling over into Gaza, and also to avoid impacts on the economy.

The PM said there have been several rounds of discussions with the United States on the topic, and that is the way forward to get a solution.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy is currently in the United States to speak with his opposite number Marco Rubio, and will then be travelling to Switzerland tomorrow to speak with Iran and European leaders.

By Ashish Joshi, health correspondent

On the eve of one of the most important votes this current cohort of MPs will likely ever cast, it was a bold, daring claim to make. 

 Asked by a reporter at a press conference convened in a hot, crowded room deep inside the parliamentary estate if tomorrow's assisted dying vote was likely to pass, Kim Leadbeater replied, confidently, yes, her controversial bill would be carried. 

It would take a sizeable shift to swing it the other way, and opponents of the bill have been trying very hard to convince wavering MPs to do just that. 

This week alone there have been significant interventions from the Royal Colleges of Psychiatrists and Physicians - two professions that would be at the heart of delivering this end of life care and key in making the life or death decisions. 

The setting might have been political, but the message was much less so. 

Leadbeater was flanked by supporters with the most compelling, heart-wrenching testimonies. 

Each told their own powerful story: of lonely, painful deaths, carefully planned journeys to Switzerland's Dignitas clinic kept secret from loved ones, and the life limiting deterioration in health and dreading what new misery the next few weeks or months would bring.

It was a powerful reminder to MPs that away from the parliamentary process and bill scrutiny, ultimately this is what the legislation is all about.

There was a (questionable) assurance from Lord Falconer that the House of Lords would respect the will of the people and the bill will pass through the upper chamber without difficulty. 

The timetable is tight, but it appears the country is ready for change - a historic one.