Daily briefing Saturday 16th May

0:00This episode of the Times Radio News Briefing is sponsored by PwCWC. Staying competitive means getting ahead, not just keeping up. So how do business leaders cut through the noise and focus on what really matters. PwC takes you further with tech, from optimising the systems that put your data to work, to scaling AI from proof of concept to competitive edge. PwC helps you meet tomorrow's tech demands, so you can compete at a speed that rewrites the rules. Discover more at pwc.co.uk. This is Times Radio's Daily Briefing on Saturday the 16th of May. The Metropolitan Police is carrying out one of its largest operations in recent memory, with more than 100 ,000 protesters in London.

0:46Officers have been granted enhanced stop-and-search powers to police a Unite the Kingdom march organised by Tommy Robinson, as well as a separate smaller rally organised by pro-Palestinian supporters. Chants about an intifada could be an offence in certain contexts. Speaking to Times Radio, Peter Leary, the deputy director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, criticised the Mets' approach. The word intifada is an Arabic word. It means uprising. And what the police are saying is that if I go on a march today and I call for an uprising, that's grand. But if a Palestinian on their national day uses the same word in their own language, they're liable to be arrested.

1:27I think that is a disgraceful attitude of the Metropolitan Police to take to London's diverse communities. The cost of policing this weekend is expected to exceed£4.5 million. Cabinet ministers are calling for Andy Burnham to be appointed automatically as Labour's next leader if he wins the by-election in Makerfield. Labour's National Executive Committee has approved the Mayor of Greater Manchester to stand in the election, with plans to hold the contest on 18 June. Amid his battle for political survival, Sir Keir Starmer is expected to approve an£18 billion increase in defence spending. Senior defence insiders say the investment would enable the armed forces to modernise and to fight a future war.

2:08The Times has learned that Jonathan Powell, the national security adviser, had written to the Prime Minister warning him that Britain would otherwise struggle to maintain its position on the global stage. Speaking to Times Radio, the former head of the British Army, Lord Dannett, suggested the Prime Minister is resorting to a last-ditch measure. He's looked at what Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham have been saying themselves about defence, and he realises that he's extraordinarily vulnerable. So yes, of course we welcome 18 billion extra, but it's not enough, it doesn't go far enough, and there'll have to be more.

2:41And the Eurovision Song Contest's celebration of its 70th anniversary is being overshadowed by protests this weekend. 25 nations, including the UK, are taking part, but five have boycotted the event because of Israel's participation. They're citing the war in Gaza, as well as allegations of Israel's government trying to influence the outcome of the last two Eurovisions. The host city Vienna has witnessed a protest by an organisation known as No Stage for Genocide. We see a country participating in this European Song Contest, which is right now committing a genocide for over two and a half years.

3:17And we couldn't stand still and we had to organise this song protest now. There's more on these stories throughout the day on Times Radio.

3:52That's why PwC takes you further with tech, strengthening the data quality, processes and workflows that shape how well AI performs. PwC turns innovation into implementation so you can accelerate from experiment to scale. Discover more at pwc.co.uk.

4:14Hey, Pablo Torre here. As a sports journalist, I've covered global sports for many years now. And there is one thing that I can promise you. Nothing compares to the World Cup. And this time, it is even better thanks to McDonald's. You have the chance to take home one of nine legendary cups when you order the FIFA World Cup meal. The cups feature some of the biggest legends in football, like David Beckham, Thierry Henry, and Ronaldinho, Christian Pulisic, Lamine Yamal, and Alfonso Davies. Right now, get one of nine legendary cups when you order the FIFA World Cup meal only at McDonald's. At participating McDonald's, only for a limited time, while supplies last.

4:50All rights reserved. Copyright 2026. McDonald's at the FIFA World Cup 2026.