Good afternoon. This is John Johnston. Steering Playbook PM through one final big day of news. Emilio Casalicchio is back in action tomorrow.
WEDNESDAY CHEAT SHEET
— Donald Trump prompted some European sighs of relief over Greenland … for now.
— But he used his big Davos speech to reel off familiar complaints about Europe and NATO, and demand “immediate negotiations” over the Arctic island.
— Keir Starmer gave his toughest words on Trump’s Greenland threats yet.
— Chancellor Rachel Reeves said ministers aren’t going to rule out retaliatory trade measures against the U.S.
— Nigel Farage says sorry to the standards commissioner after an outside interests probe.
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TOP OF THE NEWSLIST
TRUMP TRANSLATION GAME: Ministers and officials are trying to decode Donald Trump yet again after the U.S. president landed in Davos, slagged off Europe, blasted NATO — and then suggested he’s backing off just a little from his threat to take Greenland by force.
History lesson, Trump-style: Speaking before a crowd of around 5,000 delegates — including a host of European leaders — the U.S. president branded his own country “stupid” for ever having given Greenland back to Denmark after the Second World War. “How ungrateful they are now,” he fumed.
But but but: Trump offered a sliver of an off-ramp as he said of Greenland: “We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive force. We’d be unstoppable, but we won’t do that.”
Just to hammer the point home: Trump added: “I don’t have to use force, I don’t want to use force, I won’t use force.”
And yet: The obsession with the “big, beautiful piece of ice” ain’t abating. Trump called for “immediate negotiations” over his bid to acquire Greenland … said NATO countries had an “obligation to be able to defend their own territory” … and warned that “no nation or group of nations is in any position to be able to secure” the territory apart from the U.S.
Sidebar: Trump repeatedly confused Greenland and Iceland during his off-autocue remarks, presumably causing minor freakouts in Rekjavik.
More pressing for the British government: Trump gave no indication that he’s rethinking his threat to impose sweeping tariffs on European countries, including the U.K., at the end of January should they continue to spurn his Greenland advances.
Not in the room where it happened: Keir Starmer has, of course, swerved the Davos gathering. His spokesperson this afternoon defended the decision to give the Swiss summit a miss, insisting the PM’s attendance was never on the cards, and that he remains in close contact with the U.S. administration.
Fighting talk: Back home and ahead of the speech, Starmer used PMQs to offer up his strongest comments yet on the Trump-prompted European crisis. Yesterday’s blindsiding move by Trump to slam Britain over the Chagos deal was, he told MPs, “expressly intended to put pressure on me to yield” over Greenland. “I will not yield. Britain will not yield on our principles and values about the future of Greenland under threat of tariffs,” Starmer added.
On the offensive: Kemi Badenoch was in her element on a subject the Tories have been banging on about for months.“The prime minister is giving away territory we own and paying £35 billion for the privilege,” the Tory leader said of the deal that’s newly-triggered Trump.
Rowing in behind the boss: Back in Davos, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.K. was now “letting us down” with the Chagos deal. “So, President Trump is serious here,” he added.
Still on ice: Wrapped up in a big winter coat at the Swiss gathering, Chancellor Rachel Reeves told broadcasters the U.K. will not be “buffeted around” by the U.S. threats.
Slight shift in position: While she suggested Britain ain’t gearing up to join European allies with threats of economic retaliation just yet, she told the BBC the government “would never rule anything out.” She did tell Sky, however, that the lack of retaliation at the moment remains “the right approach.” The chancellor is on Channel 4 News from 7 p.m.
Friendly face: Nigel Farage made the trip to Davos too. GB News’s Christopher Hope hears British officials aren’t quite at the point of asking the Reform boss to do his bit for the national interest by having a quiet word with Trump.
Force for good: An ebullient Farage took to the stage at USA House in Davos much later than billed to accommodate the president, who he said had been “in many ways” a good thing for NATO. There was a bit of Chagos gloating too.
But but but: He took issue with Trump’s claim the U.S. hasn’t gotten anything back from the alliance, pointing out the U.K. followed the U.S. into Afghanistan. “Friends can disagree,” Farage said.
More secure: The Reform boss stuck to his Greenland line that the rights and the views of Greenlanders must be respected because that’s national self-determination, innit. Think Brexit and the Declaration of Independence. Farage did show Trump a bit of love by declaring that the U.S. owning Greenland would be “better for the world.”
Not playing ball: Starmer can breathe a sigh of relief that he wasn’t singled out like Mark Carney and Emmanuel Macron for some Trump speech quips. But the U.S. president did direct some pointed barbs at the U.K.’s perceived failure to exploit North Sea oil reserves. Plus ça change.
The other fly in the Transatlantic ointment… Is the Gaza Board of Peace, which continues to cause rumblings of discontent. European leaders are increasingly backing away from Trump’s plans, with White House allies Georgia Meloni and Karol Nawrocki sounding skeptical (even if Israel is keen.)
Closer to home: The U.K. also appears to be cooling on the idea, colleagues Esther Webber and Anne McElvoy report, with Starmer’s spokesman saying today the government is “still looking at the terms.” Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is skeptical about Trump’s plan, according to officials, and has been at pains to discuss Palestinians’ role and global cooperation during her own meetings at Davos.
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DRIVETIME DEBRIEF
COST OF LIVING LATEST: The rate of inflation climbed to 3.4 percent in the year to December, according to official figures out this morning. It’s slightly above the estimate made by economists, with higher tobacco prices and airfares pegged as the reason for the uptick.
Sunlit uplands: Responding to the figures, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said that “there’s more to do, but this is the year that Britain turns a corner” (bookmark that one.) Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride slammed “economic mismanagement” — and put out another social media clip to punch the bruise.
DRINK TO THIS: Reeves promised to announce her U-turn-tastic support package for pubs in the “coming days” to protect them from the brunt of imminent business rates increases. The Times reports the package could be worth up to £300m, but suggests other hospitality sectors will not be singled out for additional help.
MO MONEY, MO PROBLEMS: Nigel Farage apologized to parliament’s standards commissioner after an investigation found he failed to properly declare his outside earnings on 17 separate occasions, covering a total of £380,000. He won’t face any punishment beyond having to “rectify” the entries. He blamed the snafu on having “complicated” outside earnings across multiple media and business streams — as well as the fact his staff are left to keep track his entries because he “doesn’t do computers.” The Mirror has a full write-up.
SPOILING THE SURPRISE: Unaffiliated peer Kate Hoey confirmed she is not the rumored ex-Labour figure about to jump ship to Reform UK … for now. The former Labour MP told Talk she was “certainly not joining Reform UK as the person they’re talking about at the moment.” Of course, that doesn’t stop her joining in the future.
HOKEY COKEY: Business Secretary Peter Kyle told CNBC it would be “crazy not to engage with the prospect of a customs union” with the EU. The comments at Davos come just days after he decried the “simple solution” of a joining an U.K.-EU customs union as “foolish.” Choose your own adventure!
SOCIAL (MEDIA) AFFAIRS
HACKED OFF: Desmond Swayne’s X account was infiltrated by hackers who reposted “something very bizarre,” the veteran Tory MP posted … on his X account. “Needless to say I was disgusted by what they reposted and passwords were changed immediately,” Swayne asserted. Get in touch if you know the content of the offending post.
BEYOND THE M25
NUCLEAR OPTION: Japan restarted operations at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, the world’s largest nuclear plant, for the first time since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. The BBC has more information.
FROM SYRIA: Syrian government forces took control of al-Hawl detention camp, which houses thousands of suspected Islamic State suspects, after the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces withdrew following seven years in charge. The Guardian has the rundown.
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TONIGHT’S MEDIA ROUND
LEADING THE NEWS BULLETINS: Channel 5 News (5 p.m.), BBC News at Six and ITV Evening News (6.30 p.m.) focus on Trump’s speech at Davos … as does Channel 4 News (7 p.m.), which has an interview with Chancellor Rachel Reeves and former U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.
Tom Swarbrick at Drive (LBC, until 6 p.m.): Labour peer and former Defence Secretary John Hutton (5.05 p.m.).
Drive with John Pienaar (Times Radio, until 7 p.m.): Energy Minister Martin McCluskey … former Royal United Services Institute Director General Karin von Hippel … former Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk … former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Jim Townsend … former U.N. Deputy Secretary General Mark Malloch Brown … former NATO Assistant Secretary General Wendy Gilmour … Greenlandic politician Pele Broberg … author Tim Marshall … Estonian MEP Riho Terras … the Sun on Sunday’s Kate Ferguson and the Mirror’s Mikey Smith (both 6 p.m.).
BBC PM (Radio 4, 5 p.m.): Labour peer and former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton (5.30 p.m.).
News Hour (Sky News, 5 p.m.): former U.S. Council of Economic Advisers Chief of Staff Harry G. Broadman (5.30 p.m.) … Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox (6.30 p.m.).
Tonight With Andrew Marr (LBC, 6 p.m.): Martin McCluskey … Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen … former Labour Health Secretary Alan Milburn … former Canadian Liberal Leader Michael Grant Ignatieff …
Dewbs and Co (GB News, 6 p.m.): Reform UK Head of Policy Zia Yusuf … Labour councilor Stuart Fawcett.
Farage (GB News, 7 p.m.): Labour peer John Cryer … former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng.
Politics Hub (Sky News, 7 p.m.): Martin McCluskey … former Secret Intelligence Service Chief Richard Dearlove … former Green MP Caroline Lucas … Rud Pedersen UK’s Jo Tanner.
The Evening Edition with Kait Borsay (Times Radio, 7 p.m.): Greenlandic politician Kuno Fencker (7.15 p.m.) … former Dutch Chief of Defense Dick Berlijn (8.15 p.m.).
Cross Question with Iain Dale (LBC, 8 p.m.): Labour MP Rachael Maskell … Shadow Environment Secretary Victoria Atkins … former Jeremy Corbyn adviser James Schneider … the Telegraph’s Tim Stanley.
Peston (9 p.m. on Twitter, 10.45 p.m. on ITV): Energy Secretary Ed Miliband … Shadow Housing Secretary James Cleverly … Your Party’s Jeremy Corbyn … former Secret Intelligence Service Chief Alex Younger.
Patrick Christys Tonight (GB News, 9 p.m.): Popular Conservatism Director Mark Littlewood.
TWEETING TOMORROW’S PAPERS TONIGHT: Alfie Tobutt.
REVIEWING THE PAPERS TONIGHT: Times Radio (10.30 p.m.): The Sun’s Ryan Sabey and broadcaster Alicia Fitzgerald … Sky News (10.30 p.m. and 11.30 p.m.): The Sun’s Jack Elsom and broadcaster Jenny Kleeman.
WHERE TO FIND BOOZE IN WESTMINSTER TONIGHT
ROWDY WITH RIGHTIES: The Prosperity Institute has a discussion about grooming gangs with speakers including Tory MP Katie Lam and Reform UK’s London mayoral contender Laila Cunningham from 6 p.m. Link here for those wanting to tune in remotely.
TOMORROW’S WORLD
IN THE COMMONS: MPs traipse in at 9.30 a.m. for Cabinet Office questions, Commons Leader Alan Campbell’s business statement and backbench business debates on fishing and import standards.
IN THE LORDS: Peers sit down from 11 a.m. for the introduction of Labour peers Farmida Bi and Richard Walker followed by the 12th day at committee stage of the Crime and Policing Bill and a debate on hospitality.
FLUSHED OUT: Ofwat Interim Chief Executive Chris Walters is among those probed by the Public Accounts Committee at 10 a.m.
FOLLOW THE LEADER: The heads of EU governments hold an extraordinary meeting of the European Council to discuss Trump and Greenland.
OPEN AND TRANSPARENT: Public sector finance stats covering December are out at 7 a.m.
PAGING THE WHITE HOUSE: Former U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith testifies before the House Judiciary Committee about the investigations into Donald Trump at 3 p.m. U.K. time.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
NEW GIG: Former Keir Starmer comms director Steph Driver is joining WPI Strategy as a senior strategic adviser. She’ll be chairing the firm’s new “Social Value Commission.”
SPOTTED: Comedian and author David Baddiel joining 5 Live’s Matt Chorley at PMQs.
PACKED LUNCH OR PALACE LUNCH: Subject to change, here are the lunch menus on the estate tomorrow: Bellamy’s: Homemade beef burger in a brioche bap with cheese and chive glaze, red onion marmalade and dressed rocket salad; baked teriyaki sesame salmon fillet with pak choi, Chinese leaf, grilled aubergine and pickled chillies; Cajun cauliflower steak with wholegrain jambalaya, spring onion and red pepper succotash … The Debate: Chicken katsu curry with steamed rice, spring onion and pickled ginger; Scandinavian style seared sea brean with beetroot and watercress buckwheat, and honey and mustard dill dressing; Spanish roasted red pepper and potato tortilla with cannellini bean and courgette stew and garlic aioli … Terrace Cafeteria: Turkey and leek pie with thyme mash potato; mushroom and onion stroganoff with steamed basmati rice, julienne of beetroot and gherkin; ham, olive and mascarpone pizza with fennel, broccoli and chickpea salad.
ON THIS DAY IN POLITICS: On Jan. 21, 1542 a bill to execute Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII, entered parliament. On the same day in 1941, British communist newspaper the Daily Worker (now the Morning Star) was banned for 18 months after it came out against WW2 … until the Soviet Union was invaded by Nazi Germany.
WRITING PLAYBOOK TOMORROW MORNING: Sam Francis.
THANKS TO: My editor Matt Honeycombe-Foster, reporter Noah Keate and the POLITICO production team for making it look nice.
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