![\"London](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/nl-header_politico_london-playbook.png\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\nBy MASON BOYCOTT-OWEN<\/strong><\/p>\n with CAROLINE HUG<\/strong><\/p>\n Good afternoon.<\/strong> This is Mason Boycott-Owen, gently wafting you towards a sleepy protest-y bank holiday.<\/p>\n CHEAT SHEET<\/p>\n \u2014 The government will appeal against the Epping hotel decision that ruined its recess.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2014 Protests and counter-protests are taking place across the country as other councils seek to close their own migrant hotels.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2014 Famine has been declared around Gaza City as the humanitarian crisis continues.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2014 Ukraine dealmaking rumbles on as the Kremlin shows a bit of leg.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2014 Wes Streeting has a drug pricing problem.<\/strong><\/p>\n **A message from Goldman Sachs:<\/strong> Dive deep into the forces shaping the markets and global economy with timely analysis from the specialists on Goldman Sachs’ trading floor and independent research desks. For the latest analysis on geopolitics, trade, and technology explore insights from Goldman Sachs here.<\/a>**<\/strong><\/p>\n TOP OF THE NEWSLIST<\/p>\n BACK TO COURT:<\/strong> The government has taken the first steps to appeal the High Court ruling which gave the Home Office until Sept. 12 to move asylum seekers out of The Bell Hotel in Epping. Dan Jarvis, the security minister, confirmed the move earlier today.<\/p>\n Legal steps:<\/strong> Jarvis told broadcasters that the government needs to close all asylum hotels by the end of this parliament, but that it needs to be done \u201cin a managed and ordered way,\u201d adding: \u201cThat\u2019s why we\u2019ll appeal this decision.\u201d Somani Hotels, the owner of the Bell Hotel, also confirmed that it will be appealing the ruling by Mr Justice Eyre.<\/p>\n Tories disagree:<\/strong> Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: \u201cIt is completely wrong that the Labour government is taking legal action to keep open the Bell Hotel. The Government isn\u2019t listening to the public or to the courts.\u201d<\/p>\n Can of worms:<\/strong> Tuesday\u2019s High Court decision to accept Epping Forest District Council\u2019s demands for an injunction to remove asylum seekers from the hotel is a big problem for the government if other councils take similar action, which could put further strain on the migrant accommodation system.<\/p>\n Bank holiday of discontent:<\/strong> Today there are protests expected to take place in at least eight towns and cities across the U.K. as locals and activists seek to pile pressure on local officials to follow Epping\u2019s lead. These include Leeds, Cardiff and Portsmouth, with another 14 planned to take place on Saturday.<\/p>\n Not content with discontent<\/strong> are campaigners Stand Up to Racism, who are organizing counter-protests for today\u2019s rallies<\/a>, and are expected to put on their own marches over the weekend. In a post on X<\/a> the group said: \u201cWe\u2019re in a dangerous moment. This weekend is set to see the biggest number of far-right demonstrations since the riots last summer.\u201d<\/p>\n Concerns over violence:<\/strong> Craig Leyland, leader of Lincolnshire\u2019s East Lindsey district council, told Times Radio that although asylum seekers in his area are a worry for local residents, he is concerned about the \u201cpotential for violence and disruption\u201d at protests over this weekend.<\/p>\n Chants begin:<\/strong> The Times\u2019 live blog of today\u2019s protests<\/a> reports that a group of around 70 protesters have gathered with flags outside Portsmouth\u2019s guildhall. The paper adds that there is a speaker playing \u201cRule, Britannia!\u201d while the group chants \u201cget them out.\u201d<\/p>\n Wary of the right:<\/strong> Nathan Evans, leader of the Conservative group on the Labour-run Trafford council, told the Times that legal challenges should be started, rather than waiting for protests which could turn potentially violent. \u201cAre we waiting for an attack before the council do something?\u201d he asked, adding that he did not want to directly join protests in case they are \u201chijacked by organisations we don\u2019t support.\u201d<\/p>\n Flag flying: <\/strong>The Spectator has spoken to<\/a> the man putting flags up around York, amid this week\u2019s flag frenzy that has seen shadow ministers involved in vigilante flag-based justice<\/a>.<\/p>\n DRIVETIME DEBRIEF<\/p>\n FAMINE IN GAZA: <\/strong>Gaza City is now officially in famine, according to a report<\/a> from the U.N.-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). The organization upgraded its classification to Phase 5 \u2014 the highest level \u2014 warning that half a million people face \u201cstarvation, destitution, and death.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n U.K. reacts:<\/strong> Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a statement that the announcement \u201cis utterly horrifying and is wholly preventable,\u201d adding: \u201cThe Israeli government\u2019s refusal to allow sufficient aid into Gaza has caused this man-made catastrophe. This is a moral outrage.\u201d<\/p>\n Israel pushes back: <\/strong>Israel dismissed the IPC findings as \u201cHamas lies.\u201d Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed<\/a> to unleash \u201cthe gates of hell\u201d on Gaza, until they agree to \u201cthe release of all hostages and their disarmament.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n RUSSIA LATEST: <\/strong>NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made a surprise appearance in Kyiv today for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on possible security guarantees for Ukraine. In a joint press briefing<\/a>, he said Ukraine, the Europeans, and the U.S. are working together to make sure defenses \u201cof such a level that [Vladimir Putin], sitting in Moscow, will never ever try to attack Ukraine again.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Don\u2019t hold your breath:<\/strong> Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov joined NBC News<\/a> where he said that Putin is ready to meet with Zelensky once there is an agenda set for any summit, but added that this agenda is \u201cnot ready at all.\u201d Later in the interview Lavrov went on to blame the Ukrainian president for turning down Russian demands.<\/p>\n Brussels\u2019 view:<\/strong> European Commission VP Kaja Kallas told BBC Radio 4 that Russia \u201cis just dragging [its] feet\u201d and has no interest in peace. She called for more EU and U.S. sanctions and tariffs against Russia to force Putin to the negotiation table.\u00a0<\/p>\n Allies in the dark:<\/strong> My top colleague Antoaneta Roussi reports<\/a> that Tulsi Gabbard, the U.S. director of national intelligence, ordered in July that all information regarding the Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations should not be shared with Five Eyes intelligence partners including the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n WES STREETING HAS A DRUG PRICING PROBLEM: <\/strong>Labour\u2019s health secretary has walked away from talks with big pharma, after the sector\u2019s top pharma lobby, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) rejected a government offer on NHS drug pricing.\u00a0<\/p>\n Backtrack: <\/strong>The U.K. was reviewing a clawback tax, which forces companies to return cash to the NHS if spending goes over a pre-agreed cap. ABPI argues it\u2019s making Britain \u201cuninvestable.\u201d Now that they\u2019ve spurned the government\u2019s proposal, they\u2019re stuck with the current clawback deal until 2028. DHSC told<\/a> the FT \u201cthat the interests of patients and the NHS are best served by concluding the review and continuing with the existing \u2026 scheme unamended.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n WHAT A LIBERTY:<\/strong> Staff at Liberty Steel\u2019s South Yorkshire steelworks have been told that they will receive their August pay and pension contributions after Speciality Steel UK (SSUK) \u2014 Liberty\u2019s main British business \u2014 was put into administration on Thursday afternoon. The Guardian has a write-up<\/a>.<\/p>\n FAKE NEWS: <\/strong>There was no \u201cwoke mutiny\u201d of junior staff at The Bull pub in Charlbury when JD Vance wanted to eat there during his U.K. visit. The Fence writes<\/a> that what actually happened was some back-and-forth with Vance\u2019s team that ended in the now-famous barbecue with Thomas Skinner.\u00a0 <\/p>\n NAH: <\/strong>Online message board 4chan will refuse to pay a fine issued by Ofcom for breaching its obligations under the Online Safety Act, its lawyer Preston Byrne has told my ace tech colleague Mizy Clifton. \u201cMy client will not be the first American in 250 years to allow the UK to tell it to wear a muzzle. We fought a war over this and the UK lost,\u201d he said. Ofcom didn\u2019t confirm whether a fine had been levied and said it couldn\u2019t comment further while an investigation was ongoing.<\/p>\n COUNCIL WOES: <\/strong>The Conservatives have lost overall control of Surrey County Council after a Lib Dem victory in a by-election. Ed Davey\u2019s party dubbed it \u201ca Surrey shambles.\u201d<\/p>\n SOCIAL (MEDIA) AFFAIRS<\/p>\n Jerry! Jerry! Jerry! <\/strong>Reform UK has announced that Jeremy Kyle has joined the presenting line up for its party conference in two weeks. Kyle says that he wants to \u201cput a smile back on the face of politics, because it\u2019s a bit bloody miserable isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n BEYOND THE M25<\/p>\n FBI RAID ON BOLTON: <\/strong>The FBI has raided<\/a> the home of Donald Trump\u2019s former national security adviser, John Bolton, as part of an investigation into the handling of classified documents.\u00a0<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s revenge: <\/strong>Bolton and Trump clashed over Iran, Afghanistan and North Korea policy during his first term. The feud spilled into print when Bolton published a book containing classified information about his time in the White House \u2014 which the administration tried and failed to block. After a judge cleared publication, Trump fumed Bolton would \u201cpay a huge price for this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n PLS NO SANCTIONS:<\/strong> Iran today confirmed that its foreign minister spoke with British, French and German counterparts over the phone, as part of efforts to avoid the reintroduction of U.N. sanctions over the country\u2019s nuclear program. Earlier this month the three nations warned Iran that the \u201csnapback\u201d sanctions would come into force unless a solution was reached by the end of the month. AP has the story<\/a>.<\/p>\n SOLIDARITY:<\/strong> French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk are all set to visit Moldova next week to celebrate the country\u2019s independence day. The post-Soviet state has been a target of Russian destabilization efforts since Putin\u2019s invasion of Ukraine. POLITICO has more<\/a>.<\/p>\n **A message from Goldman Sachs:<\/strong> Trade uncertainty is driving volatility across global markets. Rapid announcement and implementation of policies on everything from trade and taxes to crypto and geopolitics have continued to ripple through markets in recent weeks. Find clarity among market complexity with perspectives from Goldman Sachs leaders.\u00a0Listen to traders, investors, and analysts from across the firm as they discuss the key issues shaping the global economy in our award-winning podcast, Goldman Sachs Exchanges<\/a>.\u00a0Every Friday, hear timely market updates on the most important trends of the week from across the trading floor, all under ten minutes in The Markets<\/a>.\u00a0Subscribe to Briefings<\/a>, our newsletter aggregating insights from around the firm and delivering the latest thinking on markets, industry, and finance.**<\/strong><\/p>\n TONIGHT\u2019S MEDIA ROUND<\/p>\n LEADING THE NEWS BULLETINS:<\/strong>\u00a0BBC News at Six, ITV Evening News<\/strong>\u00a0(6.30 p.m.) and\u00a0Sky News\u00a0<\/strong>(5.30 p.m.) leading on the famine in Gaza.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ben Kentish at Drive<\/strong>\u00a0(LBC, until 7 p.m.): Reform UK\u2019s Immigration spokesperson\u00a0Ann Widdecombe<\/strong>\u00a0and Stand Up to Racism\u2019s\u00a0Lewis Nielsen\u00a0<\/strong>(5.05\u00a0 p.m.).<\/p>\n Sky News\u00a0<\/strong>(5.30 p.m.): Israeli diplomat\u00a0Danny Ayalon<\/strong> (5.30 p.m.) \u2026 Save the Children\u2019s Head of News\u00a0Dan Stewart<\/strong>\u00a0(6.30 p.m.)\u2026 Epping West and Rural County District Councillor\u00a0Holly Whitbread<\/strong>\u00a0(6.45 p.m.).<\/p>\n BBC PM\u00a0<\/strong>(Radio 4, 5 p.m.): Lib Dem leader\u00a0Ed Davey<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 Former Education Secretary\u00a0David Blunkett<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n TWEETING TOMORROW\u2019S PAPERS TONIGHT:\u00a0<\/strong>Alfie Tobutt<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n REVIEWING THE PAPERS TONIGHT: Times Radio\u00a0<\/strong>(10.30 p.m.): TalkTV\u2019s\u00a0Peter Cardwell<\/strong>\u00a0and Former Lib Dem Head of Media\u00a0Jo Phillips<\/strong>.<\/p>\n WEEKEND MEDIA ROUND<\/p>\n Peter Cardwell\u00a0<\/strong>(Talk, 10 a.m. on Saturday): Lib Dem Edinburgh West MP\u00a0Christine Jardine<\/strong>\u00a0(10 a.m.) \u2026 Reform UK Portsmouth Councillor\u00a0George Madgwick<\/strong>\u00a0(11 a.m.).<\/p>\n The Camilla Tominey Show<\/strong>\u00a0(GB News, 9.30 a.m. on Sunday):\u00a0Alex Armstrong<\/strong>\u00a0covering for Camilla with The Independent\u2019s\u00a0David Maddox<\/strong>\u00a0(9.30 a.m.) \u2026 Labour MP\u00a0Catherine Atkinson<\/strong>\u00a0(9.45 a.m.) \u2026\u00a0Ben Gregg<\/strong>\u00a0from the Centre for Social Justice (10.45 a.m.)\u00a0<\/p>\n Lewis Goodall<\/strong>\u00a0(LBC, 10 a.m. on Sunday): Former Treasury official\u00a0James Meadway<\/strong>\u00a0(10 a.m.) \u2026 Labour MP\u00a0Catherine Atkinson<\/strong>\u00a0(10.35 a.m.) \u2026 Former Israeli MP\u00a0Ruth Wasserman Lande<\/strong>\u00a0(11.35 a.m.).\u00a0<\/p>\n Peter Cardwell\u00a0<\/strong>(Talk, 10 a.m. on Sunday): Former government adviser on political violence\u00a0John Woodcock<\/strong>\u00a0(10 a.m.) \u2026 CEO of Performance Learning\u00a0Dr. Tej Samani<\/strong>\u00a0(11.30 a.m) \u2026 Israel\u2019s International Spokesperson to the UN\u00a0Jonathan Harounoff<\/strong>\u00a0(12.30 p.m.).\u00a0<\/p>\n Westminster Hour<\/strong>\u00a0(Radio 4, 10 p.m. on Sunday): Scottish Labour Party Leader\u00a0Anas Sarwar<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 Tory MP\u00a0John Glen<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 Green Party MP\u00a0Si\u00e2n Berry<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 HuffPost UK\u2019s\u00a0Kevin Schofield<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n ANY OTHER BUSINESS<\/p>\n WHAT I\u2019VE BEEN READING:<\/strong> The Economist\u2019s Bagehot column<\/a> asks what it means when Britain talks about \u201cBosh\u201d \u2014 in other words, how Westminster came to see Tom Skinner as a guide to a country politicians struggle to understand.<\/p>\n MEA CULPA: <\/strong>It is Labour peer Kevin Brennan (not non-affiliated peer Daniel Brennan) on today\u2019s Westminster Insider podcast.<\/p>\n WRITING PLAYBOOK MONDAY MORNING:<\/strong> Sam Blewett<\/strong><\/p>\n THANKS TO:<\/strong> My editor Oscar Williams<\/strong>, reporter Caroline Hug<\/strong> and the POLITICO production team for making it look nice.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE to the POLITICO newsletter family:<\/strong> Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | London Playbook PM | Playbook Paris | EU Election Playbook | Berlin Playbook | Global Playbook | POLITICO Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | Digital Bridge | China Watcher | Berlin Bulletin | D.C. Playbook<\/a> | D.C. Influence<\/a> | All our POLITICO Pro policy morning newsletters<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Presented by Goldman Sachs By MASON BOYCOTT-OWEN with CAROLINE HUG Good afternoon. 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