Good afternoon. This is Emilio Casalicchio.
WEDNESDAY CHEAT SHEET
— Kemi Badenoch argued that links between Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein are distracting from crises in Nato and the Middle East.
— Keir Starmer stonewalled questions about what he knew when he appointed his U.S. ambassador.
— Mandelson reiterated his regret for being pals with Epstein and said more of their correspondence will come out.
— Defense Secretary John Healey told POLITICO the U.K. could do more to help protect Poland, after Russian drones entered its airspace.
— The latest numbers on the Labour deputy leadership race are soon to drop, amid claims one candidate has hit the magic number of MPs.
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TOP OF THE NEWSLIST
A FOREIGN CRISIS, AND A DOMESTIC ONE: Nato is edging closer to war and Keir Starmer has just begun talks with the Israeli president about the carnage in the Middle East. But Kemi Badenoch managed to turn the twin global crises into serious domestic pressure about Peter Mandelson.
Indeed: The Conservative leader used her PMQs questions to argue the simmering scandal about Mandelson’s former friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein is a distraction for the government at such a sensitive moment.
The line: “The ambassador should be in the White House talking about how we respond to incursions into NATO airspace,” Badenoch argued. “Instead, he’s giving interviews about himself to the Sun.” Indeed, Mandelson spoke to the Sun’s man at large in Washington, Harry Cole, to reiterate his regret for being mates with Epstein. “I felt it like an albatross around my neck,” he explained, admitting he fell for Epstein’s “lies” and insisting he never saw wrongdoing firsthand. Writeup here.
Coming attractions: In the same interview, Mandelson also confirmed there’s “a lot of traffic, correspondence, exchanges” between the pair which “are going to surface.” Eek. It’s a different line to the “f*ck off ” he gave to the FT in June, when Pol Ed George Parker asked him about Epstein. Looks like the first one is when he, erm, sent emotional message of support to Epstein while he faced underage sex charges, as Cole revealed this afternoon.
In the heat of the political knockabout: Starmer could at least boast during PMQs that Mandelson was indeed in the White House last night. Although the ambassador happened to be there with Scottish First Minister John Swinney, rather than to talk about Nato. The PM noted, nevertheless, that Mandelson is involved in the international engagement on Ukraine, Poland and the Middle East.
But but but: That was about the only element of the whole jangled saga Starmer had an answer to. Badenoch asked what the PM knew about the Epstein relationship when he appointed Mandelson; urged him to publish all vetting documents and records of the relationship; and questioned whether it’s “tenable” for Mandelson to remain in post, not least in light of his official dealings with Epstein after the paedophile was convicted.
Nothing to see here: Starmer stonewalled the Badenoch questions with waffle about how “full due process was gone through in relation to this appointment,” and insisted he retains full confidence in his ambassador. His spokesperson told reporters afterwards that the Mandelson relationship with Epstein was public knowledge (not least due to FT reporting from June 2023) but refused to spell out what the PM knew. The bath robe photo was not public knowledge, for example.
Mismatch: The spokesperson insisted, as Starmer did in the Commons, that Epstein’s victims are at the “forefront” of minds, but would not explain why concern for victims was trumped when Mandelson was appointed. Gloria Allred, an attorney representing 27 victims Epstein victims, has told Andrew Marr on LBC tonight that Mandelson should quit.
You made the call, pal: Badenoch said the episode was an illustration of Starmer’s “bad decisions, his bad judgment and his total weakness.” Labour MPs shifted around in discomfort, while the Tories chuntered. Political theatre-loving Conservative MP Charlie Dewhurst slapped his thigh with glee as Badenoch worked towards her peroration. Undeterred, the Starmer spokesperson also insisted the PM is confident Mandelson poses no current security risk, given concerns further material could compromise our man in DC.
A rare event: There’s no doubt Badenoch managed to shoot the Mandelson issue up the political agenda in Westminster. One Conservative aide, a Badenoch-skeptic, said it was a “much-needed win,” adding: “The big question, though, is whether this marks the dawn of a newly laser-focused Conservative leader, or just a flash in the pan handed to her by a story that is impossible to ignore.” Our Noah’s usual scorecard is here.
Punching the bruise: The Conservatives said Starmer had “put his Party, and his friend Mandelson above our national security.” And Starmer-critical Labour MPs aren’t helping either. Deputy Labour leadership candidate Bell Ribeiro-Addy told the i Paper Mandelson should resign, and was soon joined by fellow leftie MP Kim Johnson. Most Labour MPs don’t seem to be chattering about it in their WhatsApp groups so far, though.
Back to the international angle: A Badenoch spokesperson told hacks after PMQs that “at a critical moment for international security and for the security of NATO, it’s untenable to have an ambassador in Washington who is more concerned with his personal political survival than the future of the West.”
We are focused on the future of the West, honest: Before being hauled into the Mandelson debate, Starmer opened PMQs with condemnation of the “egregious and unprecedented violation of Polish and Nato airspace by Russian drones” last night. Polish President Donald Tusk said the alleged 19 drones in question, some of which were shot down, put the nation at its closest to open conflict since World War Two. Russia has insisted it did not plan to attack targets in Poland.
Nevertheless: Tusk said Poland will invoke Article 4 of NATO, meaning the nations will consult on their response. Defense Secretary John Healey told my POLITICO colleague Esther Webber this afternoon Britain is mulling what more it can do to protect Poland. “I have asked the U.K. armed forces to look at options about how we can bolster that NATO air defense over Poland,” he said during a press conference with E5 counterparts following a summit in London.
He’s awake! Trump posted on his Truth Social site in the past hour: “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!”
And meanwhile, in the other war: Starmer is locking horns in Downing Street right now with Israeli President, Isaac Herzog, to discuss the other conflict Mandelson needs to be courting Trump on. The PM told the Commons he will “condemn Israel’s action” in Qatar this week and “be clear that restrictions on aid must be lifted, the offensive in Gaza must stop, and settlement building must cease.” It’s not clear what the U.K. might do if the Israelis rebuff the demands, however.
And lo: The Israeli government was briefing this afternoon that Herzog will “voice firm opposition to the British government’s stance on Israel,” including the proposal to recognize the state of Palestine, suggestions of sanctions and repetition of “Hamas propaganda” about starvation in Gaza. This meeting is not going to go too well, it seems.
Here’s an idea: SNP Westminster boss Stephen Flynn launched a brutal PMQs attack on Starmer for welcoming Herzog into No.10. But the PM said giving up on a diplomatic solution would amount to “the politics of students.” The Lib Dems, meanwhile, urged Starmer to summon the Israeli ambassador over the strikes on Doha.
Worth noting: There was no red carpet for Herzog when he arrived in Downing Street in the past 30 minutes. There was one for Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian leader, on his recent visit.
DRIVETIME DEBRIEF
HAMMERING THE REFRESH BUTTON: The entire Labour movement will once more be refreshing the internet at 7 p.m. to find out where the MP nomination tallies in the deputy leadership race are sitting after another 24 hours of clamoring for votes. This is the page that should be updated. Cabinet minister Bridget Phillipson is out in front with more than 50 public endorsements (according to the great Election Maps UK spreadsheet) while Powell is not too far behind. But team Bridget has been briefing she has passed the 80 mark in total.
Worth noting: Fellow minister Alison McGovern dropped out of the race in the last 30 minutes so her handful of nominations can go to someone else. A campaign official told Playbook PM she had a good level of support but there was a desire to unify behind Bridget and she did not want to put colleagues in a difficult position.
After the latest numbers land … MPs will log into the online hustings at 8 p.m. in an attempt to find out what the candidates might do with the role.
In the meantime … LabourList has been publishing opinion articles from most of the six candidates. Education Minister Josh MacAlister backed (surprise surprise) Phillipson on the morning round. And the Red Wall Group has thrown its weight behind … any northern woman.
SPEAKING ABOUT REFORM: Keir Starmer used PMQs to take a free hit at Nigel Farage and co. after Labour backbencher Simon Opher set him up with a question about the potty COVID vaccine claims made at their conference over the weekend. Starmer attacked the “shocking and baseless claims that vaccines are linked to cancer,” while Farage sat there laughing and Richard Tice (who has made vaccine-skeptic noises in the past) shouted at the PM to “back it up.”
ON AN UNRELATED NOTE: Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the Culture, Media and Sport Committee this afternoon the government could crack down on GB News presenting “political polemic” as news. She said MPs have complained to her about Farage fronting shows on the frothing broadcaster and warned that a “polarized and fragmented” media landscape is threatening democracy.
DOING HERM TO THE GANGS: Top government legal eagle Richard Hermer insisted “no sensible, practical or effective measures should be off the table” when it comes to tackling small boats arrivals. He told a Lords committe this morning the U.K. has not “kept pace” with how Article 8 of the ECHR is being applied in domestic courts, despite other European nations being “more effective” on the same front. He said the govrnment is “kicking the tyres hard” on the issue.
On a related note: The Sky News debate about migration, featuring new Home Office Minister Mike Tapp, is happening from 7 p.m. Sky has been trumpeting some polling to advertise its show, which found immigration the top concern among voters. It’s one poll; polls are often wrong; etc etc.
A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN PLAYBOOK PM CAN GET BEHIND: The Lib Dems are shouting about their proposed amendment to the buses bill, which could face a vote at 6 p.m. tonight, to impose harsh penalties on d***heads who play audio through phone speakers on public transport. Playbook PM hopes the Lib Dems will then move on to banning sit-down restaurants from claiming to sell “street food,” and forcing people who order “bowl” food to eat the bowl too. Is there a food-related bill coming down the track?
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT: AI will be used to monitor offenders in communities, the justice department announced.
What the government doesn’t want to talk about: The business and trade department is preparing to cut 600 roles from its overseas network, raising concerns about the government’s ability to support British exporters abroad, my POLITICO colleague Caroline Hug reports.
BEYOND THE M25
ON THE CONTINENT: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen used her State of the Union address to announce a tougher approach towards Israel, saying the EU executive will sanction “extremist ministers” and violent settlers while pausing bilateral payments to the nation. My colleagues have the rundown.
Trouble ahead: “Europe must fight,” von der Leyen said — but both the far right and far left groups in the European Parliament are set to demand she faces a no-confidence vote just two months after the last one. POLITICO’s European Parliament Correspondent Max Griera has a writeup.
LES MISÉRABLES: Riot police clashed with protestors in Paris who took to the streets over discontent with the government. Sky News has the images as more than 250 people were arrested. New PM Sébastien Lecornu pledged to work with opposition parties to sort the budget crisis, telling citizens: “We will get there.”
THROWING SHADE: Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris admitted “it was recklessness” to leave Joe Biden’s decision to run for re-election up to the then U.S. president and his wife Jill Biden. In extracts from her forthcoming book “107 Days,” Harris, who lost the race to Donald Trump in 2024, wrote: “The stakes were simply too high. This wasn’t a choice that should have been left to an individual’s ego.” My Stateside colleagues have further deets.
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TONIGHT’S MEDIA ROUND
TONIGHT’S MEDIA ROUND
LEADING THE NEWS BULLETINS: Channel 5 News (5 p.m.), ITV Evening News (6.30 p.m.) and Channel 4 News (7 p.m.) will focus on Russia firing drones inside Poland’s airspace.
Tom Swarbrick at Drive (LBC, until 6 p.m.): Former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf (5.05 p.m.).
Drive with John Pienaar (Times Radio, until 7 p.m.): Former Benjamin Netanyahu adviser Daniel Rubenstein … former U.S. Ambassador to Poland Daniel Fried … former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton … former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh … the Mirror’s Mikey Smith and former Tory adviser Kirsty Buchanan (both 6 p.m.).
BBC PM (Radio 4, 5 p.m.): Former CIA Director David Petraeus.
Tonight With Andrew Marr (LBC, 6 p.m.): Tory peer David Willetts … Labour peer Maurice Glasman … former Foreign Office Permanent Secretary Simon McDonald … former Israel Security Agency Director Ami Ayalon … lawyer Gloria Allred.
Farage — Immigration (GB News, 7 p.m.): Former Prime Minister Liz Truss … former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng … Labour MP David Pinto-Duschinsky … Labour peer Dianne Hayter … Tory MP Nick Timothy … Lib Dem MP Max Wilkinson … former Tory Cabinet Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg … former Labour PPC Kevin Craig … former Donald Trump adviser Jason Miller.
The Immigration Debate (Sky News, 7 p.m.): Home Office Minister Mike Tapp … Shadow Justice Minister Kieran Mullan … Lib Dem Home Office Spokesperson Lisa Smart … Reform UK Head of Policy Zia Yusuf.
The Evening Edition with Kait Borsay (Times Radio, 7 p.m.): Former Labour Europe Minister Denis MacShane (7.15 p.m.) … former Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy (7.25 p.m.).
Cross Question with Iain Dale (LBC, 8 p.m.): Labour MP Luke Charters … Tory MP Andrew Mitchell … the Telegraph’s Annabel Denham .. Refuge charity ambassador Sharon Gaffka.
Patrick Christys Tonight (GB News, 9 p.m.): Popular Conservatism Director Mark Littlewood.
Newsnight (BBC 2, 10.30 p.m.): Labour Deputy Leadership contender Bell Ribeiro-Addy
… former Tory Chair Jake Berry.
TWEETING TOMORROW’S PAPERS TONIGHT: Alfie Tobutt.
REVIEWING THE PAPERS TONIGHT: Times Radio (10.30 p.m.): Journo Laura Trevelyan and HuffPost’s Kevin Schofield … Sky News (10.30 p.m. and 11.30 p.m.): The Mirror’s Kevin Maguire and Times Radio’s Adam Boulton.
WHERE TO FIND BOOZE IN WESTMINSTER TONIGHT
UNI PRICES? Former Business Secretary Greg Clark is delivering a Bob Kerslake memorial lecture, about the future of unis, hosted by public services consultants PSC. It’s happening at the PSC offices in Monument. Tickets needed.
PINTS AND PIXELS: BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, is hosting a Labour Digital back to school bash tonight, at the Horse and Guardsman from 6.30 p.m. Deets here.
CLINK WITH THE PINK: The FT has its summer party on the Strand from 7 p.m. Invites needed.
TOMORROW’S WORLD
HAPPENING OVERNIGHT: The Work and Pensions Committee has a report out about merging the National Careers Service with the Jobcenter, and the Environmental Audit Committee publishes a government response to its report about the Antarctic.
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT: Armed forces mentors and a tunnel beneath the Thames.
HEALTH SCARE: The latest NHS waiting list stats are published at 9.30 a.m.
IN THE COMMONS: MPs get going at 9.30 a.m. with transport questions and Commons Leader Alan Campbell’s first business questions, before backbench debates on regional transport inequality and suicide prevention.
BREAKING THE RULES OF LAW: Suella Braverman, Richard Tice and David Frost are speaking at a Prosperity Institute event, launching a report about the ECHR Braverman co-authored, at 11 Charles Street from 9.30 a.m.
DOG EAT DOG: Westminster’s Dog of the Year competition is back.
LISTENING WITH CARE: Department for Health and Social Care Permanent Secretary Samantha Jones and NHS England interim Chief Executive Jim Mackey are probed by the Public Accounts Committee about reducing NHS waiting times for elective care at 10 a.m.
IN THE LORDS: Peers start asking questions at 11 a.m. before the sixth committee stage session of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. It ran until after 3 a.m. last night.
CLOSING TIME: MP nominations close at 5 p.m. in the Labour deputy leadership contest.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
IN MEMORIAM: Pollster Robert Worcester, the founder of MORI (now Ipsos UK) died aged 91 last week. Ipsos called Worcester a “ trailblazer in the field of market research” and a “fervent advocate for survey integrity” in its tribute. Outgoing Ipsos CEO Ben Page said “everyone in our industry and politics owes him a debt of gratitude.”
WHAT I’VE BEEN READING: Media commentator Ian Silvera writes on his Substack about political reporters and their fascination with Reform vs. the Lib Dems.
Speaking of political reporters … the Guardian has a piece about how Will Lewis, now editor of the Washington Post, gave secret advice to Boris Johnson while vice chair of the Associated Press. The AP noted that board members provide oversight of its executive leadershpi and have no involvedment in its journalism.
MEA CULPA: The Treasury says its reserve fund has been spent on pressures such as public sector pay in previous years (under the last government.) The department has not yet published claims against the fund this year.
PACKED LUNCH OR PALACE LUNCH: Subject to change, here are the lunch menus on the estate tomorrow: Bellamy’s: Jerk chicken with rice and peas; tuna fillet with butternut squash, zucchini and pumpkin seeds; soy and maple tofu steak with stir fried vegetables, baby corn and rice noodles … The Debate: Jerk chicken with rice and peas; smoked salmon and cream cheese quesadilla with sweetcorn and black bean salad and chipotle sauce; breaded lemon tofu fingers with pitta, chicory kohlrabi salad and tartare … Terrace Cafeteria: Jerk chicken with rice and peas; soya bean and chickpea eggplant with walnut and sage pesto; Chiddingly beef hot pot … River Restaurant: Mango, chili and ginger salmon with mixed pepper couscous and salad; eggplant parmigiana with spiced wedges and salad; sausage and mash.
ON THIS DAY IN POLITICS: On Sept. 10, 1967, Gibraltar voted to remain a British Overseas Territory rather than become part of Spain by 99.6 percent to 0.4 percent. On the same day in 2022, King Charles was formally proclaimed as monarch at a meeting of the Accession Council. And in 2024, Jon Trickett was the sole Labour MP to vote against the government’s cuts to winter fuel payments while Mel Stride was knocked out of the Tory leadership race.
WRITING PLAYBOOK TOMORROW MORNING: Andrew McDonald.
THANKS TO: My editor Luke McGee, reporter Noah Keate and the POLITICO production team for making it look nice.
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