Good evening. Starmer's grip on Downing Street is looking increasingly precarious tonight after explosive testimony from sacked Foreign Office chief Olly Robbins, who told MPs that Number 10 pressured him to fast-track Peter Mandelson's security clearance and had a "dismissive attitude" to proper vetting procedures. Even more damaging, Robbins revealed he was under "strict instruction" not to inform then-Foreign Secretary David Lammy about discussions to give a diplomatic role to one of Starmer's own aides. The revelations have left the Prime Minister in what observers are calling a dangerous limbo, with his parliamentary party now effectively holding his political fate in their hands.
Meanwhile, Tim Cook is stepping back from day-to-day operations at Apple, handing over significant control to the company's hardware chief in what marks the end of an era for the tech giant. Cook's fifteen-year tenure transformed Apple from a premium computer maker into a services and subscription powerhouse, though critics argue this shift away from groundbreaking hardware innovation may have diluted the company's core identity. On a more positive note for public health, the UK has finally passed its landmark smoking ban targeting anyone born after January 2009, creating what ministers hope will be the first truly smoke-free generation.