Prime Minister Kier Starmer spent the weekend at the Munich Security Conference, where he set out the government’s foreign and defence priorities. The Prime Minister confirmed the deployment of the UK's Carrier Strike Group to the North Atlantic and the High North later this year and argued for closer cooperation with European partners on defence procurement and security, amid growing uncertainty among European allies about the future reliability of Trump’s security commitments.
Back at home, an already un-stable Labour has been further shaken by the fallout from revelations the think tank Labour Together commissioned APCO Worldwide to investigate journalists' sources. Senior figures across parties are now calling for an inquiry into who knew what, increasing scrutiny on Cabinet Office Minister Josh Simons, who led Labour Together at the time. The story comes at a time of churn in Downing Street, as Starmer searches for a new chief of staff and communications lead, with speculation also circulating about further changes at the top of government, including around the defence brief.
On defence, the weekend also saw the government take a firmer public stance on Russia, after the UK and four other countries concluded opposition leader Alexei Navalny was killed using a toxin linked to epibatidine. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the Russian state had possessed the poison and condemned what she described as a “barbaric” act, while indicating the UK would continue to work with allies on further action against Moscow. The findings have reinforced the government’s wider warning that instability in Europe is likely to persist.
Headlines
- Palestine Action ban ruled unlawful but group remains proscribed for now – BBC News
- Starmer moves closer to under-16s social media ban after Lords defeat – The Times
- Police framed man for murder, new evidence suggests – BBC News
What’s on in Parliament
Parliament is currently in recess and will next sit on 23rd February.
Consultations
- Bathing waters: proposed designation of 13 new sites in England – closes 23rdMarch
- Keeping children safe in education: proposed revisions 2026 – closes 22nd April
- Proposed changes to the health service products information regulations 2018 – closes 5th May
Statistics
- Social housing sales and demolitions 2024-25, England – published 12th February
- Energy Trends: UK renewables – updated 12th February
- 16 to 18 school and college performance data in England: 2024 to 2025 – published 12th February