February 8, 2026 - Brief Briefing

Morgan McSweeney’s exit shows No 10 in full-blown survival mode

In the end, the PM had little option. Faced with an escalating crisis and ever-louder calls from his MPs that someone had to take...

by admin February 8, 2026

Morgan McSweeney's exit shows No 10 in full-blown survival mode

Morgan McSweeney’s exit shows No 10 in full-blown survival mode

In the end, the PM had little option. Faced with an escalating crisis and ever-louder calls from his MPs that someone had to take...

by admin February 8, 2026

Morgan McSweeney's exit shows No 10 in full-blown survival mode

From Svengali to sacked: Who is Morgan McSweeney, the prime minister’s departed chief of staff?

For those wishing to understand the Starmer project, it is hard to overstate how crucial a role Morgan McSweeney played. Born in Macroom, County...

by admin February 8, 2026

From Svengali to sacked: Who is Morgan McSweeney, the prime minister's departed chief of staff?

From Svengali to sacked: Who is Morgan McSweeney, the prime minister’s departed chief of staff?

For those wishing to understand the Starmer project, it is hard to overstate how crucial a role Morgan McSweeney played. Born in Macroom, County...

by admin February 8, 2026

From Svengali to sacked: Who is Morgan McSweeney, the prime minister's departed chief of staff?

Starmer’s top aide Morgan McSweeney resigns

Morgan McSweeney has resigned as Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff amid the fall-out from the Peter Mandelson scandal. Several Labour MPs blamed him...

by admin February 8, 2026

Starmer's top aide Morgan McSweeney resigns

Investment giant KKR ditches Mandelson lobbying firm

KKR, the American investment giant, has become the latest global corporation to sever ties with Global Counsel, the lobbying firm set up by Lord...

by admin February 8, 2026

Investment giant KKR ditches Mandelson lobbying firm

Starmer’s top adviser shouldn’t resign over Mandelson scandal as ‘responsibility lies with PM’, minister says

Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff should not resign over the Mandelson scandal because the responsibility “lies with the prime minister”, a cabinet minister...

by admin February 8, 2026

Investment giant KKR ditches Mandelson lobbying firm

James Webb Space Telescope Finds Most Distant Galaxy Ever Detected

The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered MoM-z14, the most distant galaxy ever observed, dating to just 280 million years after the Big Bang....

by admin February 8, 2026

Japan’s ultra conservative prime minister set to seize more power, exit poll shows

Japan’s ultra conservative prime minister is set to seize more power after an exit poll had her securing a big majority in the country’s...

by admin February 8, 2026

Japan's ultra conservative prime minister set to seize more power, exit poll shows

Fresh heavy rain warning issued amid hundreds of flood alerts

The Met Office has issued a fresh weather warning for heavy rain, with more than 200 flood alerts still in place. The new yellow...

by admin February 8, 2026

Fresh heavy rain warning issued amid hundreds of flood alerts

Washington Post CEO Will Lewis steps down, days after a third of staff made redundant

The chief executive and publisher of the Washington Post has stepped down, just days after a third of the paper’s staff were made redundant....

by admin February 8, 2026

Washington Post CEO Will Lewis steps down, days after a third of staff made redundant

Savannah Guthrie tells mother’s potential kidnappers ‘we will pay’ in video plea for her return

US TV news host Savannah Guthrie has told the potential kidnappers of her 84-year-old mother that her family “will pay” for her safe return....

by admin February 8, 2026

Savannah Guthrie tells mother's potential kidnappers 'we will pay' in video plea for her return

Italian police fire tear gas at protesters near Olympics venue

Italian police have fired tear gas and water cannon at protesters who threw firecrackers, smoke bombs and bottles at them near a Winter Olympics...

by admin February 8, 2026

Italian police fire tear gas at protesters near Olympics venue

Thousands forced to evacuate as Storm Marta batters Spain and Portugal

A ‘storm train’ of consecutive winds and rains battering Spain and Portugal has already forced 11,000 people to flee their homes. A man, believed...

by admin February 8, 2026

Thousands forced to evacuate as Storm Marta batters Spain and Portugal

Japan’s drum-playing, Trump-hugging, China-provoking PM Sanae Takaichi raises the stakes

Japanese politics is politer and more understated than most. It’s perhaps the reason that Western audiences do not always pay a huge amount of...

by admin February 8, 2026

Japan's drum-playing, Trump-hugging, China-provoking PM Sanae Takaichi raises the stakes

Cristiano Ronaldo misses second straight Al Nassr game amid his ongoing strike

Cristiano Ronaldo has missed a second straight game with Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr as he continues his strike. Ronaldo, 41, returned to...

by admin February 8, 2026

Cristiano Ronaldo misses second straight Al Nassr game amid his ongoing strike

Review launched into Peter Mandelson’s US ambassador payoff

A payment given to Lord Peter Mandelson when he was sacked as ambassador to the US is being reviewed after the latest revelations in...

by admin February 8, 2026

Review launched into Peter Mandelson's US ambassador payoff