UNITED KINGDOM

Exclusive: Decision follows departure of chief of staff Morgan McSweeney over Peter Mandelson scandalUK politics live – latest updatesTim Allan, Keir Starmer’s director of communications, has stepped down after only five months in the job, his resignation coming a day after the prime minister’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, also departed.Allan said in a brief statement: “I have decided to stand down to allow a new No 10 team to be built. I wish the PM and his team every success.” Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/09/keir-starmer-director-of-communications-tim-allan-step-down Author : Peter Walker and Pippa Crerar Publish date : 2026-02-09 11:30:00 Copyright

Need for greater military autonomy also accepted, says report for Munich Security Conference, which takes place this weekEurope has come to the painful realisation that it needs to be more assertive and more militarily independent from an authoritarian US administration that no longer shares a commitment to liberal democratic norms and values, a report prepared by the Munich Security Conference asserts.The report sets the scene for an all-out ideological confrontation with the Trump White House at the high-level annual meeting of security policy specialists, which starts on Friday. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/09/europe-us-munich-security-conference-report Author : Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor

Palestine Action Group argued powers so broad anyone in Sydney CBD or eastern suburbs could be searched – even when Israeli president in Canberra or MelbourneFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Palestine Action Group has lost its legal challenge against sweeping powers handed to police by the Minns government for the duration of Israeli president Isaac Herzog’s visit.This means that police, under the state “major event” legislation – which is typically used for sporting events – may search anyone inside sections of the CBD and eastern suburbs

Leadership challenge by conservative MP is a matter of when, not if, they sayFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAngus Taylor is expected to challenge Sussan Ley for the Liberal leadership within days, according to supporters who argue “something has to change” after a horror opinion poll and the chaos of the Coalition split.While no decision has been made, conservative MPs believe it is a matter of when, not if, Taylor brings on a leadership vote this week after the latest Newspoll showed the Coalition’s primary vote had