Ken McCallum
Director General of MI5
15 stories
19 quotes
Given what we’ve actually seen in practice in the U.K. in recent years, that has not been anywhere near the level of capability.”
- Asked to comment on that, Mr. McCallum saidThe New York Timesnytimes.com/2026/10…
- he saidThe Jerusalem Postjpost.com/international/articl…
- McCallum saidAljazeeraaljazeera.com/news/2026…
The protection of democracy — its institutions, its representatives, its principles — has never felt more vital.”
- As McCallum himself recognisedGuardiantheguardian.com/uk/news…
The spring saw a wave of arson and sabotage incidents targeting Jewish communities in the U.K. and other European countries,
- the MI5 chief, Ken McCallum, said during the briefingThe New York Timesnytimes.com/2026/10…
There is no law of physics dictating that rising state threats will be accompanied by diminishing terrorist threats,
- MI5’s director general, Ken McCallum, said,Guardiantheguardian.com/uk/news…
Human history has given us no experience of facing an actor which is smarter than we are, is capable of outthinking us.”
- Giving his annual threat update from MI5 headquarters in London, McCallum saidPolitico Europepolitico.eu/article/mi5…
Iranian ambitions to come at harder targets, like military sites,
- McCallum also referencedCNNcnn.com/2026/10…
In the last 24 hours
Far-right and Iran add to mix of terror threats UK faces — not to mention AI
Guardiantheguardian.com/uk/news…In his annual threat update at MI5 headquarters in London, Sir Ken McCallum outlined the growing challenges facing the country, from hostile foreign governments and terrorism to the potential misuse of AI
CBS Newscbsnews.com/news/iran…MI5 chief warns against overstating Russian interference in Brexit vote
BBCbbc.com/news/articles…It made headlines briefly when Boris Johnson blamed Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea on the European Union
Guardiantheguardian.com/commentisfree/…MI5 chief warns of AI ‘supercharging’ threats posed by hostile actors like Russia and Iran
CNNcnn.com/2026/10…UK PM Burnham Says Iran Likely Behind RAF Fairford Plot
The Independentindependent.co.uk/news/uk…AI 'supercharging' security threats to UK, MI5 warns
Sky Newsnews.sky.com/story/ai…UK PM Burnham Says Iran Likely Behind RAF Fairford Plot
The Independentindependent.co.uk/news/uk…Earlier
Behind the mystery that first set off fears of Iranian threats at a UK military base
Irish Timesirishtimes.com/world/uk…Five men arrested on suspicion of terrorism — and then let go
The New York Timesnytimes.com/2026/10…Dual UK-Iran national arrested in RAF Fairford bomb plot investigation released on bail
The Jerusalem Postjpost.com/international/islami…Sixth man bailed over suspected RAF Fairford terror plot
The Telegraphtelegraph.co.uk/news/2026…MI5 lied to courts while defending its ‘neo-Nazi abuser’ agent
The Timesthetimes.com/uk/politics…MI5 has been reprimanded by a watchdog for lying about its relationship with a neo-Nazi informant, who had exploited his role with the spy agency to violently threaten his girlfriend
Guardiantheguardian.com/uk/news…MI5 chief warns of 'growing threat' of 'thuggish actions' from Iran and Russia
Daily Expressexpress.co.uk/news/politics…The previous government took the BBC to court in 2022 in a failed attempt to block our original investigation, but it won the man legal anonymity
BBCbbc.com/news/articles…MI5 chief declares himself a fan of spy drama Slow Horses
The Telegraphtelegraph.co.uk/news/2026…The Apple TV+ show, described by some critics as the anti-James Bond, stars Sir Gary Oldman as the crude boss of a team of failed or disgraced MI5 agents who have been banished to a building called Slough House
BBCbbc.com/news/articles…Iranian spies and saboteurs to be locked up for longer
The Telegraphtelegraph.co.uk/news/2026…Foreign agents guilty of committing national security crimes will no longer be automatically released ahead of serving their full prison sentences from Sunday
Daily Maildailymail.co.uk/news/article…MI5 chief apologises to woman abused by agent
The Telegraphtelegraph.co.uk/news/2026…MI5 has apologised and settled a legal claim brought by a woman whose ex was an undercover spy that abused her and used his Secret Service status to silence her
Daily Maildailymail.co.uk/news/article…MPs demand urgent action on London grooming gangs
BBCbbc.com/news/articles…Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has welcomed an offer from MI5 to help political parties vet their election candidates as hostile states try to infiltrate British democracy
Politico Europepolitico.eu/article/reform…US accuses Starmer of being soft on China
The Telegraphtelegraph.co.uk/world/news…Starmer’s trip to China — the first by a British prime minister in eight years — comes on the heels of a similar delegation by Canadian counterpart Mark Carney that drew fresh tariff threats from US President Donald Trump
Hindustan Timeshindustantimes.com/world/news…Surrender Starmer may as well fly the white flag over Downing Street
Daily Expressexpress.co.uk/news/politics…US ‘deeply concerned’ after Chinese ‘super-embassy’ approved in London
The Independentindependent.co.uk/news/uk…On Tuesday, the government approved China's proposal to redevelop the former Royal Mint site into a vast 215,300 sq ft (20,000 sq m) UK headquarters, despite opposition from politicians and campaigners
BBCbbc.com/news/articles…