The News Agents

Armed Forces minister Al Carns and a couple of junior frontbenchers followed the Defence Secretary John Healey in resigning from government last night.
Healey's accusation was a stinging one - that Keir Starmer is failing to commit to keeping the nation safe from attack. That, after Starmer pledged only a few months ago to put "petty politics" to one side and be bold on British defence.
He now faces a testing week like no other. His Defence Investment Plan, long delayed. is due to be launched on Monday. Can that go ahead? If the PM gets through that, he faces the prospect of Andy Burnham returning to the Commons on Friday - who could instantly make a move for the top job.
How damaging have the resignations of the past 24 hours been for Starmer's already dwindling prospects of staying in the job? And how on earth does the PM navigate the next week?
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Around lunch time today, as The News Agents were battling their own excitement in the shape of a fire drill, the Defence Secretary suddenly resigned without warning. He left with a devastating critique of the Starmer government failures in his wake. The loyal and highly regarded Healey resigned out of frustration that promises made on defence spending weren’t being kept. And that the Prime Minister wouldn’t even set a date for the increases to happen. Has Starmer “failed to keep the country safe"? And a week out from the Makerfield by-election, is this the nail in the coffin for Starmer’s leadership?
The News Agents is a Global Production.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Nedum touches down in USA and joins Gabby & Mark to discuss the opening game of the World Cup 2026; How excited are the locals, dark horses for the tournament & more...
But with such a constant stream of controversy in the days leading up to the first match - fans fleeced for tickets, a Somali referee banned from entering US, national teams greeted by ICE on arrival and FIFA President Gianni Infantino's call for everyone to just "chill out" - has a World Cup ever been harder to love?
The Athletic's Adam Crafton also joins to debate whether the questions will actually stop, once the football starts?

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Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides
Producer: George Sexton-Kerr
Video Producer: Samuel Trudgill
Social Media Editor: Jasmine Wissart
Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network
Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global
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Belfast was ablaze last night, 24 hours after the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie. Houses, cars and buses were set on fire during riots across the city. It has since been announced that Ogilvie has lost an eye in the attack and 30-year-old Hadi Alodid has been charged with his attempted murder.
The British government are laying at least some of the blame at the door of X owner Elon Musk, accusing him of whipping up tensions online ahead of the disorder.
Lewis is on the ground in Belfast with Andy Hughes from The Crime Agents with a special report on the events that unfolded last night.
Later, Jon and Emily speak with journalist and broadcaster Mehdi Hasan, who discusses how Musk and the far right have whipped up rioters and encouraged violence on the streets of Northern Ireland.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

This morning Kemi Badenoch put equality laws at the centre of a new political dividing line, pledging that a future Conservative government would scrap the Public Sector Equality Duty. She says that “modern Britain is the least racist country on earth” and warned that fears of being accused of racism are leading authorities to not intervene to prevent crime.
What is Badenoch’s evidence that equalities duties are pushing “divisive” agendas? When did ‘common sense’ become satisfactory guidance? And why are some parts of the Right now suggesting that white people are the most discriminated against group in Britain?
The News Agents is a Global Production.
The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/