{"id":376911,"date":"2025-08-27T06:16:17","date_gmt":"2025-08-27T06:16:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/376911\/"},"modified":"2025-08-27T06:16:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T06:16:17","slug":"the-brexit-fightback-politico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/376911\/","title":{"rendered":"The Brexit fightback \u2013 POLITICO"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"max-height: 0px; overflow: hidden; color: transparent; font-size: 0;\">Presented by Parents For Future and #StopRosebank<\/p>\n<tr>\n<td align=\"center\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/nl-header_politico_london-playbook.png\" alt=\"London Playbook\" width=\"600\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<p id=\"pl-nh-by-authors\" align=\"center\"><strong>By SAM BLEWETT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p id=\"pl-nh-sec-authors\" align=\"center\"><strong>with BETHANY DAWSON<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Good Wednesday morning.<\/strong> This is Sam Blewett.<\/p>\n<p>DRIVING THE DAY<\/p>\n<p><strong>BREXIT REVISITED: <\/strong>Labour is taking the fight to Nigel Farage on Brexit \u2026\u00a0by bigging up our links to the EU. European Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds will be dispatched this morning to accuse Brussels\u2019 old nemesis of wanting to \u201ctake Britain backwards\u201d by tearing up post-Brexit trade deals. This speech has been long in the planning, and Labour spinners will hope it puts clear water between the party and Reform UK. But \u2026<\/p>\n<p><strong>Carried on the tide:<\/strong> Much of the discourse will inevitably remain stuck on small boats, a day after Farage <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/newsletter\/london-playbook\/london-playbook-pm-tali-banned-no-more\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">unveiled his dreams of mass deportations<\/a>. In Labour\u2019s corner, there could be yet more small boats trouble brewing for the Home Office. And on Farage\u2019s, his plans have found eager fans in \u2026 the Taliban. More on that headline in a sec.<\/p>\n<p><strong>On the airwaves: <\/strong>NTS is currently running the gauntlet of the morning broadcast round for the government in the build-up to his main event: a speech hosted by Spectator Editor (and big-time Vote Leaver) Michael Gove. The event at Westminster\u2019s Old Queen Street Cafe kicks off at <strong>10 a.m. <\/strong>with the Tory grandee chairing a Q&amp;A.<\/p>\n<p><strong>**A message from Parents For Future and #StopRosebank:<\/strong>\u00a0Why do so many people oppose Rosebank? Because it won\u2019t cut bills, it\u2019s mostly oil for export, and it could create a net loss of hundreds of millions for the Treasury. Critically, scientists warn new fields are incompatible with a safe climate for our children. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stoprosebank.org.uk\/updates\/rosebank-is-a-bad-deal?utm_source=politico&amp;utm_medium=email-copy&amp;utm_campaign=stop-rosebank&amp;msg_pos=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Learn more<\/a>.<strong>**<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>In da (private members\u2019) club:<\/strong> Thomas-Symonds has made a point of going into unfriendly territory \u2014 at the UnHerd eatery \u2014 to argue in favor of cozy EU relations. And by choosing Gove he wants to go toe-to-toe with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-politics-49141375\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">proper hardcore Brexiteer<\/a>, rather than preaching to the converted. Although \u2026 it\u2019s probably helpful that Gove is not exactly a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/uk\/politics\/nigel-farage-michael-gove-reform-prime-minister-election-b2802174.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">roaring Farage fan<\/a> either.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The big message: <\/strong>Thomas-Symonds will stand up in front of industry bigwigs to set a 2027 deadline for brokering Labour\u2019s much-desired food and drink <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/a98d0bb2-7db9-428f-b820-f00521a83e05\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SPS deal<\/a>, so shoppers can feel the relief in their pockets by the next election. Figures published by the government suggest that exporters last year had to fork out up to \u00a365 million on licenses to send food and agricultural goods to the continent, but the real ambition is to bring down food costs at home. As the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetimes.com\/uk\/politics\/article\/cheese-olives-cheaper-eu-deal-labour-f3f6bshm2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Times\u2019 front page<\/a> points out, even artisan cheese, olives and premium sausages could become cheaper. Remainers rejoice!\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>The <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.express.co.uk\/news\/politics\/1188937\/brexit-news-nigel-farage-latest-no-deal-brexit-eu-boris-johnson-tory-party\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>EU empire<\/strong><\/a><strong> strikes back: <\/strong>NTS will turn the fire on Farage over his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/politics\/2025\/05\/16\/farage-make-me-pm-and-ill-scrap-starmer-brexit-deal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">promise to tear up<\/a> the EU-U.K. \u201creset\u201d deal that the Labour government signed in May (as well as big chunks of the Withdrawal Agreement and Boris Johnson\u2019s trade deal) because \u2014 in Farage\u2019s words \u2014 it\u2019d put Britain on the \u201cslippery slope to rejoin.\u201d\u00a0Thomas-Symonds\u2019 big attack is that Reform wants to once again snarl up the U.K. with red tape, adding: \u201cNigel Farage wants Britain to fail. His model of politics feeds on it, offering the easy answers, dividing communities and stoking anger.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>March of the ministers: <\/strong>The mid-recess government is really trying to go big on this, dispatching seven ministers into the field to hammer the point home. City Minister Emma Reynolds is visiting a Lidl distribution center in new MP Sarah Pochin\u2019s Runcorn seat to talk about cutting prices. Exports Minister Gareth Thomas is off to Legoland, too. Although that one seems mainly for the hell of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>The megamind thinking: <\/strong>Senior figures in the government reckon they have one up on Farage here. While Kemi Badenoch raged against the reset deal, Farage rather curiously <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/politics\/2025\/may\/20\/farage-missed-debate-on-brexit-reset-because-he-is-holidaying-abroad\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">happened to be on holiday <\/a>at the moment the government signed the agreement back in May. It\u2019s not too hard to imagine the old Farage would\u2019ve sailed up the Thames with a fleet of fishermen to protest a supposed sellout.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>But when the seagulls follow the trawler: <\/strong>Farage, of course, has a firmer finger on the public pulse than that \u2014 and Labour officials reckon a change in public mood is behind his supposed sheepishness (or at least explains why he\u2019s opting for a lower profile and dispatching Richard Tice to the Commons instead). It\u2019s certainly not that everyone\u2019s a true EU believer now, but the <a href=\"https:\/\/yougov.co.uk\/politics\/articles\/52410-nine-years-after-the-eu-referendum-where-does-public-opinion-stand-on-brexit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">polling points firmly<\/a> to public support for being nicer to the bloc next door.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Indeed: <\/strong>The travel agents association ABTA released YouGov polling overnight suggesting 76 percent of Brits support a youth mobility deal, with even 61 percent of Leave voters backing it. It\u2019s a proposal that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c9qw58r0x0do\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Farage has firmly criticized<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>So that all means: <\/strong>The old Remainers think there\u2019s merit in suggesting Farage would drag the country back into noisy rows with the EU and other international allies. And his promise to ditch the European Convention on Human Rights to stop small boat crossings does add fuel to that fire. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Although \u2026 <\/strong>Labour\u2019s tensions on that issue are again exposed this morning: Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn has warned that ditching the ECHR would have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/uk\/home-news\/nigel-farage-hilary-benn-northern-ireland-reform-british-b2814483.html\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/uk\/home-news\/nigel-farage-hilary-benn-northern-ireland-reform-british-b2814483.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">dangerous consequences for the Good Friday Agreement<\/a>, while former Home Secretary Jack Straw is urging Starmer to \u201cdecouple\u201d British laws from the convention to stop the boats, per the FT\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/b94d5b8d-b234-4199-b820-ea82bfe9292b\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/b94d5b8d-b234-4199-b820-ea82bfe9292b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Anna Gross and George Parker<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The retaliation: <\/strong>Reform issued an angry spokesperson statement last night, criticizing any \u201ccosying up to the EU\u201d and arguing it\u2019s Labour that has done grave damage to the economy (considering the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/cg754negn75o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rising unemployment rate<\/a> under this government). For the Tories, Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel issued a far punchier response, accusing the government of trying to \u201cjustify their EU surrender\u201d and of a \u201cbetrayal.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>ALL IS WELL ON THE CONTINENT: <\/strong>The Times has a front page that will alarm the Home Office \u2014 with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetimes.com\/uk\/politics\/article\/french-police-migrant-boats-keir-starmer-t7ff3wzxj\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Matt Dathan and David Chazan<\/a> reporting that the potentially imminent collapse of France\u2019s government could put in jeopardy plans for French police to intercept small boats at sea for the first time. Whitehall officials had called the move a \u201cgame-changer\u201d but the Times reckons this is now at risk if <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/article\/emmanuel-macron-three-choice-francois-mayrou-government-fall\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/article\/emmanuel-macron-three-choice-francois-mayrou-government-fall\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fran\u00e7ois Bayrou\u2019s government falls<\/a>, as expected. There was no comment from the department last night.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Yet more Nigel: <\/strong>Expect Farage (whom Tony Blair rates as the \u201cbest communicator\u201d in British politics, per the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newstatesman.com\/politics\/labour\/2025\/08\/labour-cant-agree-on-how-to-fight-farage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New Statesman\u2019s George Eaton<\/a>) to make a lot of that drama as he holds yet another presser, this time in Edinburgh. That\u2019ll kick off at <strong>11 a.m. <\/strong>Reform is staying quiet on the theme, but is (as ever) promising a \u201cbig announcement\u201d of some kind. Maybe the mullahs of Iran are on board with his mass deportation scheme too?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Because \u2026<\/strong> a rather eye-catching Telegraph splash reveals the Taliban is warmly welcoming Farage\u2019s proposals. If it ever got off the ground, the plan would mean that a Reform government would send back any Afghan asylum-seeker fleeing the Islamic fundamentalists if they arrived by small boat or other unauthorized means.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The quote: <\/strong>A Taliban official told the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/politics\/2025\/08\/26\/taliban-ready-and-willing-work-with-nigel-farage-migrants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Telegraph\u2019s Akhtar Makoii<\/a>: \u201cWe are ready and willing to receive and embrace whoever he [Nigel Farage] sends us.\u201d They even said the Taliban would do it for free \u2014 somewhat nullifying the \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/libdemdaisy\/status\/1960415731507507543\" target=\"_blank\">Taliban tax<\/a>\u201d attack that the Lib Dems have been airing. Reform officials seemed overjoyed by the statement from Kabul. \u201cWe\u2019ve done more in one day than they\u2019ve done in a year,\u201d one said.<\/p>\n<p><strong>In fairness \u2026 <\/strong>Farage\u2019s big deportation press conference did bring about a bit of change in tack from Downing Street, with officials choosing not to rule out doing a returns deal with Afghanistan, as Emilio Casalicchio pointed out in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/newsletter\/london-playbook\/london-playbook-pm-tali-banned-no-more\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Playbook PM<\/a>. Though the <a href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/politics\/deals-taliban-irans-ayatollah-farage-asylum-3880901\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">i Paper\u2019s Arj Singh<\/a> reckons Starmer isn\u2019t looking to actually do a deal with the Taliban itself \u2014 and is instead open to one with Kabul if there\u2019s regime change in the future. Either way, it\u2019ll be interesting to see what Emily Thornberry, the Foreign Affairs Committee chair and one-time Cabinet hopeful, has to say about it all in her guest hosting spot on LBC from 10 a.m.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MORE FODDER FOR FARAGE: <\/strong>Moments ago Ofgem published the latest energy price cap \u2014 and every expectation was that it would go up. Forecasters expected average bills this winter to rise slightly to \u00a31,737, which would be an uncomfortable result for a Labour government that promised to bring costs down, my colleague Abby Wallace writes in to say. Find the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ofgem.gov.uk\/news-and-insight\/press-releases\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">results here<\/a><strong>. <\/strong>Energy Minister Michael Shanks will respond for the government in a pool clip.<\/p>\n<p><strong>REFORM VS. THE PRESS: <\/strong>While up in Scotland, Farage is planning to speak to a round of regional media too \u2014\u00a0which sets him apart from his council leader in Nottinghamshire. Mick Barton, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/cx2q4w07zn1o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">former miner<\/a> who once worked alongside Lee Anderson, has banned his 41 county councilors who won seats in May\u2019s elections from speaking to Nottinghamshire Live or the team of reporters it manages under the Local Democracy Reporting Service.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Media blackout: <\/strong>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nottinghampost.com\/news\/news-opinion\/reform-uk-council-leader-bans-10453805\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">website reports<\/a> that the authority\u2019s officers have been told to stop sending it press releases and that reporters won\u2019t be invited to cover council events or be able to interview councilors \u2026 all because it did some run-of-the-mill journalism to produce a \u201cslightly negative\u201d article, as editor <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/nat_fahy\/status\/1960376446179999943?s=46&amp;t=PL0WnIZqiQr0pjuKxezzIA\" target=\"_blank\">Natalie Fahy<\/a> put it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Whatever you think of Farage \u2026<\/strong> he certainly can\u2019t be accused of being shy with the press. There\u2019s every chance he might want to advise his comrade otherwise on this one.<\/p>\n<p><strong>NOW READ<\/strong>: In case you missed your author\u2019s postcards from the Playbook summer tour, we\u2019ve got a big read out today on the journey through an exceptionally gloomy Britain \u2014 and just how Labour might turn this round. On that theme, Ipsos has sent over polling suggesting Brits are most confident that Reform has a good plan for turning things around (38 percent back Farage\u2019s team on that, versus 28 percent for Labour) \u2014 though more than half aren\u2019t confident anyone has the right solutions. Oh, the enthusiasm! <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/article\/britain-labour-government-keir-starmer-uk-nigel-farage-brexit\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/article\/britain-labour-government-keir-starmer-uk-nigel-farage-brexit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Find my piece here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>TODAY IN WESTMINSTER<\/p>\n<p><strong>BRACE, BRACE: <\/strong>Chancellor Rachel Reeves and her newly-promoted budget adviser Torsten Bell will be feeling extra strain as they plot their autumn plans, courtesy of the cost of U.K. borrowing jumping to a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/business\/2025\/aug\/26\/more-pain-reeves-government-borrowing-jumps-26-year-high\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> near 27-year high<\/a>. Bell\u2019s old pals at the Resolution Foundation have also rather helpfully forecast unemployment to hit 5 percent \u2014 the highest level since the dire days of the Covid-19 lockdowns, as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/c8d6b705-55fb-47f6-a2fb-5b99c4a00dcd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FT reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Light at the end of the tunnel:<\/strong> Reeves is considering proposals to reopen the the Eurostar interchange at Ashford International to help see off Reform and drive growth, <a href=\"https:\/\/inews.co.uk\/news\/politics\/80m-ghost-station-re-opened-reform-economy-reeves-3880370?srsltid=AfmBOorq0tEA0Oq6vzKm9XXgMyfBp4ixJd12M182nedan-wW3PdTodPz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">according to the i\u2019s Richard Vaughan<\/a>. A Good Growth Foundation <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodgrowthfoundation.co.uk\/light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">report<\/a>, backed by a bunch of local Labour MPs, reckons the move could deliver more than \u00a3534 million in economic growth each year. <\/p>\n<p><strong>BELL COURT CASE:<\/strong> Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, an asylum-seeker living at Epping\u2019s protest-hit Bell Hotel, faces the second day of his trial. The prosecution alleged on Tuesday that he told two 14-year-old girls that he \u201cwanted to have a baby with them\u201d and tried to kiss them, per the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/ckgy00rdzk7o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">BBC\u2019s report<\/a>. He denies charges of sexual assault, inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and harassment without violence.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Speaking of Epping:<\/strong> Kemi Badenoch held a call with 200 councilors last night about her hope that Conservative councils will file legal challenges against asylum hotels in their areas. A Tory official said she encouraged them to \u201ctake this national.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>HE\u2019S A FREE MAN: <\/strong>Conservative MP George Freeman will not face a parliamentary standards investigation for lobbying, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c07pr54dxzxo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the BBC reports<\/a>. The former science minister, who is an adviser to greenhouse gas monitoring company GHGSat, referred himself to the standards commissioner after the Sunday Times reported that he had consulted a director of the company when preparing parliamentary questions.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>PALESTINE ACTION CHARGES: <\/strong>Sixty-seven people have been charged after being arrested by the Met Police for allegedly showing support for Palestine Action, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/cj0y3n14r51o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the BBC reports<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p><strong>CORPORATE COMPLICITY: <\/strong>The government should cut ties with companies profiting from the \u201congoing genocide\u201d in Gaza, a group of NGOs including Amnesty International has declared, POLITICO\u2019s Rory O\u2019Neill writes in to say. Dominique Muller, director of Corporate Justice Coalition UK, said it\u2019s \u201cinconceivable\u201d that U.K. companies could <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ohchr.org\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/hrbodies\/hrcouncil\/sessions-regular\/session59\/advance-version\/a-hrc-59-23-aev.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">keep doing business<\/a> in the illegally occupied Palestinian territories and called for a ban on trade with unlawful Israeli settlements.<\/p>\n<p><strong>REPORTS OUT TODAY:<\/strong> Scope and several other charities warn of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicfirst.co.uk\/closing-the-fuel-poverty-gap.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">deepening fuel poverty<\/a> crisis \u2026 and 84 percent of food manufacturers say the financial impact of recent government policies is one of their biggest concerns for the coming year, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fdf.org.uk\/fdf\/news-media\/?SearchTerm=&amp;Tag=&amp;SortOrder=&amp;PageSize=7&amp;Show=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Food and Drink Federation polling<\/a>.<\/p>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center\"\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td align=\"center\"><a style=\"border: 0;margin: 0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stoprosebank.org.uk\/updates\/rosebank-is-a-bad-deal?utm_source=politico&amp;utm_medium=email-banner&amp;utm_campaign=stop-rosebank&amp;msg_pos=3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 300px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Variant-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\"\/><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<p>BEYOND THE M25<\/p>\n<p><strong>GAZA TALKS: <\/strong>Donald Trump is preparing to chair a White House meeting on Gaza, with special envoy Steve Witkoff saying the administration expect Israel\u2019s war in the Palestinian territory to be settled by the end of the year. Which is \u2026 a new take on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/06\/20\/nx-s1-5440143\/trump-two-weeks-deadline-pattern\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trump\u2019s usual \u201ctwo weeks.\u201d<\/a> U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will also meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa\u2019ar. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/trump-chair-gaza-meeting-washington-top-us-israeli-diplomats-also-meet-2025-08-26\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Reuters has the story.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>On the streets: <\/strong>Tens of thousands of people turned out in Tel Aviv to call for a hostage deal and ceasefire in Gaza, in what was termed a national \u201cday of struggle.\u201d \u201cThe entire nation demands an end to the war and the return of all hostages,\u201d the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which organized the protests, said in a statement. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/aug\/26\/israeli-protesters-stage-day-of-disruption-calling-for-end-to-war-in-gaza\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Guardian has a report.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Meanwhile: <\/strong>The IDF released an \u201cinitial investigation\u201d into its double strike on Nasser Hospital in Gaza, which killed at least 20 people including five journalists. The forces said the military was targeting a camera positioned by Hamas to monitor the movement of Israeli troops in the area \u2014 though it admitted there are \u201cseveral gaps\u201d that need to be examined further. The U.N. said \u201cthere needs to be justice\u201d while Keir Starmer described the strikes as \u201ccompletely indefensible.\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/live\/cn725ny0ryjt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The BBC has more<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>FIGHTING TALK: <\/strong>U.S. Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook will sue the Trump administration after she was fired on Monday over unconfirmed allegations of mortgage fraud, her attorney has said. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/business\/2025\/aug\/25\/trump-fires-federal-reserve-governor-lisa-cook\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Guardian has more<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>LIFTOFF:<\/strong> Elon Musk\u2019s SpaceX completed the test flight of Starship, its biggest rocket yet, overnight after a series of setbacks. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/ab13b79d-fa53-44c5-96e4-a076ffa17927\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More from the FT<\/a>. The spacecraft is pivotal to Musk\u2019s ambitions to transport passengers to the moon and Mars.<\/p>\n<p><strong>INDIA\u2019S TARIFFIC DAY:<\/strong> Donald Trump\u2019s 50 percent tariff on India has now kicked in, after the U.S. president <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2025\/aug\/27\/trump-tariff-india-russian-oil-purchase\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">followed through<\/a> on his threat to punish Delhi for continuing to buy boatloads of bargain-bin Russian oil. It\u2019s among the most punishing levies imposed by the Trump administration and likely to chill relations between the two countries, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2025\/08\/26\/clearly-a-low-moment-u-s-india-relationship-sours-as-new-tariffs-kick-in-00527196\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">my Stateside colleagues report.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>**A message from Parents For Future and #StopRosebank: <\/strong>The proposed Rosebank oil field is a defining test of the UK\u2019s climate leadership. The scientific evidence is clear: there is no room for new oil and gas projects if we are to stay within safe climate limits. Rosebank, which would emit more CO\u2082 than the 700 million people living in the world\u2019s poorest countries do in a year, is incompatible with the UK\u2019s climate commitments. But it\u2019s also a bad deal for the UK. Mostly oil for export, Rosebank would do little to improve energy security and won\u2019t lower bills. Yet thanks to generous tax breaks, the UK public would shoulder most of the development costs and the Treasury could see a net loss of hundreds of millions, while the field\u2019s owners take the profits. Join us in calling on the UK government to do the right thing and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stoprosebank.org.uk\/updates\/rosebank-is-a-bad-deal?utm_source=politico&amp;utm_medium=email-copy&amp;utm_campaign=stop-rosebank&amp;msg_pos=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stop Rosebank<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/parentsforfuture.org.uk\/campaign\/stoprosebank\/?utm_source=politico&amp;utm_medium=email-copy&amp;utm_campaign=stop-rosebank&amp;msg_pos=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#ForFuturesSake<\/a>.<strong>**<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>MEDIA ROUND<\/p>\n<p><strong>Paymaster General Nick Thomas-Symonds broadcast round: <\/strong>5Live (7.05 a.m.) \u2026 Sky (7.15 a.m.) \u2026 BBC Breakfast (7.30 a.m.) \u2026 LBC (7.50 a.m.) \u2026 Today (8.10 a.m.) \u2026 GMB (8.30 a.m.) \u2026 GB News (9.05 a.m.).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Conservative Party Chair Kevin Hollinrake broadcast round<\/strong>: Times Radio (7.05 a.m.) \u2026 GB News (8 a.m.) \u2026 Sky News (8.15 a.m.) \u2026 LBC News (8.45 a.m.) \u2026 Talk (9.05 a.m.).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Also on Nick Ferrari at Breakfast: <\/strong>Deputy Leader of Reform UK <strong>Richard Tice<\/strong> (7.05 a.m.) \u2026 Foreign Affairs Select Committee Chair <strong>Emily Thornberry<\/strong> will be special guest presenter from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Also on Good Morning Britain: <\/strong>Liberal Democrat MP <strong>Mike Martin<\/strong> (8.15 a.m.).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Also on Times Radio Breakfast:<\/strong> Founder of Wikipedia <strong>Jimmy Wales<\/strong> (7.35 a.m.) \u2026 Reform UK Leader of Warwickshire County Council <strong>George Finch<\/strong> (7.45 a.m.).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Also on Sky News Breakfast:<\/strong> Ofgem Director General of Markets <strong>Tim Jarvis<\/strong> (7.45 a.m.) \u2026 SNP MP <strong>Stephen Gethins<\/strong> (9.20 a.m.).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>**<strong>Are you an Playbook fan, and French reader?<\/strong> Then you&#8217;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 Barr\u00e9, Editor-in-Chief. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/le-weekly-a-propos\/?utm_source=Newsletter&amp;utm_medium=NLInsert&amp;utm_campaign=Product_FreeNewsletter_FR_AudienceGrowth_LeWeeklyLaunch_20250906\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sign up today<\/a> to start receiving Le Weekly on September 6!**<\/p>\n<p>TODAY\u2019S FRONT PAGES<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>POLITICO UK<\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>Try telling Britain it ain\u2019t broken.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jacksurfleet\/status\/1960453967822905690\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Daily Express<\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> Farage: \u2018I will deport 600,000 illegal migrants.\u2019<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jacksurfleet\/status\/1960450257726156990\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Daily Mail<\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> Finally, a politician who gets it.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jacksurfleet\/status\/1960448159361999201\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Daily Mirror<\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>Britain is better than this.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jacksurfleet\/status\/1960454656389263587\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Daily Star<\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>Wedding Tay.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jacksurfleet\/status\/1960435637321859568\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Financial Times<\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> US offers air and command back-up for Ukraine force.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jacksurfleet\/status\/1960436126663274824\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Metro<\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>Farage: End the scourge.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jacksurfleet\/status\/1960448765430751613\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>The Daily Telegraph<\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>Taliban to give Farage deal on migrants.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jacksurfleet\/status\/1960453056757121284\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>The Guardian<\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>Farage accused of \u2018ugly\u2019 populism over plans for mass deportations.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/edition.independent.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>The Independent<\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>Revealed: the real cost of Farage\u2019s \u2018fag packet\u2019 deportation scheme.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jacksurfleet\/status\/1960447138485125594\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>The i Paper<\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>Farage\u2019s promise to \u2018deport \u2018600,000\u2019 migrants involves deals with Taliban and Iran\u2019s Ayatollah.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jacksurfleet\/status\/1960449720523931962\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>The Sun<\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> Look what you made me \u2026 I do.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jacksurfleet\/status\/1960457677064298738\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>The Times<\/strong><\/a><strong>: <\/strong>Labour bid to head off small boats hits trouble.<\/p>\n<p>LONDON CALLING<\/p>\n<p><strong>WESTMINSTER WEATHER: <\/strong>Light showers from late morning. Don\u2019t forget your brolly. High 23C, low 13C.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>SPAD NEWS:<\/strong> Attorney General <strong>Richard Hermer<\/strong> has a new special adviser in the form of Ipsos\u2019 Director of Media and Partnerships <strong>Richard Brooks<\/strong>. The former pollster will replace <strong>Chris McQuiggin<\/strong>, who is leaving the post after a year.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>JOB AD:<\/strong> The AI Security Institute is hiring a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk\/csr\/index.cgi?SID=dXNlcnNlYXJjaGNvbnRleHQ9MTQ3OTc4MzE2JnNlYXJjaHNvcnQ9c2NvcmUmb3duZXI9NTA3MDAwMCZwYWdlY2xhc3M9Sm9icyZvd25lcnR5cGU9ZmFpciZqb2JsaXN0X3ZpZXdfdmFjPTE5NjY2NjkmcGFnZWFjdGlvbj12aWV3dmFjYnlqb2JsaXN0JnNlYXJjaHBhZ2U9MSZyZXFzaWc9MTc1NjIxMzQ2Ni1jNTc3NWRjY2RmNDUzZTRhNDZlOWUxODFjMGE3ZTEwMTk2OGE3ZmU5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">private secretary<\/a>. Deputy Director <strong>Nate Burnikell<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7366098488255778816\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">has more details<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>STARTING EARLY:<\/strong> Sunday\u2019s deadline is fast approaching to apply for a <a href=\"http:\/\/conservativestogether.org\/fellowship\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">six-month fellowship program<\/a> offered by Conservatives Together to train the next generation of Tory parliamentary candidates. <\/p>\n<p><strong>PAYING RESPECTS:<\/strong> The London Freelance Branch of the National Union of Journalists will hold a vigil for journalists killed in Gaza outside Downing Street from 5.30 p.m. Before that, branch representatives will deliver a letter to No. 10 at 4 p.m. with key demands and questions for the prime minister.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>WRITING PLAYBOOK PM: <\/strong>Emilio Casalicchio.<\/p>\n<p><strong>WRITING PLAYBOOK THURSDAY MORNING: <\/strong>Andrew McDonald.<\/p>\n<p><strong>HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: <\/strong>Former Austrian Chancellor <strong>Sebastian Kurz<\/strong> \u2026 former Ilford South MP <strong>Sam Tarry <\/strong>\u2026 former Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill MP<strong> Steven Bonnar <\/strong>\u2026 Lib Dem peer <strong>Alison Suttie <\/strong>\u2026 former U.K. Ambassador to Norway <strong>Richard Wood<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>PLAYBOOK\u00a0COULDN\u2019T HAPPEN WITHOUT:<\/strong>\u00a0My editors <strong>Zoya Sheftalovich<\/strong>,<strong> Dan Bloom<\/strong> and <strong>Alex Spence<\/strong>, diary reporter <strong>Bethany Dawson<\/strong> and producer\u00a0<strong><strong><strong>Dean Southwell<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>SUBSCRIBE to the POLITICO newsletter family:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/brussels-playbook-registration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brussels Playbook<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/london-playbook\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">London Playbook<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/london-playbook-pm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">London Playbook PM<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/playbook-paris\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Playbook Paris<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/newsletter\/eu-election-playbook\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">EU Election Playbook<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/berlin-playbook\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Berlin Playbook<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/global-playbook\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Global Playbook<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/newsletter\/politico-confidential\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">POLITICO Confidential<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/newsletter\/sunday-crunch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sunday Crunch<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/politico-eu-influence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">EU Influence<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/london-influence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">London Influence<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/newsletter\/berlin-bulletin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Berlin Bulletin<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/livingcities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Living Cities<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/playbook\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">D.C. Playbook<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/politicoinfluence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> D.C. Influence<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/newsletters\/canada-playbook\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Canada Playbook<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/why-go-pro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">All our POLITICO Pro policy morning newsletters<\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Presented by Parents For Future and #StopRosebank By SAM BLEWETT with BETHANY DAWSON Good Wednesday morning. This is&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":11384,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7757],"tags":[748,393,4884,257,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-376911","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-london","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-london","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115099270151678919","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/376911","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=376911"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/376911\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11384"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=376911"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=376911"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=376911"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}