Good afternoon. This is Emilio Casalicchio.
FRIDAY CHEAT SHEET
— Downing Street defended top Keir Starmer aide Morgan McSweeny following the Peter Mandelson debacle.
— No. 10 said suggestions the PM should have asked about Mandelson’s friendship with a pedophile are a “gross mischaracterization” of the vetting process.
— SCOOP: Starmer did not sack ministers himself during the government reshuffle — unlike former PMs.
— Peers wrapped up seven hours of debate about life and death. Theresa May got stuck in.
— There was no growth in July. None.
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TOP OF THE NEWSLIST
CHEQUERED RECORD: Keir Starmer is doing his best to pretend all is well and move on after the humiliating Peter Mandelson debacle — but questions still remain.
This is fine: The PM hosted his Irish counterpart at Chequers this morning and had a chat on the phone with Polish President Karol Nawrocki following the Russian incursion into Poland’s airspace this week. The latter will no doubt feed into the much-anticipated State visit from U.S. President Donald Trump next week. Starmer also has a new “quint” grouping that will meet each week to strategize on government business, the New Statesman’s George Eaton revealed.
But but but: Almost all the questions at the No.10 briefing for hacks this afternoon were about Mandelson, with the PM’s spokesperson forced to insist Starmer has “full confidence in his team” amid briefings against top aide and former Petie champion Morgan McSweeny. The line also continues to be that Starmer has full confidence in the ambassadorial vetting process, which the spokesperson described as “world leading” despite it resulting in an international fiasco this week.
World leading in a sense: It did lead embarrassing headlines across the Atlantic, at least. No surprise Foreign Affairs Committee Chair (and Labour MP) Emily Thornberry is demanding more info from Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper about the process.
The question the spokesperson could not answer … was whether Starmer did a single thing to establish whether the Mandelson relationship with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein might end up featured in a future Adam Curtis film about state failure.
Bear in mind: Starmer was asked direct during a press conference at the start of 2024 if he had concerns about Mandelson being invited to spend the night at Epstein’s home while the convict was in prison for soliciting prostitution from a minor. “I don’t know any more than you do,” the PM told the FT’s Jim Pickard in response. “Therefore there’s not really much I can add to what you already know, I’m afraid. That’s simply the state of affairs.”
And then … did the PM attempt to find out more when he picked Mandelson to be his U.S. ambo, in case the appointment ended up becoming a political stink bomb in the future? Playbook PM asked No. 10 aides numerous times, but not a single example of what Starmer did to explore the “depth and extent” of the Mandelson-Epstein relationship was forthcoming.
Indeed: His spokesperson said the suggestion the PM might ask a couple of questions following that press conference would be a “gross mischaracterization” of the vetting process. The official process happens under the watch of the Foreign Office and No. 10 gets nothing more than a green or red light at the end, with no further details. Mandelson got the green light — which No. 10 insists means Starmer did all the right things.
The upshot being: Despite being asked on camera whether he had concerns about a glaring red flag relating to what later became a political appointment, Starmer seems to have thought it best to leave the entire thing up to the secretive civil service vetting process and ask no further questions, m’lud. Seems sensible. Less than 24 months later, the leaked emails revealed the “depth and extent” of the relationship Starmer appears not to have asked about and, well, readers know the rest.
Understatement of the morning round: “These are not the headlines any of us in government or in parliament would have chosen or wanted,” Cabinet minister Douglas Alexander told BBC Breakfast this morning.
Neither are these: Opposition MPs are now out to see Mandelson stripped of his Labour peerage. “This is the third time Lord Mandelson has had to resign from public office because of inappropriate behavior,” Conservative frontbencher Alex Burghart told Times Radio this morning. “I’m not sure that that’s the sort of person that we want to have in the House of Lords.” Burghart sure knows a thing or two about inappropriate behavior, having served as PPS to Boris Johnson when the disgraced ex-PM was in Downing Street.
Ganging up: The SNP and whip-stripped ex-Labour MP Chris Hinchliffe are also on the warpath to see Mandelson lose his peerage.
The problem is … crossing the Dark Lord can be dangerous, as Starmer himself could find out. “If you are going to ask who is a more effective politician, Peter Mandelson or Keir Starmer, there is only one answer,” one Labour MP told the Guardian’s Eleni Courea. “It’s like Mike Tyson fighting a toddler.” What about Mandelson vs the “quint”?
Onto the next one: Government officials are briefing that the next U.K. ambassador to the U.S. will not be appointed before the Big Orange state visit next week. Interim mandarin James Roscoe will cover all the pomp and deal-trumpteting, while the permanent replacement to Mandelson will go through the usual (world leading) process. The Lib Dems are insisting the Foreign Affairs Select Committee has a role scrutinizing the next U.S. ambassador before the winning candidate is sent overseas.
Now hear this: The Times How To Win An Election podcast discusses whether Starmer was wise to appoint Mandelson as U.S. ambassador when his relations with Epstein were well known about. Of course, the ambassadorial appointment in late 2024 meant the podcast lost one of its three hosts: Peter Mandelson.
Now read this: After the Mandelson disaster and some fresh grumbling about McSweeny, Neal Lawson (the man helping run the so-called Mainstream group that most people think is a front for an Andy Burnham leadership bid) has a scathing piece on PolHome about how ruthless factionalism doesn’t help run a government. It’s a regular complaint among backbench MPs. Left-winger Clive Lewis told the Week in Westminster the PM “doesn’t seem up to the job,” which is further than others have gone before.
Scoop — not helping matters: Playbook PM has picked up anger among the ex-junior ministers sacked in the reshuffle that Starmer did not wield the knife himself. Tony Blair, David Cameron and Boris Johnson are all said to have sacked ministers themselves, in person wherever possible or on the phone if needed. But Starmer left the task to his new Chief Whip Jonathan Reynolds and his new minister for making-shit-happen Darren Jones. One of those dumped said it showed “poor people management” from Starmer.
Of course … it’s not a lone example of poor people management. It’s little surprise that during the deputy leadership hustings this week, Cabinet candidate Bridget Phillipson promised better engagement with backbenchers. She said she knew MPs felt ignored and vowed to be their voice around the Cabinet table to change that.
Bear in mind: With Starmer giving himself such a torrid time in office, it won’t just be Andy Burnham sizing up the top job.
ONE STEP CLOSER TO DEATH
A LIFE OR DEATH DEBATE: Peers have just wrapped up more than seven hours of second reading debate about Labour MP Kim Leadbeater’s assisted dying bill, our Noah Keate writes in. The groundbreaking legislation saw lords and baronesses of all stripes make emotional contributions as they, like MPs, wrestle with whether the change should become law. The four-minute-limit speeches were largely heard in respectful silence. But opinions — as ever — were sharply divided.
Get the bill rolling: Labour peer Charlie Falconer, sponsoring the bill in the Lords, opened the debate arguing the current law is “confused, causes terrible suffering and lacks compassion.” Listing the safeguards, the former justice secretary insisted the protections introduced by the Commons are sufficient and eligibility cannot be expanded. “The public want this,” Falconer said, stressing the Lords’ role should be scrutiny and not obstruction.
May day: Former PM Theresa May set out her reasons for the bill being a bad vibe. She said she was worried about people feeling a burden to their families and pressurized to end their lives, and raised “the impact it will have on people with disabilities, with chronic illness, with mental health problems.” She said the bill ran counter to the government’s suicide prevention strategy.
Unchartered territory: May was echoed by her former Policing Minister Nick Herbert, who said peers discussed reducing suicide levels only this week. “Today we consider crossing the Rubicon,” the Tory peer stressed. “We debate not how to prevent suicide, but how to facilitate it with the support and resources of the state.” Though sympathetic about distressing stories from colleagues, Herbert said “we cannot responsibly legislate simply because we are moved. In truth, we cannot legislate away suffering.”
Doctors’ orders: There were medical professional peers on hand to speak both for and against the bill. Lib Dem peer John Alderdice recalled being a young doctor dealing with “patients who were suffering a great deal of pain and wanted to bring their lives to an end.” The former Alliance Party leader said the debate involved “people in terrible dilemmas” and urged peers to put themselves in their position and back the bill.
But but but: Leadbeater’s bill was criticized by some supporters for imposing too many restrictions. Crossbench peer Elaine Murphy said so many so-called safeguards had been inserted “that it might prove to be unwieldy, if not unworkable.” As a psychiatrist, Murphy thought it was “unlikely my colleagues will want to be involved” in confirming a patient’s capacity and there remains “too much bureaucracy and oversight” — though she said she would still support the law changing.
Clear your diaries: The demand to speak means another second reading day has been allocated for next Friday — even though parliament is technically supposed to be in recess for conference season. Browse through the list of speakers here.
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DRIVETIME DEBRIEF
NOT GROWING WELL: The U.K. grew by a big fat zero percent in July, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics this morning. The stats office said the nothing-ness followed the biggest contraction in manufacturing output for a year. The Treasury admitted “whilst our economy isn’t broken, it does feel stuck,” blaming the previous government. But Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride said ministers were “distracted from the problems the country is facing.”
Give ’em Mel: Stride has also written an open letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves (a.k.a. put out a statement) complaining about her claims public debt did not fall under the Tories.
TAXING QUESTIONS: Nigel Farage insisted his girlfriend Laure Ferrari bought the house he uses in Clacton after the BBC questioned whether she had the funds to do so. “The money was legally hers,” he told broadcasters at a Reform event in Caerphilly this morning. “The estate agent and everyone did the ‘know your customer rule’ checks — it was her legal money.” He said he had checked with a King’s Council tax expert this week whether it was all above board.
NO FREEBIES THIS TIME: Labour peer and donor Waheed Alli (of free glasses/suits fame last summer) evicted a family of five from his rented north London townhouse after four years before relisting the property for more than £1,000 more in rent. The i paper’s Vicky Spratt, who got the jaw-dropper scoop, pointed out this process will be outlawed by Labour next year. Alli’s representatives declined to comment.
LEGAL REFUGEE: Home Sec Shabana Mahmood is mulling whether the U.N. refugee convention could be reformed or have its implementation tweaked in order to tackle small boat crossings, the i Paper’s Arj Singh reports.
JAILHOUSE ROCKED: Hundreds of foreign prison officers who need renewed contracts could be forced to return to their home countries at short notice after Labour’s immigration rules meant they would not be eligible for a visa if they are paid below £41,700. The Guardian has the writeup.
STILL TO COME: Turning Point U.K. are holding a vigil in Whitehall for right-wing activist Charlie Kirk who was shot to death. This afternoon, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was confident American authorities have found the man suspected of shooting Kirk, after he was apprehended by police.
More coming attractions: Pro-Palestinian demonstrators are planning a week of action in the run-up to Labour conference, against the proscription of RAF vandals Palestine Action. The demos will culminate in an Oct. 4 protest in London. The Guardian has more deets.
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT: Keir Starmer met his Irish counterpart Micheál Martin at Chequers this morning, after which the Irish PM said the pair had made “very good progress” on a possible deal on Troubles legacies. The MoD was meanwhile trumpeting its security deal using Google Cloud tech, and its honoring of nuclear test veterans.
SOCIAL (MEDIA) AFFAIRS
SHAKING IT OFF: Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan temporarily forgot about her party’s woes by having a boogie at a Pontypool café. There’s always Strictly if next year’s Senedd elections don’t work out.
Talking of which: Nigel Farage’s plan for a faultless Senedd by-election campaign in Caerphilly was slightly scuppered after Reform’s candidate Llŷr Powell, a former communications specialist for the party no less, posted a banner on X with the town spelt incorrectly. Nation.Cymru got the screenshot.
BEYOND THE M25
ACROSS THE POND: The suspected killer of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk was named as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson who was detained by authorities in Utah. The state’s Governor Spencer Cox said they believe Robinson “changed outfits” while on campus. Bullets in the murder weapon were engraved with phrases including “Hey fascist! Catch!” Sky News has a live blog.
WAR OF WORDS: Warsaw rebutted Donald Trump’s assertion that an incursion by Russian drones into Poland’s airspace could have been a mistake. “We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake. But it wasn’t. And we know it,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in response. My colleague Laura Kayali has further deets.
Military might: Russia and Belarus began a large joint military exercise which is expected to feature hypersonic missiles and simulated nuclear strikes close to NATO’s eastern flank. The Times has more information.
UNIVERSAL CONDEMNATION: The U.N. Security Council condemned Israel’s strikes on Qatari capital Doha earlier this week in a unanimous statement including the U.S., which traditionally blocks remarks criticizing its key ally. The Beeb has more.
COMING HOME: More than 300 South Korean workers arrived in Seoul after they were detained for a week in the U.S. following a raid by federal agents. The Guardian has a writeup.
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TONIGHT’S MEDIA ROUND
LEADING THE NEWS BULLETINS: Channel 5 News (5 p.m.), BBC News at Six, ITV Evening News (6.30 p.m.) and Channel 4 News (7 p.m.) all focus on police arresting a suspect in connection with Charlie Kirk’s death earlier this week.
Tom Swarbrick at Drive (LBC, until 7 p.m.): Labour MP Kim Johnson (5.05 p.m.).
BBC PM (Radio 4, 5 p.m.): Historian and author Anthony Seldon.
News Hour (Sky News, 5 p.m.): Retired FBI agent Kenneth Gray (5.30 p.m.) … Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Senior Fellow Rachel Kleinfeld (6.30 p.m.).
Drive with Cathy Newman (Times Radio, 5 p.m.): Former Tory Cabinet Ministers Penny Mordaunt and Andrea Leadsom … Tory peer Stuart Rose … podcaster and former Shadow Cabinet Minister Jonathan Ashworth … former Republican Congressman Joe Walsh … retired British Army Officer Richard Barrons.
The News Agents (Podcast, drops at 5 p.m.): Former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Dewbs and Co (GB News, 6 p.m.): Former Lib Dem adviser Jo Phillips.
Any Questions (Radio 4, 8 p.m.): Defence Minister Luke Pollard … Tory peer John Gummer … the FT’s Miranda Green … writer Timandra Harkness.
Patrick Christys Tonight (GB News, 9 p.m.): Labour MP Barry Gardiner … former Tory MP Jane Stevenson … former Reform UK Director of Communications Gawain Towler.
Newsnight (BBC 2, 10.30 p.m.): Former Lib Dem Leader Jo Swinson.
TWEETING TOMORROW’S PAPERS TONIGHT: Alfie Tobutt.
REVIEWING THE PAPERS TONIGHT: Times Radio (10.30 p.m.): Jo Phillips and commentator Jonathan Lis … Sky News (10.30 p.m. and 11.30 p.m.): Journalist Christina Patterson and broadcaster Benedict Spence.
YOUR WEEKEND IN POLITICS
RACE FOR SECOND PLACE: Local Labour party nominations open on Saturday in the deputy leadership race.
HEADS-UP: Tommy Robinson (aka Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) holds a “free speech” rally in central London on Saturday. Details from London World.
TOURING THE SUNDAY STUDIOS: New Business Secretary Peter Kyle, back from China. More details below.
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WEEKEND MEDIA ROUND
Week in Westminster (Radio 4, 11 a.m. on Saturday): Labour MP Clive Lewis … Labour peers Charlie Falconer and Margaret Hodge … Tory peers Robert Hayward and Mark Harper … Keir Starmer’s biographer Tom Baldwin.
Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips (Sky News, 8.30 a.m. on Sunday): Business Secretary Peter Kyle … Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott … Tory peer and Spectator Editor Michael Gove … campaigner Sarah Brown … former Channel 4 Head of News Dorothy Byrne.
Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg (BBC One, 9 a.m. on Sunday): Peter Kyle … Laura Trott.
The Camilla Tominey Show (GB News, 9.30 a.m. on Sunday): Peter Kyle … Laura Trott … former Tory Cabinet Minister Damian Green.
Lewis Goodall (LBC, 10 a.m. on Sunday): Peter Kyle … Labour MP Kim Leadbeater (10.45 a.m.).
Sunday Morning with Adam Boulton (Times Radio, 10 a.m. on Sunday): Peter Kyle … Laura Trott.
Carole Walker with Times Radio Drive (Times Radio, 4 p.m. on Sunday): Labour MP Peter Dowd … Shadow Housing Minister David Simmonds … Lib Dem MP Danny Chambers.
Westminster Hour (Radio 4, 10 p.m. on Sunday): Education Committee Chair Helen Hayes … Tory MP John Whittingdale … Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox … Bloomberg’s Rosa Prince.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
WHAT I’VE BEEN READING: For the far-too-online, American commentator and statistician Nate Silver has an amusing Substack about the kinds of people who are big on Bluesky. It’s America-centric, but there is of course some crossover with the U.K. “Bluesky will probably settle into a small but sustainable steady state as the equivalent of a niche hobbyist subreddit: a peculiar online neighborhood that someone wouldn’t encounter unless she takes a wrong turn, its facades gradually decaying into disrepair as its residents leer at passersby from their lawn chairs,” he writes. (H/t to Helen Lewis for flagging the piece on her own Substack.)
MEDIA NEWS: Cardiff Uni has been crunching the stats on broadcast coverage of Reform vs. the Lib Dems. The Guardian has a writeup. News coverage (like news-making) is, of course, more of an art than a science.
ON THIS DAY IN POLITICS: On Sept. 12, 1924, a cash for honors scandal engulfed Labour’s first PM Ramsay MacDonald. David Torrance, Commons clerk and author of “Wild Men,” the story of that first Labour government, tweeted about it here. Good job that would never happen today. On the same day in 2014, former Northern Ireland First Minister Ian Paisley died aged 88. On the same day in 2015, Jeremy Corbyn was elected Labour leader by a landslide winning 59.5 percent of votes. And in 2024, Keir Starmer flew to Washington, D.C. for talks with then U.S. President Joe Biden about the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
WRITING SUNDAY CRUNCH: Mason Boycott-Owen.
WRITING PLAYBOOK MONDAY MORNING: Sam Blewett.
THANKS TO: My editor Ali Walker, reporter Noah Keate and the POLITICO production team for making it look nice.
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