Good Monday morning. This is Andrew McDonald. Welcome back.
DRIVING THE DAY
BACK TO SCHOOL: Parliament returns this morning, and Keir Starmer’s government is getting into the back-to-school spirit by offering a week of education- and childcare-related announcements to tie in with actual kids going back to class on Thursday. But as they don their own uniforms, many of Starmer’s anxious MPs are also hoping to see the kind of much-trailed reset and reshuffle they want from a government flatlining in the polls. And, well …
SCOOP — reshuffle, what reshuffle? Playbook hears that clued-in Labour MPs were being told by No. 10 on Sunday not to expect a ministerial reshuffle at all this week, in line with the Sunday Telegraph’s hints that Starmer had “put the plans on ice.” That’s despite heavy expectations building since last week that one would come as soon as today. A government official familiar with the plans added to Playbook last night that a reshuffle at Cabinet or junior ministerial level is “definitely, 100 percent, not happening” this week. So there you go.
The obvious caveat: You can really never say never with this stuff. But as of last night, at least, the government was trying to make it crystal clear it won’t be spending any time this week shuffling the pack.
**A message from Google: Our Be Internet Legends programme has already helped millions of children learn online safety skills and be confident digital explorers. On Thursday 11th September, you’re invited to join thousands of parents/carers, teachers and students for our annual ‘Back to School’ assembly, in partnership with Parent Zone. Learn more: parentzone.org.uk/beinternetlegends.**
Which would mean … much of Westminster’s focus today will turn to migration again, with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper planning a big statement in the Commons. More on that in just a sec.
Is this another Starmer U-turn? Westminster had been prepping itself for a reshuffle of the junior ministerial ranks right at the start of the new parliamentary term, with Guido, the Times and many more reporting hard on the government’s plans for an imminent (if only moderate) shake-up. The insistence last night was that the reshuffle was never planned for this week amid a busy first-week-back grid … but it had to have come from somewhere.
To be fair … no one is ruling out that a reshuffle could come next week. Ambitious MPs hoping to bag their own red box might just have to wait.
AND NOT BEING RULED OUT: Further personnel changes at civil service and special adviser level, after the BBC scooped the shake-up to Nin Pandit’s job last week and then Minouche Shafik came aboard as No. 10’s new economic adviser. Any further tweaking of the figures behind the scenes will arguably be more significant to the Downing Street operation than shuffling his junior ministers anyway … and will be fairly crucial for the government’s hopes of the whole figuring out “delivery” bit.
On that note: Our own Dan Bloom has a great insidery piece out this morning on the Whitehall structures in place to try to do exactly that … with officials, MPs and civil servants raising questions about whether they are fit for purpose.
Exhibit A … is Starmer’s Mission Delivery Unit, set up last autumn by the PM to measure progress against his five missions. One Labour official tells Dan the unit is “everything wrong with the civil service,” while a former government official says, “I genuinely don’t really know what they do.” Ministerial “mission boards” come in for a pasting from some observers too. Much more of that kind of thing (including sweary quotes) on the MDU and the other oddly titled government structures here.
And so: We may see more moves along the lines of shifting around officials in Whitehall or No. 10 to try to add some focus. ICYMI, several hacks reported last week that Starmer was considering bringing the troubleshooting specialist Louise Casey into the machine.
Scoop — new/old Treasury figure: In the meantime, Playbook does have one staff move to bring you. John Van Reenen, the subject of this Guardian profile earlier this year, is to be announced as Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ new “growth adviser,” having previously served as chair of the chancellor’s council of economic advisers before going back to academia. The unpaid, 12-month position in No. 11 (for a day a week) will have a particular focus on productivity.
CARING ABOUT CHILDCARE: With the reshuffle seemingly on ice, the government’s hoping to get maximum attention all week on the expansion of 30 hours a week of funded childcare — which launches today after a summer of trying to encourage take-up and Bridget Phillipson banging the drum on the Sunday shows. Government aides reckon (or hope) it’s the type of retail-friendly policy that voters will notice as an example of Labour making their lives better … though, of course, the policy was originally unveiled by the previous Tory government. Labour is insisting this is just the start of its early years strategy.
Hence … a pair of op-eds from the government’s two heaviest hitters to big it all up. In a Mirror piece on the free childcare launch, Starmer slips in a line about how he is making people’s lives better “while Reform and the Tories talk down the country at every turn” — you’ll notice which oppo party he mentioned first. There was no confirmation last night on whether Starmer would appear today to promote the childcare reforms himself, but he’s expected out on a schools-back themed visit later this week. Rachel Reeves strikes a gloomier note in an Indy op-ed, writing that Britain “feels stuck” (and that Labour is working to unstick it, obvs). Early Education Minister Stephen Morgan has the morning round.
Gimme gimme more: But a helpful reminder of the fragile state of the early years industry comes via the Mail’s Harriet Line, who has a letter from 27 firms representing children, parents and childcare providers warning the viability of the childcare system is threatened by the dual hit of the increased costs of delivering the promise — despite increased government funding — and the employer national insurance contributions hike. One thing the government could probably do without is any kind of crisis in the childcare system this winter.
Now get an earful of this: No first day back would be quite complete without a full return to the podcast studio for our own Anne McElvoy and Sky’s Sam Coates. Politics at Sam and Anne’s is back to four days a week with your guide to the day ahead. Listen here from 7.30 a.m.
MIGRATION STATIONS
EVERY DAY IS MIGRATION DAY: After a relentless summer there’s no quiet first day back in parliament for Yvette Cooper either. Labour is hoping to defang Reform UK by talking up its “serious policies” to address irregular migration, as opposed to Farage’s splashy deportations plan … just as Reform soaks up lot of attention with its conference kicking off on Friday. Who’ll win the air war?
Reforms to beat Reform: Cooper has a Commons statement this afternoon focused squarely on asylum-seekers. She’ll announce a tightening of the rules for people granted asylum to bring their families to the U.K. … set out reforms to the asylum appeals system … and give an update on the one in, one out deal with France. The BBC reckons she’ll set out criteria that family members have to meet, including tougher English language standards and access to funds. Tune in some time after 3.30 p.m., depending on other statements and any urgent questions. But but but …
Cooper and conventions: Big questions will include just how far this government is willing to go on its bid to look again at the ECHR.
If you spent Sunday in bed: You may have missed Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson telling Sky’s Trevor Phillips that the convention needs to be reformed — specifically the Article 8 provisions on the right to respect for private and family life, which have been used to challenge some deportations. That appeared to be a hardening of previous promises only to review how Article 8 currently applies to U.K. law. She also didn’t exactly rule out exiting or suspending the convention altogether if reform efforts fail, and two government officials last night refused to speculate on whether leaving or suspending the ECHR is off the table entirely.
Leaving the obvious question … for both Cooper, and the PM’s spokesperson at the 11.30 a.m. Lobby briefing, of whether the line on leaving the treaty is as explicit as it was last week, when Starmer’s spokesperson and ministers said they wouldn’t be leaving it. “Anyone who is proposing to renegotiate the Good Friday Agreement is not serious,” Starmer spokesperson said last Tuesday, pointing to the common argument that leaving the treaty imperils peace in Northern Ireland.
On that very note: A full renegotiation of the GFA might not actually be necessary … or, at least, that’s what the right-leaning Policy Exchange think tank insists in a report out this morning. Written by multiple KCs and endorsed by former Labour Home Secretary Jack Straw, it argues that it is “entirely groundless” to say ECHR withdrawal would jeopardize peace in Northern Ireland. The report splashes the Times.
Playbook is really looking forward to … the debates that will rage on lawyer X all day.
Party conference week present: The report is about as helpful as it comes for Farage and his party after it made a big show of setting out plans to leave the treaty last week — getting a jump on the Conservatives, who are expected to take the same position next month. Conveniently enough, Richard Tice and Zia Yusuf have Reform’s latest press conference from 11 a.m. — though this one is focused on the new councils it controls, and Tice’s plan to “slash council tax bills” by overhauling council-controlled pension funds. Farage will be watching from the front row rather than being involved this time.
One more thing to look out for today: The Telegraph reports that Epping Forest District Council will decide today whether to take the overturned injunction on the Bell Hotel migrants to the Supreme Court. Either way, that victory for the Home Office isn’t ending the issue — with more councils still considering legal challenges to seek closure of asylum hotels in their areas. Who fancies an autumn full of more courtroom drama?
MIDDLE EAST UPDATE
LAMMY IN THE COMMONS: Foreign Secretary David Lammy is also expected to make a Commons statement this afternoon on the situation in Gaza, as we enter the month when Britain is widely expected to recognize the state of Palestine.
He will offer … an update on the (dire) situation on the ground, alongside the current path to recognition. As the Guardian’s Kiran Stacey reports, Lammy will say that, as it stands, Britain is on a path toward recognition — though Playbook hears we’re still a few weeks away from the moment when officials will formally assess whether Israel has complied with the tests set out by Starmer in the summer. That is likely to happen before the U.N. General Assembly’s “high-level” debate begins on Sept. 23.
But but but: There’s a small chance we could also hear from the prime minister in the Commons on Gaza today or Tuesday. And yes, if you’re reading this Keir … that should be news to you too.
Like the Brexit wars: The Lib Dems begin the new term having clearly spent the summer reading Erskine May — and have two bits of parliamentary chicanery up their sleeve this morning. “We’re basically going to use all parliamentary tools at our disposal to force this issue up the political agenda and put pressure on the government to act,” a senior Lib Dem tells Playbook.
Move #1: As first reported by the Politics UK X account, the Lib Dems will lay down a humble address this morning to try to force the government to publish the legal advice it has received on any breaches of international law in the conflict.
Move #2: The Lib Dems will then also submit an application for an emergency debate on Gaza, in a bid to push Starmer into making a statement to the Commons on the issue. Speaker Lindsay Hoyle will have a decision to make on whether to accept the request to hear the Lib Dem application, made under Standing Order 24.
Man of God: If Hoyle does agree, Lib Dems foreign affairs spokesperson Calum Miller — a one-time aide to Whitehall veteran Gus O’Donnell — will be called to make a three-minute speech setting out the case for a debate. This would come after oral questions, UQs and ministerial statements. At this stage, Hoyle — who has gotten into hot water with opposition parties over Gaza before, remember — gets the choice of whether to put the application to the Commons … at which point the support of only 40 MPs is needed. It’s basically in the speaker’s hands — and if the Lib Dems succeed, we’ll get an emergency debate either today or Tuesday. We’ll see.
LATEST ON THE GROUND: At least 78 people, including 32 seeking aid and one journalist, were killed by Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip on Sunday, Al Jazeera reports. The Guardian has started a rolling list of the (at least) 189 journalists and media workers killed in the conflict so far.
While … Hamas spokesperson Abu Obeida was killed in an aerial attack in Gaza City. Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz congratulated the IDF for the “flawless execution” in a post on X.
TODAY IN WESTMINSTER
KEMI VS. THE GUARDIAN: The Guardian’s Jessica Elgot has been digging into one of Kemi Badenoch’s more impressive claims — that she was offered a place at a prestigious U.S. medical school at 16. Elgot spoke to academic and admissions experts who say the event as described by Badenoch in various interviews doesn’t seem plausible.
You won’t be surprised to learn … that Badenoch’s team reacted with fury to the story last night, with an aide dismissing it as “hearsay.” Badenoch is on a visit to Reigate with James Cleverly today, with a pool clip planned at 10.30 a.m. — and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if she has a pop back at the journalist if asked about the story.
WHEN IT RAYNS, IT POURS: The Angela Rayner stories rumble on — with the Times hearing from tax experts that it was a “remarkable coincidence” the property owned by the deputy PM and her former husband was valued at the maximum amount allowed before inheritance tax becomes payable (following loads of reporting over the weekend ably covered in Sunday Crunch).
You’re telling me that for the first time: The Tories’ Alex Burghart tells the Mail that the briefing against Rayner is clearly coming from opponents within Labour who don’t fancy a Rayner-led Labour Party one day. Huge if true. The Tories continue to call for an investigation into whether Rayner broke the ministerial code.
NEW TERM, NEW TRAIN TICKETS: The government is trialing new location-based digital train tickets across the Midlands and the north, with use of GPS to track journeys and charge passengers the best fare at the end of the day. Metro writes it up.
BLUE FOR GREEN: Former Conservative frontbencher Michael Gove is leading a party rebellion against anti-environmentalism, writing in the Telegraph that Tories are the “natural allies” and “strongest champions” of environmentalists. The op-ed is also the foreword to the Conservative Environment Network’s essay collection “Returning to our roots,” which sets out a blueprint for a conservative approach to the environment.
THAT DOESN’T SOUND GOOD: The Lib Dems are warning of a “permacrisis” in the NHS after figures showed that an average of around 1,200 patients a day waited longer than 12 hours to be admitted to A&E in June and July. The party’s health and social care spokesperson Helen Morgan is calling for an “emergency package” to protect the health service before winter.
BOBBIES ON THE BEAT? The Daily Express has launched a campaign urging police to attend every reported theft to “halt the shoplifting crisis.” It splashes the paper.
TELL-ALL: Queen Camilla told Boris Johnson when he was London mayor that she fought off an attempted sexual assault on a train as a teenager in the 1960s, according to an account in Times Royal Correspondent Valentine Low’s new book “Power and the Palace.” The queen told Johnson that after a man tried to assault her, she “took off my shoe and whacked him in the nuts with the heel.” She told police and the man was arrested. The story splashes the Telegraph and the Sun.
SW1 EVENTS: Labour MP Tom Hayes hosts a UKSIF parliamentary reception promoting the contribution sustainable finance makes to the U.K. economy. Nature Minister Mary Creagh is expected to give a speech (6.30 p.m., invite only).
REPORTS OUT TODAY: Optimism among business leaders rose slightly in August, according to the IoD Directors’ Economic Confidence Index … and private schools are two and a half times more likely to teach their students how to use AI than state schools, according to TBI research.
HOUSE OF COMMONS: Sits from 2.30 p.m. with work and pensions questions — meaning Labour MPs get an opportunity to press on the two-child benefit cap right away … a select committee statement on the seventh report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, “Transnational Repression in the U.K.” … a general debate on regional transport inequality (led by Labour MP Catherine Atkinson) … a general debate on devolution in Scotland (led by Lib Dem MP Jamie Stone). Labour MP Kirsteen Sullivan has the adjournment debate on the potential merits of government support for a memorial to the Lisbon Maru in Scotland.
HOUSE OF LORDS: Sits from 2.30 p.m. with questions on measuring and evaluating productivity gains across the civil service resulting from the deployment of artificial intelligence, the development of the Palestinian Territories and the dangers of screen time for children … Day 3 of committee stage of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
**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!**
BEYOND THE M25
HOLYROOD LATEST: MSPs are calling on Holyrood Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone to make a statement this week over claims that a secret camera was placed in a parliament toilet, the Daily Record’s Paul Hutcheon hears. The pressure is rising after five MSPs, one journalist and several staff members have been contacted by police over images allegedly captured in the Scottish parliament’s loos, the Sunday Mail reported.
CRASH SITE: Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is recovering from a fractured vertebrae and other injuries following a car crash in New Hampshire, a spokesperson said Sunday. “He sustained injuries but is in good spirits and recovering tremendously,” Giuliani’s head of security Michael Ragusa said on X, adding: “This was not a targeted attack.” POLITICO has a write-up.
ALWAYS FINDS HIS WAY IN: Chinese President Xi Jinping rolled out the red carpet on Sunday for Russia’s Vladimir Putin, India’s Narendra Modi and about 20 other national leaders arriving for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. The Eurasian political and security gathering is designed to cement Beijing’s clout and champion its vision of a “multipolar world order” — but will this year mainly focus on Donald Trump’s trade war. Read more on POLITICO.
BATTLE FOR THE BALLOT: Trump is planning an executive order to mandate voter ID at every election — along with his already-stated opposition to mail-in voting and voting machines, my U.S. Playbook colleagues report.
**A message from Google: Children today are growing up in a digital world, so giving them the tools and knowledge to make good decisions online is essential. Google’s Be Internet Legends programme helps children learn key online safety skills and offers fun interactive materials to help them become confident online. Research by IPSOS Mori found that kids are twice as likely to show a better understanding of internet safety after taking part in the programme. The curriculum also helps children understand the impact of AI, and how to use it safely. On Thursday 11th September, join thousands of parents/carers, teachers and students for our annual Back to School assembly, in partnership with Parent Zone. Learn more at: parentzone.org.uk/beinternetlegends.**
MEDIA ROUND
Early Education Minister Stephen Morgan broadcast round: Times Radio (7.05 a.m.) … Sky News (7.30 a.m.) … BBC Breakfast (7.50 a.m.) … LBC (8.30 a.m.) … GMB (8.55 a.m.) … GB News (9.05 a.m.).
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp broadcast round: Today (7.09 a.m.) … GB News (7.30 a.m.) … GMB (7.50 a.m.) … Sky News (8.10 a.m.) … Times Radio (8.20 a.m.) … LBC News (8.45 a.m.) … Talk (9.05 a.m.).
Also on Times Radio Breakfast: Reform UK’s Leader of Warwickshire County Council George Finch (7.45 a.m.) … former senior adviser to Bill Clinton and Rick Gates Doug Sosnik (8.20 a.m.).
Also on Sky News Breakfast: Former national security adviser Peter Ricketts (7.30 a.m.) … former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton (9.30 a.m.).
Politics Live (BBC Two 12.15 p.m.): Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Emily Thornberry … Shadow Scotland Secretary Andrew Bowie … Bloomberg’s Ailbhe Rea … Telegraph columnist Tim Stanley.
TODAY’S FRONT PAGES
POLITICO UK: Keir Starmer wants to fix Britain. He’s still figuring out how.
Daily Express: Police told: End shop theft sprees now!
Daily Mail: Labour ‘civil war’ fuelling Rayner sleaze crisis.
Daily Mirror: I’ll defeat Farage scare tactics.
Daily Star: Look .. Nessie!
Financial Times: ‘Europe laying ‘road map’ for deploying troops in Ukraine, von der Leyen says’.
Metro: Rail tickets revolution.
The Daily Telegraph: Queen fought off sex attacker.
The Guardian: Drug ‘better than aspirin’ at preventing heart attacks.
The Independent: At the rate journalists are being killed in Gaza reporting on Israel’s war, there will soon be none left to keep you informed.
The i Paper: Tighter migration rules as Labour seeks to wrestle asylum agenda from Reform UK.
The Sun: Camilla whacked groper in goolies.
The Times: Leaving the ECHR ‘not a threat to Ulster peace.’
LONDON CALLING
WESTMINSTER WEATHER: A wet and rainy morning, changing to sunny after lunch. High 21C, low 13C.
SPOTTED: Former Rail Minister Huw Merriman playing crazy golf while on a mate’s stag do in Brighton.
WEDDING BELLS: No. 10 SpAd Lidia Fanzo married her partner Simon on Saturday. It was the second SpAd marriage of the weekend, after the MoD’s Tom Hughes tied the knot with wife Jess on Friday.
NEW GIG: Former Tech Minister Damian Collins is joining digital competition law firm Geradin Partners to head its policy advisory team in London.
CONGRATS TO … the New Statesman’s Megan Kenyon, who has been promoted to political correspondent.
FUN AND GAMES: The Mirror’s Sophie Huskisson was joined by Lib Dem MP Josh Babarinde for the latest episode of Party Games, where Josh said he got sight of a graveyard seconds before he bungee-jumped for an Ed Davey summer stunt. Foreboding.
TUCK IN: Navigate Politics has launched a guide to where to eat and drink in Westminster. Public service at its finest.
GO SPORTS! The Lobby’s cricket team, the Chatty Bats, fell short of its first victory of the season in a game against the Extras in Wimbledon Sunday. Some tidy bowling from Barnaby Hope, son of GB News’ Chris Hope, and a spell of 4-6 from military ringer James Culley helped restrict the opposition to 161. The hacks started well in reply, with a measured 33 from PA’s Chris McKeon and a solid 36 by former No. 10 chief of staff Liam Booth-Smith, but chaotic batting down the order left the Westminster side 17 runs short of glory.
WRITING PLAYBOOK PM: Emilio Casalicchio.
WRITING PLAYBOOK TUESDAY MORNING: Andrew McDonald.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: Deputy Speaker Nus Ghani … DBT SpAd Jack Glynn … former Boston and Skegness MP Matt Warman … former Welsh Counsel General Mick Antoniw … Tory peer Daniel Hannan.
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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