Eleni Courea

A note to say I'm now on maternity leave until the end of the year 🐣

No doubt politics will have calmed down by then!

In the meantime, follow the ace @lexytopping.bsky.social who has joined the Guardian lobby team while I'm off

MPs warn that UK agreements with Donald Trump are ‘built on sand’ Exclusive: Health select committee chair says UK government’s ‘naive belief’ Trump is a good faith actor ‘could cost UK taxpayer billions’

Exc: The UK-US pharma deal announced this month still has no underlying text beyond some headline terms

Ministers warn that our deals with Donald Trump are "built on sand"

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Starmer to pick new US ambassador as relations with Trump tested Exclusive: a trio of candidates have been interviewed by the PM, but he could still decide to directly appoint someone else

EXC: Keir Starmer is poised to choose a new US ambassador from a shortlist of three as relations with Donald Trump are tested

Varun Chandra, the No10 business adviser, Christian Turner, due to be ambo to UN, and Nigel Casey, ambo to Russia, were interviewed by the PM this week

As we reported last week - Keir Starmer is appointing 25 Labour peers in a bid to strengthen his hand in the Lords

His former director of comms Matthew Doyle and Rachel Reeves's outgoing chief of staff Katie Martin are among them

UK aims to secure agreement to rejoin Erasmus student exchange scheme Britain quit EU programme after Brexit, when Boris Johnson claimed it did not offer good value for money

EXCL: The UK is hoping to secure an agreement within weeks to rejoin the EU’s flagship student mobility programme, as part of a drive to pursue closer relations with Brussels after a setback on defence @ecourea.bsky.social & @kiranstacey.bsky.social report www.theguardian.com/education/20...

‘Deeply shocking’: Nigel Farage faces fresh claims of racism and antisemitism at school Bafta-winning director among contemporaries urging contrition and apology from Reform UK leader, who denies the allegations

💥 NEW: ‘Deeply shocking’: Nigel Farage faces fresh claims of racism and antisemitism at school

“He would sidle up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right,’ or ‘Gas them,’ sometimes adding a long hiss to simulate the sound of the gas showers".

Read on for more...

www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-...

Some Labour insiders think Team Starmer were following the Brownite playbook… but the outcome was significantly different. Great piece by @ecourea.bsky.social & co

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Come for the intro from Damian McBride's Power Trip:

Briefing war spotlights relationships between three of Labour’s most senior figures Rift said to be driven between Keir Starmer and Morgan McSweeney even before attacks on Wes Streeting

Our read on the relationship between Keir Starmer, Morgan McSweeney and Wes Streeting after this week's extraordinary briefing war 👇

Why did it all kick off? How did it go wrong? And what longer-running rifts has it exposed?

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Would there be a lease? They bought the site in 2018 so they own it outright

Boris Johnson approved China’s London super-embassy proposal in 2018 Exclusive: Conservatives under Theresa May gave Beijing assurances that it could proceed with the proposal

Exclusive: Boris Johnson approved China’s super-embassy proposal in 2018 — and welcomed the fact it was “China’s largest overseas diplomatic investment” anywhere in the world

He made a commitment it would be built alongside the new British embassy in Beijing

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Conservatives complain to whips about fellow MP’s comments on legally settled people Exclusive: Criticism of Katie Lam comes amid widespread confusion in the party over its policy on indefinite leave to remain

EXC: Conservative MPs have complained to party whips over Katie Lam's remarks that many legal immigrants should be deported to make the UK “culturally coherent”

“It’s either dog-whistle or it’s so vague it’s meaningless,” one Tory MP said

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Lucy Powell urged ministers to rethink legal action against Labour donor’s firm Exclusive: Intervention by deputy leadership contender could have saved company based in her Manchester constituency millions

EXC: Lucy Powell urged ministers to reconsider legal action against a developer in her seat founded by a Labour donor

Powell wrote to Rayner on behalf of Urban Splash after bumping into Tom Bloxham at a fundraiser

She said she was acting as a constituency MP

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

There is an organised group of residents - the Royal Mint Court Residents' Association - that has been very vocally against the project from the start and has led opposition to it in submissions to the local planning inquiry. I do recognise this doesn't apply to all residents

China threatened to retaliate against UK over foreign influence rules Exclusive: Chinese officials warned that targeting its security apparatus would have negative consequences for relations

EXC: China threatened to retaliate against the UK govt if ministers targeted parts of its state under foreign influence rules

Chinese officials warned the FCDO the move would have negative consequences for relations after we reported it was being considered

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Starmer on horns of dilemma over China’s seven-year mega-embassy saga Decision time is coming after Labour called in the planning application for a new building in east London

My read on the 7-year-long Chinese embassy saga at Royal Mint Court

— How Chinese officials sought to overturn the council's refusal behind the scenes before ministers intervened

— Residents are preparing to seek a judicial review if the government approves it

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

Rachel Reeves to lift two-child benefit cap in November’s budget Exclusive: Officials exploring options to change rule that affected 1.7 million children in Great Britain last year UK politics live – latest updates

EXCL: Rachel Reeves is set to lift the two-child benefit limit in the budget with officials exploring options of a new tapered system.

The Treasury is exploring if it might instead be limited to three or four children – or whether there could be a tapered rate.

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

"OUTRAGE AS FARAGE THREATENS MASS DEPORTATION OF LEGAL IMMIGRANTS"
Full Story: t.ly/IBk_I
@ecourea.bsky.social for @theguardian.com

#NigelFarage faces condemnation after threatening thousands of #LegalImmigrants with #deportation.

#TheGuardian
#TomorrowsPapersToday
#IBPAPERS

Migration minister Mike Tapp shudders as Peter Mandelson's emails to Epstein are read out to him on BBC Breakfast

He says they are "disturbing" but that we should consider Mandelson's statement expressing regret

He says the PM retains confidence in him "as far as I know"

Shabana Mahmood: justice secretary and rising star of the Labour party Described as a pragmatic politician with an instinct for the times, Mahmood is thought of by some as a future Labour leader

Shabana Mahmood's promotion to home secretary is at the centre of this reshuffle

Read my profile of her from this summer👇

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

From silence to statehood: how Trump’s indifference moved the UK on Palestine Under pressure on domestic and international stage to act on Gaza, a shrug from the president allowed Starmer to make pledge

How a shrug from Donald Trump moved the UK's position on Palestine:

— Trump comments on Monday gave Starmer the green light
— Policy inc. conditions on Israel drafted largely by Jonathan Powell
— Senior govt figures privately say all roads lead to recognition

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Cabinet ministers and third of MPs call on Starmer to recognise state of Palestine More than 220 MPs sign letter to prime minister and foreign secretary calling for British recognition of statehood

EXC: Keir Starmer is under intense pressure from his most senior cabinet ministers to move faster on recognising Palestine

Angela Rayner and Yvette Cooper are understood to be among ministers who believe the UK should take the lead on Palestinian statehood

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Back in action from today after three gorgeous weeks in Puglia and Sicily

China considers lifting sanctions on UK parliamentarians as relations warm Exclusive: Restrictions to be reviewed as embassy official says ‘UK-China relations are showing a positive momentum’

EXC: China is considering lifting the sanctions it imposed on UK parliamentarians in 2021 in the latest sign of warming relations between London and Beijing

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

He sent it anyway while driving to Stalybridge with his wife. Lutnick rang him straight away and said: "Johnny, I got your message. I don't know what it means"

The signal was so bad Reynolds was missing every 5th word and was worried he would accidentally agree to sell the NHS

Great anecdote from trade sec Jonathan Reynolds over lunch with lobby journalists

His first WhatsApp message to US commerce sec Howard Lutnick was drafted through a cross-Whitehall process and the result was "something no human being would send or be able to understand"

UK and Gibraltar close to post-Brexit agreement on border with Spain David Lammy and territory’s chief minister to meet with EU and Spain to get Eurostar-style arrangement over the line

UK and Gibraltar close to post-Brexit agreement on border with Spain

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

British officials hopeful that US will start lifting car tariffs this week Exclusive: Trade secretary to meet US counterpart with aim of implementing first parts of deal in coming days

EXC: UK officials are hopeful the US will begin implementing the deal to reduce tariffs this week

The aim is to secure a proclamation from Donald Trump in the coming days. Officials expect tariffs on cars to be reduced first, before steel/aluminium

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

UK ministers delay AI regulation amid plans for more ‘comprehensive’ bill Law expected to include safety and copyright issues but delay likely to raise concerns about ongoing lack of regulation

EXC w/ @kiranstacey.bsky.social: Plans to regulate artificial intelligence have been delayed by at least a year

Ministers are planning a bumper bill in the next king's speech to regulate the technology and its use of copyrighted material

www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Reform’s new chair Zia Yusuf: a man intent on making Nigel Farage PM Former leftwing student defends leader’s Southport comments and insists party stands for British values

Worth rereading this excellent profile of Zia Yusuf from @ecourea.bsky.social last year 👇

www.theguardian.com/politics/art...