Labour holds talks on potential of widespread protests over cost of living caused by Iran war

Oliver Partridge
Fri, 10 Apr 2026 20:47:13 +0000

Downing Street has held talks on the potential of mass protests over a cost of living crisis following the war in Iran.

Experts have previously warned energy bills could rise by £160 if the war in the Middle East drags on, with fuel prices hitting their highest level since 2022.

Now, GB News understands representatives from several Whitehall departments held conversations about the prospects of mass demonstrations due to high prices and shortages of key goods.

Ministers have also held Iraq war-style "stop the war" demonstrations, which they believe could be focused in communities with a large population of Muslims.

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Housing Secretary Steve Reed is believed to be in charge of "community cohesion" during the war, however any potential mass protests or rioting would be under the responsibility of the Home Office.

Sources told GB News that community tensions were not assessed as "a likely outcome".

One added: "Suggestions that we are bracing for public disorder are categorically incorrect and the UK has strong and diverse energy supplies."

GB News understands that departments across Whitehall carry out continuous, routine work with industry, local government, and emergency services to ensure national resilience.

Petrol stations in the UK are being supplied as normal with a diverse and resilient supply for both petrol and diesel, they said, although officials "continue to monitor the situation closely".

Ministers have previously urged the public not to stockpile petrol and diesel, with some fuel stations having already reported shortages.

Farmers have complained that red diesel, the low-tax fuel used for farm machinery, has been rationed by suppliers.

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Fuel price protests have already broken out in Ireland, where the Army was deployed to clear demonstrators from a port in Limerick and an oil refinery in Cork.

Officials are also watching the price of food, which is expected to rise as a result of the higher cost of global shipping and the impact of the war on domestic farming.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves indicated ministers would step in to support struggling households, but said support would probably be means-tested.

The Government is concerned that mass protests would place additional stress on public resources and inflame community tensions.

No10 insisted the chance of mass protests was remote, although contingency planning in the Cabinet Office’s civil contingencies directorate is reportedly underway.

A Government spokesman said: “While we don’t comment on Cobra meetings, the government maintains contingency arrangements across a wide range of scenarios, however unlikely. That is exactly as the public would expect.”

Sir Keir Starmer said he would avoid the “mistakes of Iraq”, when the UK followed the US into conflict in the Middle East, and prompted million-strong demonstrations in Westminster.