Presented by Parents For Future and #StopRosebank

London Playbook

By SAM BLEWETT

with BETHANY DAWSON

Good Wednesday morning. This is Sam Blewett.

DRIVING THE DAY

BREXIT REVISITED: Labour is taking the fight to Nigel Farage on Brexit … by bigging up our links to the EU. European Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds will be dispatched this morning to accuse Brussels’ old nemesis of wanting to “take Britain backwards” by tearing up post-Brexit trade deals. This speech has been long in the planning, and Labour spinners will hope it puts clear water between the party and Reform UK. But …

Carried on the tide: Much of the discourse will inevitably remain stuck on small boats, a day after Farage unveiled his dreams of mass deportations. In Labour’s corner, there could be yet more small boats trouble brewing for the Home Office. And on Farage’s, his plans have found eager fans in … the Taliban. More on that headline in a sec.

On the airwaves: NTS is currently running the gauntlet of the morning broadcast round for the government in the build-up to his main event: a speech hosted by Spectator Editor (and big-time Vote Leaver) Michael Gove. The event at Westminster’s Old Queen Street Cafe kicks off at 10 a.m. with the Tory grandee chairing a Q&A.

**A message from Parents For Future and #StopRosebank: Why do so many people oppose Rosebank? Because it won’t cut bills, it’s mostly oil for export, and it could create a net loss of hundreds of millions for the Treasury. Critically, scientists warn new fields are incompatible with a safe climate for our children. Learn more.**

In da (private members’) club: Thomas-Symonds has made a point of going into unfriendly territory — at the UnHerd eatery — to argue in favor of cozy EU relations. And by choosing Gove he wants to go toe-to-toe with a proper hardcore Brexiteer, rather than preaching to the converted. Although … it’s probably helpful that Gove is not exactly a roaring Farage fan either.

The big message: Thomas-Symonds will stand up in front of industry bigwigs to set a 2027 deadline for brokering Labour’s much-desired food and drink SPS deal, so shoppers can feel the relief in their pockets by the next election. Figures published by the government suggest that exporters last year had to fork out up to £65 million on licenses to send food and agricultural goods to the continent, but the real ambition is to bring down food costs at home. As the Times’ front page points out, even artisan cheese, olives and premium sausages could become cheaper. Remainers rejoice! 

The EU empire strikes back: NTS will turn the fire on Farage over his promise to tear up the EU-U.K. “reset” deal that the Labour government signed in May (as well as big chunks of the Withdrawal Agreement and Boris Johnson’s trade deal) because — in Farage’s words — it’d put Britain on the “slippery slope to rejoin.” Thomas-Symonds’ big attack is that Reform wants to once again snarl up the U.K. with red tape, adding: “Nigel Farage wants Britain to fail. His model of politics feeds on it, offering the easy answers, dividing communities and stoking anger.”

March of the ministers: The mid-recess government is really trying to go big on this, dispatching seven ministers into the field to hammer the point home. City Minister Emma Reynolds is visiting a Lidl distribution center in new MP Sarah Pochin’s Runcorn seat to talk about cutting prices. Exports Minister Gareth Thomas is off to Legoland, too. Although that one seems mainly for the hell of it. 

The megamind thinking: Senior figures in the government reckon they have one up on Farage here. While Kemi Badenoch raged against the reset deal, Farage rather curiously happened to be on holiday at the moment the government signed the agreement back in May. It’s not too hard to imagine the old Farage would’ve sailed up the Thames with a fleet of fishermen to protest a supposed sellout. 

But when the seagulls follow the trawler: Farage, of course, has a firmer finger on the public pulse than that — and Labour officials reckon a change in public mood is behind his supposed sheepishness (or at least explains why he’s opting for a lower profile and dispatching Richard Tice to the Commons instead). It’s certainly not that everyone’s a true EU believer now, but the polling points firmly to public support for being nicer to the bloc next door.

Indeed: The travel agents association ABTA released YouGov polling overnight suggesting 76 percent of Brits support a youth mobility deal, with even 61 percent of Leave voters backing it. It’s a proposal that Farage has firmly criticized.

So that all means: The old Remainers think there’s merit in suggesting Farage would drag the country back into noisy rows with the EU and other international allies. And his promise to ditch the European Convention on Human Rights to stop small boat crossings does add fuel to that fire.

Although … Labour’s tensions on that issue are again exposed this morning: Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn has warned that ditching the ECHR would have dangerous consequences for the Good Friday Agreement, while former Home Secretary Jack Straw is urging Starmer to “decouple” British laws from the convention to stop the boats, per the FT’s Anna Gross and George Parker.

The retaliation: Reform issued an angry spokesperson statement last night, criticizing any “cosying up to the EU” and arguing it’s Labour that has done grave damage to the economy (considering the rising unemployment rate under this government). For the Tories, Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel issued a far punchier response, accusing the government of trying to “justify their EU surrender” and of a “betrayal.” 

ALL IS WELL ON THE CONTINENT: The Times has a front page that will alarm the Home Office — with Matt Dathan and David Chazan reporting that the potentially imminent collapse of France’s government could put in jeopardy plans for French police to intercept small boats at sea for the first time. Whitehall officials had called the move a “game-changer” but the Times reckons this is now at risk if François Bayrou’s government falls, as expected. There was no comment from the department last night.

Yet more Nigel: Expect Farage (whom Tony Blair rates as the “best communicator” in British politics, per the New Statesman’s George Eaton) to make a lot of that drama as he holds yet another presser, this time in Edinburgh. That’ll kick off at 11 a.m. Reform is staying quiet on the theme, but is (as ever) promising a “big announcement” of some kind. Maybe the mullahs of Iran are on board with his mass deportation scheme too?

Because … a rather eye-catching Telegraph splash reveals the Taliban is warmly welcoming Farage’s proposals. If it ever got off the ground, the plan would mean that a Reform government would send back any Afghan asylum-seeker fleeing the Islamic fundamentalists if they arrived by small boat or other unauthorized means.

The quote: A Taliban official told the Telegraph’s Akhtar Makoii: “We are ready and willing to receive and embrace whoever he [Nigel Farage] sends us.” They even said the Taliban would do it for free — somewhat nullifying the “Taliban tax” attack that the Lib Dems have been airing. Reform officials seemed overjoyed by the statement from Kabul. “We’ve done more in one day than they’ve done in a year,” one said.

In fairness … Farage’s big deportation press conference did bring about a bit of change in tack from Downing Street, with officials choosing not to rule out doing a returns deal with Afghanistan, as Emilio Casalicchio pointed out in Playbook PM. Though the i Paper’s Arj Singh reckons Starmer isn’t looking to actually do a deal with the Taliban itself — and is instead open to one with Kabul if there’s regime change in the future. Either way, it’ll be interesting to see what Emily Thornberry, the Foreign Affairs Committee chair and one-time Cabinet hopeful, has to say about it all in her guest hosting spot on LBC from 10 a.m.

MORE FODDER FOR FARAGE: Moments ago Ofgem published the latest energy price cap — and every expectation was that it would go up. Forecasters expected average bills this winter to rise slightly to £1,737, which would be an uncomfortable result for a Labour government that promised to bring costs down, my colleague Abby Wallace writes in to say. Find the results here. Energy Minister Michael Shanks will respond for the government in a pool clip.

REFORM VS. THE PRESS: While up in Scotland, Farage is planning to speak to a round of regional media too — which sets him apart from his council leader in Nottinghamshire. Mick Barton, a former miner who once worked alongside Lee Anderson, has banned his 41 county councilors who won seats in May’s elections from speaking to Nottinghamshire Live or the team of reporters it manages under the Local Democracy Reporting Service. 

Media blackout: The website reports that the authority’s officers have been told to stop sending it press releases and that reporters won’t be invited to cover council events or be able to interview councilors … all because it did some run-of-the-mill journalism to produce a “slightly negative” article, as editor Natalie Fahy put it.

Whatever you think of Farage … he certainly can’t be accused of being shy with the press. There’s every chance he might want to advise his comrade otherwise on this one.

NOW READ: In case you missed your author’s postcards from the Playbook summer tour, we’ve got a big read out today on the journey through an exceptionally gloomy Britain — and just how Labour might turn this round. On that theme, Ipsos has sent over polling suggesting Brits are most confident that Reform has a good plan for turning things around (38 percent back Farage’s team on that, versus 28 percent for Labour) — though more than half aren’t confident anyone has the right solutions. Oh, the enthusiasm! Find my piece here.

TODAY IN WESTMINSTER

BRACE, BRACE: Chancellor Rachel Reeves and her newly-promoted budget adviser Torsten Bell will be feeling extra strain as they plot their autumn plans, courtesy of the cost of U.K. borrowing jumping to a near 27-year high. Bell’s old pals at the Resolution Foundation have also rather helpfully forecast unemployment to hit 5 percent — the highest level since the dire days of the Covid-19 lockdowns, as the FT reports.

Light at the end of the tunnel: Reeves is considering proposals to reopen the the Eurostar interchange at Ashford International to help see off Reform and drive growth, according to the i’s Richard Vaughan. A Good Growth Foundation report, backed by a bunch of local Labour MPs, reckons the move could deliver more than £534 million in economic growth each year.

BELL COURT CASE: Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, an asylum-seeker living at Epping’s protest-hit Bell Hotel, faces the second day of his trial. The prosecution alleged on Tuesday that he told two 14-year-old girls that he “wanted to have a baby with them” and tried to kiss them, per the BBC’s report. He denies charges of sexual assault, inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and harassment without violence.

Speaking of Epping: Kemi Badenoch held a call with 200 councilors last night about her hope that Conservative councils will file legal challenges against asylum hotels in their areas. A Tory official said she encouraged them to “take this national.”

HE’S A FREE MAN: Conservative MP George Freeman will not face a parliamentary standards investigation for lobbying, the BBC reports. The former science minister, who is an adviser to greenhouse gas monitoring company GHGSat, referred himself to the standards commissioner after the Sunday Times reported that he had consulted a director of the company when preparing parliamentary questions. 

PALESTINE ACTION CHARGES: Sixty-seven people have been charged after being arrested by the Met Police for allegedly showing support for Palestine Action, the BBC reports.

CORPORATE COMPLICITY: The government should cut ties with companies profiting from the “ongoing genocide” in Gaza, a group of NGOs including Amnesty International has declared, POLITICO’s Rory O’Neill writes in to say. Dominique Muller, director of Corporate Justice Coalition UK, said it’s “inconceivable” that U.K. companies could keep doing business in the illegally occupied Palestinian territories and called for a ban on trade with unlawful Israeli settlements.

REPORTS OUT TODAY: Scope and several other charities warn of a deepening fuel poverty crisis … and 84 percent of food manufacturers say the financial impact of recent government policies is one of their biggest concerns for the coming year, according to Food and Drink Federation polling.

BEYOND THE M25

GAZA TALKS: Donald Trump is preparing to chair a White House meeting on Gaza, with special envoy Steve Witkoff saying the administration expect Israel’s war in the Palestinian territory to be settled by the end of the year. Which is … a new take on Trump’s usual “two weeks.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will also meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. Reuters has the story.

On the streets: Tens of thousands of people turned out in Tel Aviv to call for a hostage deal and ceasefire in Gaza, in what was termed a national “day of struggle.” “The entire nation demands an end to the war and the return of all hostages,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which organized the protests, said in a statement. The Guardian has a report.

Meanwhile: The IDF released an “initial investigation” into its double strike on Nasser Hospital in Gaza, which killed at least 20 people including five journalists. The forces said the military was targeting a camera positioned by Hamas to monitor the movement of Israeli troops in the area — though it admitted there are “several gaps” that need to be examined further. The U.N. said “there needs to be justice” while Keir Starmer described the strikes as “completely indefensible.” The BBC has more

FIGHTING TALK: U.S. Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook will sue the Trump administration after she was fired on Monday over unconfirmed allegations of mortgage fraud, her attorney has said. The Guardian has more

LIFTOFF: Elon Musk’s SpaceX completed the test flight of Starship, its biggest rocket yet, overnight after a series of setbacks. More from the FT. The spacecraft is pivotal to Musk’s ambitions to transport passengers to the moon and Mars.

INDIA’S TARIFFIC DAY: Donald Trump’s 50 percent tariff on India has now kicked in, after the U.S. president followed through on his threat to punish Delhi for continuing to buy boatloads of bargain-bin Russian oil. It’s among the most punishing levies imposed by the Trump administration and likely to chill relations between the two countries, my Stateside colleagues report.

**A message from Parents For Future and #StopRosebank: The proposed Rosebank oil field is a defining test of the UK’s climate leadership. The scientific evidence is clear: there is no room for new oil and gas projects if we are to stay within safe climate limits. Rosebank, which would emit more CO₂ than the 700 million people living in the world’s poorest countries do in a year, is incompatible with the UK’s climate commitments. But it’s also a bad deal for the UK. Mostly oil for export, Rosebank would do little to improve energy security and won’t lower bills. Yet thanks to generous tax breaks, the UK public would shoulder most of the development costs and the Treasury could see a net loss of hundreds of millions, while the field’s owners take the profits. Join us in calling on the UK government to do the right thing and Stop Rosebank. #ForFuturesSake.**

MEDIA ROUND

Paymaster General Nick Thomas-Symonds broadcast round: 5Live (7.05 a.m.) … Sky (7.15 a.m.) … BBC Breakfast (7.30 a.m.) … LBC (7.50 a.m.) … Today (8.10 a.m.) … GMB (8.30 a.m.) … GB News (9.05 a.m.). 

Conservative Party Chair Kevin Hollinrake broadcast round: Times Radio (7.05 a.m.) … GB News (8 a.m.) … Sky News (8.15 a.m.) … LBC News (8.45 a.m.) … Talk (9.05 a.m.). 

Also on Nick Ferrari at Breakfast: Deputy Leader of Reform UK Richard Tice (7.05 a.m.) … Foreign Affairs Select Committee Chair Emily Thornberry will be special guest presenter from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Also on Good Morning Britain: Liberal Democrat MP Mike Martin (8.15 a.m.). 

Also on Times Radio Breakfast: Founder of Wikipedia Jimmy Wales (7.35 a.m.) … Reform UK Leader of Warwickshire County Council George Finch (7.45 a.m.).

Also on Sky News Breakfast: Ofgem Director General of Markets Tim Jarvis (7.45 a.m.) … SNP MP Stephen Gethins (9.20 a.m.). 

**Are you an Playbook fan, and French reader? Then you’ll love Le Weekly, our upcoming weekly French newsletter! Every Saturday at 10 am, enjoy a selection of the best articles powered by our international newsrooms, with additional insights, analyses and perspectives offered by Nicolas Barré, Editor-in-Chief. Sign up today to start receiving Le Weekly on September 6!**

TODAY’S FRONT PAGES

POLITICO UK: Try telling Britain it ain’t broken.

Daily Express: Farage: ‘I will deport 600,000 illegal migrants.’

Daily Mail: Finally, a politician who gets it.

Daily Mirror: Britain is better than this.

Daily Star: Wedding Tay.

Financial Times: US offers air and command back-up for Ukraine force.

Metro: Farage: End the scourge.

The Daily Telegraph: Taliban to give Farage deal on migrants.

The Guardian: Farage accused of ‘ugly’ populism over plans for mass deportations.

The Independent: Revealed: the real cost of Farage’s ‘fag packet’ deportation scheme.

The i Paper: Farage’s promise to ‘deport ‘600,000’ migrants involves deals with Taliban and Iran’s Ayatollah.

The Sun: Look what you made me … I do.

The Times: Labour bid to head off small boats hits trouble.

LONDON CALLING

WESTMINSTER WEATHER: Light showers from late morning. Don’t forget your brolly. High 23C, low 13C. 

SPAD NEWS: Attorney General Richard Hermer has a new special adviser in the form of Ipsos’ Director of Media and Partnerships Richard Brooks. The former pollster will replace Chris McQuiggin, who is leaving the post after a year. 

JOB AD: The AI Security Institute is hiring a private secretary. Deputy Director Nate Burnikell has more details.

STARTING EARLY: Sunday’s deadline is fast approaching to apply for a six-month fellowship program offered by Conservatives Together to train the next generation of Tory parliamentary candidates.

PAYING RESPECTS: The London Freelance Branch of the National Union of Journalists will hold a vigil for journalists killed in Gaza outside Downing Street from 5.30 p.m. Before that, branch representatives will deliver a letter to No. 10 at 4 p.m. with key demands and questions for the prime minister. 

WRITING PLAYBOOK PM: Emilio Casalicchio.

WRITING PLAYBOOK THURSDAY MORNING: Andrew McDonald.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: Former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz … former Ilford South MP Sam Tarry … former Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill MP Steven Bonnar … Lib Dem peer Alison Suttie … former U.K. Ambassador to Norway Richard Wood

PLAYBOOK COULDN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT: My editors Zoya Sheftalovich, Dan Bloom and Alex Spence, diary reporter Bethany Dawson and producer Dean Southwell.

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