Esther Webber

Sudanese ‘militiamen’ invited to Labour Party conference event Event was arranged by organization run by Labour councillor known in Westminster for running the British Kebab Awards.

EXCL:

Two alleged members of the Sudanese paramilitary group RSF were invited to speak at a Labour conference fringe event.

RSF is accused of crimes against humanity including the rape and murder of civilians

www.politico.eu/article/suda...

One optimistic government adviser pointed to Trump’s reception by the King and Queen of the Netherlands, which helped pave the way for a successful NATO summit, as a template for royal impact.

Ukraine’s best hope for influencing Trump? King Charles. The U.S. president will be lauded with the finest pomp and pageantry Britain has to offer.

👑🇺🇦 Ukraine’s best hope for influencing Trump? King Charles.

The King is “very close” to detail of Ukraine negotiations and to Zelenskyy himself.

While he won't speak publicly about matters of government, he is “adept at finding other ways of showing his views.”

www.politico.eu/article/dona...

Calls to possible candidates to replace Mandelson already under way.

Former national security adviser Mark Sedwill is being seen as a frontrunner.

Karen Pierce remains a favourite of Trump but difficult for No.10 to backtrack and admit mistake.

How the Epstein scandal claimed Britain’s ‘Prince of Darkness’ Peter Mandelson’s sacking shocked London and Washington just days before a high-stakes state visit.

NEW: Full story of extraordinary Mandelson affair and what next

— Trump upset by handling and that Starmer didn't tell him personally
— Edgy about state visit being overshadowed
— Pushing for a replacement to happen before state visit

w/@samblewett.bsky.social
www.politico.eu/article/how-...

Starmer and Merz find their happy place: War Germany’s leader will use a London visit Thursday to finalize a wide-ranging pact that goes big on security cooperation.

NEW: Keir Starmer keen to big up tackling illegal migration when he meets Friedrich Merz, but the steps announced today are limited.

Both men facing domestic pressure on migration but less clear how they can help each other compared with France.

w/Nette Noestlinger www.politico.eu/article/keir...

On coalition of the willing, IISS' François Heisbourg tells my colleague @cleacaulcutt.bsky.social:

“Apart from counting once more the number of buttons on uniforms, I don’t see the point of [the meeting]”

Macron pitches Starmer on new special relationship as leaders strike defense deals The countries have dubbed their defense refresh an “entente industrielle.”

Starmer and Macron going big on defence today, but are they papering over the cracks?

— differing approaches to Trump
— France reluctant for UK access to EU fund
— coalition of the willing at an impasse
www.politico.eu/article/emma...

Macron will give an address from the Royal Gallery later.

Tapestries were used to cover paintings of Waterloo and Trafalgar battles during a visit by Charles de Gaulle to parliament in 1960, but Macron will not be spared.

When Charles addressed the French Senate during that visit, he said: “France has been an essential part of the fabric of my own life for as long as I can remember.”

The speech, delivered largely in French, earned him a standing ovation.

Macron and the King have a friendship which underpins this visit.

Follows Macron's tribute to the Queen, the King's cancelled state visit to France due to riots, and the Macrons' 2023 banquet at the Palace of Versailles, where they served Pol Roger's Sir Winston Churchill cuvée.

Move over Starmer: It’s the King Charles and Macron show The British monarch prepares to roll out the red carpet for France’s president — and offer some welcome relief from strife back home.

State Visit time!

While it's all about amity, the King's words will be watched for hints about where the allies have further to go.

“Look at what the king has done on Canada and on Ukraine without saying a word” said one ex-diplomat.

w/@cleacaulcutt.bsky.social www.politico.eu/article/keir...

UK government demands overhaul at under-fire AI institute The Alan Turing Institute has been criticized for failing to anticipate major changes to the AI landscape.

EXC: Alan Turing Institute ordered to drop health and climate research and focus on defence

In a letter to its director Science Sec Peter Kyle says it needs a complete overhaul to “strengthen government’s confidence in the institute”

w/Joe Bambridge, Tom Bristow www.politico.eu/article/uk-g...

UK and Germany prepare to sign wide-ranging mutual defense treaty Under the pact, any strategic threat to one country would represent a threat to the other.

EXC:

Britain and Germany are preparing to sign a treaty covering defence, travel and illegal migration.

It features a mutual assistance clause in the case of a threat to either nation.

w/Chris Lunday, Nette Nostlinger www.politico.eu/article/uk-g...

In the wake of the SDR, the government is focused on boosting manufacturing of artillery and munitions.

Govt aide stresses this is “a Keynesian and a left-wing thing to do”

They want to align themselves with Labour heroes of the past such as Attlee, Bevin and Healey

How war ate Keir Starmer’s agenda Hiking Britain’s military spending keeps Trump sweet and could counter domestic rivals — but it’s raising questions about Labour’s priorities.

🪖 Keir Starmer's discomfort last week - trumpeting defence spending at NATO as welfare rebellion brewed - is only going to get worse.

Defence is Labour's top priority, says a Cabinet minister, and “people will need to get used to it”

www.politico.eu/article/labo...

Europe managed to keep Trump in NATO. Now what? National leaders now need to find the money and buy weapons to deter Russia while facing a potential reduction of U.S. troops on the continent.

Pledging to spend 5 percent of GDP on defense may have been the easy part for NATO allies.

Now European leaders face a tougher test — selling this at home, figuring out how to spend the money, and preparing for potential U.S. troop reductions.
www.politico.eu/article/euro...

When you drive into Clackmannanshire, the sign says "CLACKMANNANSHIRE - more than you imagine" and I think that raises all sorts of questions.

MPs who find themselves to the left of Starmer say they're being taken for granted

Long-serving city MP says the welfare plan left them “incandescent — this was not what I expected. We can’t just be slightly better than the Tories”

Prof Jane Green questions whether it makes sense for Labour to target Reform/potential Reform voters.

“Can they even win over Reform? They’re likely to misunderstand that voter anyway” while at the same time “alienating other voters and attracting people onto an issue where you can’t deliver.”

Keir Starmer’s massive majority brings problems of its own Labour seems unified in public, but a division is emerging between MPs representing what they see as its core voters, and those from towns the party is newly courting.

Wrote something on tension in Labour between town vs city MPs - and how the welfare vote could make it worse.

“A London MP [is] not going to be cheering on what’s happened with defence spending and foreign aid, but in my constituency it’s been very well received.”
www.politico.eu/article/uk-l...

The Starmer and Reeves double act is about to be tested A strong, if shallow, partnership at the top has defined Labour in office. Can it hold when the going gets tough?

While Starmer and Reeves remain close, there are signs of No.10 asserting independence.

The PM insisted on defense uplift taking place more quickly than Reeves wanted, per sources.

No.10 is also finally recruiting an economic adviser.

with @danbloom1.bsky.social www.politico.eu/article/keir...

This would once have fed Twitter for a whole week

UK minister warns against exclusion of disabled MPs Commons leader Lucy Powell tells POLITICO a new review will consider whether long hours are excluding MPs with disabilities and impairments.

EXC: Commons Leader Lucy Powell says “we cannot have” a situation where MPs who can't sit for long hours due to disabilities are excluded

It comes after Labour's Naz Shah was forced to leave the assisted dying bill committee early to recharge her hearing aids

www.politico.eu/article/mini...

The govt could make a start by addressing how hilariously inaccessible the whole disability benefits system is - reliant on forms you can only fill out by hand (!) and helplines which need use of keypad/voice commands

Tony Blair’s right-hand man goes into battle for Ukraine Jonathan Powell played a crucial role in securing peace in Northern Ireland — and his much-hyped skills as a negotiator are being put to the test again.

Starmer's national security adviser Jonathan Powell has emerged as a key figure in Ukraine negotiations.

The ceasefire plan for Ukraine bears the hallmarks of his experience in Northern Ireland.

"His preparedness to build relationships with former enemies was vital"
www.politico.eu/article/jona...

But but but: any vote on benefits changes is unlikely to threaten Starmer, backed by loyal MPs — including those in newly won seats where the idea is very popular.

Discipline has been imposed rigorously, with would-be rebels complaining of “arse-crawling” loyalty among colleagues

‘Not why I joined Labour’: Keir Starmer’s MPs agonize about welfare cuts A minority of MPs in the ruling Labour Party are feeling mutinous — but there’s a sharp divide among its newest members.

💥 "Not why I joined Labour"

💥 "Self-defeating"

💥 "Hypocrisy"

💥 "What’s the point of being an MP if we can’t end injustices like this?”

What MPs are saying about Keir Starmer's planned cuts to welfare, by Annabelle Dickson, @danbloom1.bsky.social and me www.politico.eu/article/keir...

Bit of a marmalade dropper this morning from @estwebber.bsky.social

Committee stage on the hereditary peerages bill began with a classic