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\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\nBy EMILIO CASALICCHIO<\/strong><\/p>\n with NOAH KEATE<\/strong><\/p>\n Good afternoon.<\/strong> This is Emilio Casalicchio.<\/p>\n TUESDAY CHEAT SHEET<\/p>\n \u2014 The government agreed to release documents on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor winning a plum trade role.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2014 A minister tore into the former prince on the floor of the Commons.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2014 David Lammy set out how AI and prison vans using bus lanes will help oil controversial court reforms.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2014 Like court clerks \u2026 ISIS recruits are being encouraged to use AI to aid their work.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2014 Falling birth rates will mean more school choices (at least until civilization collapses) according to Bridget Phillipson.<\/strong><\/p>\n **A message from Instagram:<\/strong> Instagram Teen Accounts automatically filter content and comments to help make sure what teenagers see is age-appropriate. Learn more.<\/a>**<\/strong><\/p>\n TOP OF THE NEWSLIST<\/p>\n PAPERS, PLEASE:<\/strong> Government officials are now scrabbling to pull together documents about how Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor ended up in a plum trade role, after MPs voted to unseal files on the controversial royal.<\/p>\n The demand: <\/strong>After attacking the former Prince Andrew in a three-hour Commons debate this afternoon, MPs nodded through the Lib Dem motion<\/a> calling for the publication of \u201call papers relating to the creation of the role of Special Representative for Trade and Investment and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor\u2019s appointment to that role\u201d in 2001.<\/p>\n What it means: <\/strong>A team created in the business department over the past week is now assessing the scope of the Lib Dem motion, grappling with useless Outlook search functions, and mining piles of paper records to dig up scraps that might be relevant. The group will then work out (1) whether the police might need said scraps for their probe into Mountbatten-Windsor and (2) whether publishing them could harm the ongoing police probe. Those that could scupper the police won\u2019t be published until the legal process is finished. Mountbatten-Windsor has not been charged with an offense and has strenuously denied wrongdoing in relation to his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.<\/p>\n Looking for smoke signals: <\/strong>All this is of course happening in the wake of the Epstein files appearing to show Mountbatten-Windsor sharing sensitive business information with the convicted sex offender while in the trade role. Opening the Commons debate, Lib Dem boss Ed Davey said he wanted to know whether fellow Epstein associate Peter Mandelson pushed for Mountbatten-Windsor to win the appointment.<\/p>\n Lads network:<\/strong> Davey said that would amount to \u201cone friend of Epstein lobbying for a job for another friend of Epstein \u2014 a job that might help Epstein enrich himself.\u201d<\/p>\n The Davey zeal is quite the turnaround from \u2026<\/strong> praising Mountbatten-Windsor for his \u201cexcellent job\u201d in the trade role back in 2011, when the Lib Dem boss was a minister. Davey now argues he had little choice while speaking for the government, and didn\u2019t know the full extent of the Epstein relationship at the time. <\/p>\n Nevertheless: <\/strong>He said sorry for his past comments this morning. \u201cCan I apologize to all those victims of [Jeffrey] Epstein who may have read those words and been upset by them?\u201d he told Radio 4<\/a>. \u201cI really regret them.\u201d<\/p>\n Battering Mountbatten: <\/strong>Numerous MPs used the debate this afternoon (including the free rein from Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle to criticize the ex-prince) to vent about the whole mess.<\/p>\n Tell us what you really think:<\/strong> Trade Minister Chris Bryant was among those letting loose, branding Mountbatten-Windsor \u201ca man on a constant self-aggrandizing and self-enriching hustle. A rude, arrogant and entitled man who could not distinguish between the public interest which he said he served, and his own private interest.\u201d He reiterated that ministers are working on a law to block Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession. (Handy new House of Commons briefing on all that here.<\/a>)<\/p>\n And there was more: <\/strong>Bryant said the abuse Epstein perpetrated \u201cwas enabled, aided and abetted by a very extensive group of arrogant, entitled, and often very wealthy individuals in this country and elsewhere. It\u2019s not just the people who participated in the abuse, it\u2019s the many, many more who turned a blind eye out of greed, familiarity or deference. To my mind, they too were complicit. Just as complicit. And I welcome the reckoning that is coming to them now.\u201d<\/p>\n THE JUSTICE STORY THE GOVERNMENT WANTED TO TALK ABOUT: <\/strong>Ministers have been setting out how they reckon their controversial court reforms, alongside a load of tech upgrades and an extra bung of cash, will un-break our broken justice machine \u2014 serving victims with faster convictions for perps. Justice Secretary David Lammy this afternoon delivered a speech at the ExCel London conference center on the second part of the Leveson report<\/a> into the court crisis \u2014 about modernizing the regime.<\/p>\n Real artificial plans:<\/strong> Lammy said artificial intelligence will help courts standardize their listings and schedule similar hearings together to maximize resources, as well as transcribe and summarize more for staff \u2026 courts will hire case co-ordinators to ensure admin is up to scratch and avoid last-minute hearing cancellations \u2026 more video hearing tech will be installed \u2026 and prison vans will get to use bus lanes and be prioritized for green traffic lights, to help defendants reach trials on time.<\/p>\n In the conference room where it happened:<\/strong> \u201cWe will renew the system after years of decline, so it is serious about justice as it\u00a0exists\u00a0today,\u201d Lammy said in a small conference side room in front of a Microsoft AI background.<\/p>\n But but but: <\/strong>Ministers insist all these bits and bobs are marginal gains without the broader reform plan: keeping more cases in magistrates courts, boosting magistrate sentencing powers and creating a new division between the magistrate and crown courts where sometimes a single judge can decide on a less serious case. Ministers reckon those three together will free up an additional 29,000 court sitting days before the next election. <\/p>\n Rolling the pitch:<\/strong> In a glass room high in the MoJ building in Westminster this morning, Courts Minister Sarah Sackman tossed a few charts around to illustrate expectations. No change will see the case backlog rise to around 200,000 in 2035, she warned. More cash might see it come in at more like 175,000 cases, and modernization will help bring that down another 5 percent. But only the structural changes will see the backlog reduce to below 100,000, she argued.<\/p>\n Sink or swim:<\/strong> \u201cWith a crisis of this magnitude, there is no silver bullet,\u201d Sackman told reporters. \u201cWhat is required is nothing short of throwing the kitchen sink at it.\u201d<\/p>\n Kitchen nightmares:<\/strong> Labour MP Karl Turner is hoping<\/a> to incite a backbench rebellion on the plans, the Lib Dems are urging<\/a> the government to instead extend court sitting hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the Tories (who closed loads of courts and oversaw the case pile-up) said Lammy was \u201crushing ahead\u201d with his plans without a mandate.<\/p>\n But but but: <\/strong>Ministers are vowing to press ahead (for the moment, at least) with the current blueprint \u2014 arguing it\u2019s reasonable for the government to determine which crimes warrant juries. \u201cIt\u2019s acceptable for any government of the day to make the determination for where the threshold should be,\u201d Lammy said. He\u2019s hoping to pass the legislation (which will be introduced tomorrow) before the end of 2026.<\/p>\n Message for Karl: <\/strong>\u201cWe will be out on our backsides unless we deliver by the time of the next general election,\u201d Lammy told the BBC Newscast podcast about the backlogs. <\/p>\n Of course: <\/strong>There\u2019s also a debate about how much difference the proposals will actually make. The Institute for Government reckons<\/a> a third fewer cases going to crown courts would see a mere 2 percent reduction in time spent on them \u2014 due to the knock-on impact on magistrates. Although the government is promising to increase magistrate numbers from 12,000 to 21,000 before the next election.<\/p>\n Which will cost cash:<\/strong> Lammy confirmed in his speech that courts will be funded for \u201cunlimited\u201d sitting days from April 2026 \u2014 although the numbers cast doubt on that. The budget for courts and tribunals is increasing from \u00a32.538 billion in 2025\/26 to \u00a32.785 billion in 2026\/27 \u2014 a change of \u00a3247 million, with maintenance coming out of that, too. <\/p>\n Blank cheques from Rachel?<\/strong> Playbook PM asked Lammy about the \u201cunlimited\u201d spin when the funding is, in fact, limited. He said he\u2019ll \u201cfind the money to do more\u201d if needed and is confident structural reform will see the funds stretch further. <\/p>\n Back to where we started:<\/strong> In his speech Q&A, Lammy was also drawn on the Epstein fallout, and whether reports he advised Keir Starmer against appointing Peter Mandelson as U.S. ambassador were true. He said he was subject to collective responsibility at the time, but is \u201csorry\u201d Mandelson was appointed.<\/p>\n Couldn\u2019t happen under the Tories, honest: <\/strong>During her own press conference this morning, about social media, Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch said she would never have appointed someone like Mandelson to the role. \u201cI\u2019m not going to be bringing people in who have been sacked twice over ethics issues,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n DRIVETIME DEBRIEF<\/p>\n WHAT ELSE THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT: <\/strong>More Russian sanctions<\/a> and a longer window<\/a> for Ukrainian refugees to extend their settlements in Britain, both to mark the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion. During his Cabinet meeting this morning, Keir Starmer paid tribute to \u201cthe incredible resilience of the Ukrainians,\u201d adding: \u201cWe must defeat the falsehood that Russia is winning.\u201d There were the usual warm words out of the \u201ccoalition of the willing\u201d call too, which more than 30 leaders dialed into. And the PM will be pleased that the Americans signed<\/a> a G7 statement pledging \u201cunwavering support for Ukraine in defending its territorial integrity and right to exist, and its freedom, sovereignty and independence.\u201d<\/p>\n Even more that the government wants to talk about:<\/strong> Bringing Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and other streamers under the Ofcom remit<\/a> (and triggering Reform<\/a> in the process) \u2026 and a \u00a3345 million package to fund farm tech<\/a>, which Farming Secretary Emma Reynolds announced<\/a> this afternoon at the NFU conference in Birmingham. The NFU called on opposition parties to add promises on abolishing the new agricultural inheritance tax in their next manifestos.<\/p>\n GLASS HALF FULL APPROACH: <\/strong>Falling birth rates (which pose an existential risk to human civilization \u2014 not least in the short term via lower tax receipts despite an expensive aging population) will mean more choice for parents about which schools to send their kids to, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson told Times Radio this morning. \u201cParents are going to have more choices in the years to come because there are just fewer children who are approaching school age and will be making that transition into secondary school,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n CLEANING UP POLITICS LATEST: <\/strong>Matt Western, chair of parliament\u2019s Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, urged the government<\/a> to slap a temporary ban on cryptocurrency donations to political parties, my colleague Mason Boycott-Owen texts in to say. Mason reported<\/a> in December that the government is considering a ban, but ministers are currently waiting for the Rycroft review to report back.<\/p>\n To-do list: <\/strong>A letter from the Labour MP argues<\/a> police should lead on tracking political finance and foreign interference \u2026 wants parties to use Financial Conduct Authority-registered platforms \u2026 and calls for stronger powers for the Electoral Commission to compel financial institutions to hand over information about where donations actually come from.<\/p>\n SOCIAL (MEDIA) AFFAIRS<\/p>\n DIGITAL JIHAD:<\/strong> ISIS recruits are being encouraged to use AI \u2026 \u201cresponsibly.\u201d Recent magazines from the Afghanistan branch of ISIS (IS-K) (yes, they have a magazine) contain articles proclaiming the terror group\u2019s followers must \u201craise children and students to be cyber-conscious and spiritually grounded.\u201d Full story from Mason here.<\/a><\/p>\n BAKED IN:\u00a0<\/strong>Labour MP and social media whizz Gordon McKee\u00a0used American\u00a0pancakes<\/a>\u00a0to explain why\u00a0Britain\u00a0is less\u00a0productive\u00a0than its ally\/adversary across the pond.<\/p>\n KEIR VS. THE INTERNET: <\/strong>U.K. tech watchdogs fined Reddit \u00a314.47 million for unlawfully processing the data of young children. Writeup here<\/a>.<\/p>\n BEYOND THE M25<\/p>\n STILL TO COME:<\/strong> The Welsh parliament is expected to vote this evening on a motion<\/a> about whether the government across the border should have the power to offer assisted dying on the Welsh NHS. Supporters of assisted dying in Westminster note that devolved powers are baked into the bill.<\/p>\n NORTH OF THE BORDER:<\/strong> The Scottish government released thousands of documents about a 2021 ethics investigation into former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon\u2019s handling of an investigation into her predecessor Alex Salmond. The Daily Record has the latest<\/a>.<\/p>\n CLOSE TO HOME:<\/strong> Green Party Leader Zack Polanski said he would support a motion stating \u201cZionism is racism\u201d if it links to the Israeli government\u2019s actions in Gaza. Polanski told Times Radio he will be \u201clistening carefully to the debate\u201d but Israel\u2019s actions in the region are \u201cabsolutely \u2026 racist.\u201d POLITICO has a writeup<\/a>.<\/p>\n IN IRAN:<\/strong> Plainclothes police and security forces tried to flood Iran\u2019s remaining open universities to crush a fourth day of student protests against Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The Guardian has the rundown<\/a>.<\/p>\n TONIGHT\u2019S MEDIA ROUND<\/p>\n LEADING THE NEWS BULLETINS:<\/strong> BBC News at Six<\/strong> focuses on the fourth anniversary of Russia\u2019s Ukraine\u00a0invasion \u2026\u00a0 Channel 5 News<\/strong>\u00a0(5 p.m.) and ITV Evening News<\/strong>\u00a0(6.30 p.m.) lead on the debate about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor \u2026 as does Channel 4 News<\/strong>\u00a0(7 p.m.), which has an interview with Health Secretary Wes Streeting<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Wes Streeting BBC local radio broadcast round: <\/strong>Wiltshire\/Gloucestershire (5.08 p.m.) \u2026 Leicester\/Derby\/Nottingham (5.15 p.m.) \u2026 West Midlands\/Coventry and Warwickshire (5.22 p.m.) \u2026 Lancashire\/Cumbria (5.30 p.m.) \u2026 Three Counties\/Northampton (5.38 p.m.) \u2026 Sheffield\/York\/Leeds (5.45 p.m.). <\/p>\n BBC Newscast <\/strong>(Podcast, out now): Justice Secretary David Lammy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Tom Swarbrick at Drive<\/strong>\u00a0(LBC, until 6 p.m.):\u00a0Doctors\u2019 Association UK Spokesperson Steve Taylor<\/strong> (5.05 p.m.) \u2026 former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton<\/strong> (5.50 p.m.). <\/p>\n Drive with John Pienaar<\/strong>\u00a0(Times Radio, until 7 p.m.): Defence Secretary John Healey<\/strong> \u2026 \u00a0Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family of London Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski<\/strong> \u2026 former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul <\/strong>\u2026 Rud Pedersen UK\u2019s Jo Tanner<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Kevin O\u2019Sullivan<\/strong> (Talk, until 7 p.m.): Former Military Intelligence Officer Philip Ingram <\/strong>(5.20 p.m.). <\/p>\n News Hour <\/strong>(Sky News, 5 p.m.):\u00a0Former Danish PM Anders Fogh Rasmussen<\/strong> (5.15 p.m.) \u2026 Labour peer George Foulkes<\/strong> (5.30 p.m.) \u2026 former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul<\/strong> (5.45 p.m.) \u2026 Ukrainian Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee Oleksandr Merezhko <\/strong>(6.20 p.m.) \u2026 <\/p>\n The News Agents<\/strong>\u00a0(Podcast, drops at 5 p.m.): Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Tonight With Andrew Marr<\/strong>\u00a0(LBC, 6 p.m.): Wes Streeting<\/strong> \u2026 Richard Tice<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Dewbs and Co <\/strong>(GB News, 6 p.m.): Labour peer Steve McCabe<\/strong> \u2026 Reform UK home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Farage <\/strong>(GB News, 7 p.m.): Chagos Islands First Minister Misley Mandarin<\/strong> \u2026 former Lib Dem adviser Jo Phillips<\/strong> \u2026 former Tory Cabinet minister Ranil Jayawardena<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Politics Hub <\/strong>(Sky News, 7 p.m.):\u00a0Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper<\/strong> \u2026 Care Minister Stephen Kinnock<\/strong> \u2026 Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine<\/strong> \u2026 Reform UK commentator Tim Montgomerie<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The Evening Edition with Kait Borsay <\/strong>(Times Radio, 7 p.m.): Former U.K. Ambassador to Ukraine Leigh Turner <\/strong>(7.15 p.m.) \u2026 Lib Dem Justice spokesperson Jess Brown-Fuller<\/strong> (7.35 p.m.) \u2026 Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Merezhko<\/strong> (8 p.m.) \u2026 Republican strategist Matthew Bartlett<\/strong> (8.15 p.m.).<\/p>\n Cross Question with Iain Dale<\/strong>\u00a0(LBC, 8 p.m.): Labour MP Preet Kaur Gill<\/strong> \u2026 former Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt<\/strong> \u2026 PoliticsHome\u2019s Tom Scotson<\/strong> \u2026 writer Daniel Johnson<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Jacob Rees-Mogg\u2019s State of the Nation <\/strong>(GB News, 8 p.m.):\u00a0Richard Tice<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Patrick Christys Tonight <\/strong>(GB News, 9 p.m.): Tory MP Esther McVey<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Newsnight <\/strong>(BBC 2, 10.30 p.m.): Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham<\/strong>.<\/p>\n TWEETING TOMORROW\u2019S PAPERS TONIGHT:<\/strong> Alfie Tobutt<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n REVIEWING THE PAPERS TONIGHT: Sky News<\/strong>\u00a0(10 p.m.): Tory peer and Spectator Editor Michael Gove<\/strong> and journo Sonia Sodha<\/strong> \u2026 Times Radio <\/strong>(10.30 p.m.): Talk\u2019s Peter Cardwell <\/strong>and broadcaster Alicia Fitzgerald<\/strong>.<\/p>\n WHERE TO FIND BOOZE IN WESTMINSTER TONIGHT<\/p>\n BEER AND A BAB: <\/strong>The 14th British Kebab Awards<\/a> gets underway right about now, with a drinks reception at the Park Plaza Westminster followed by dinner at 7 p.m. DPM David Lammy, Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby and Conservative PM Matt Vickers are among the speakers. <\/p>\n WASTED WITH WONKS:\u00a0<\/strong>The Labour Staff Economy Network has a panel event and drinks reception on wealth taxes, with speakers including Tax Policy Associates\u2019 Dan Neidle and the IPPR\u2019s\u00a0Rachael Henry, in the Cathedral Room of Richmond House from 5.45 p.m.\u00a0<\/p>\n TOMORROW\u2019S WORLD<\/p>\n ISLAND IN THE STREAM: <\/strong>The U.S. and Mauritius conclude discussions in Port Louis<\/a> about the Chagos Islands and broader international security. What could possibly go wrong?<\/p>\n BRIGHT SPARKS: <\/strong>Ofgem announces<\/a> its energy price cap covering April through June 30, at 7 a.m.<\/p>\n WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT:<\/strong> Illegal migration, court reform and passport requirements. <\/p>\n IN THE COMMONS: <\/strong>MPs saunter in at 11.30 a.m. for Scotland questions, PMQs and a general debate on Ukraine. <\/p>\n BAD FLASHBACKS: <\/strong>Former Office for Budget Responsibility Chairs Richard Hughes and Robert Chote speak to the Treasury Committee about 15 years of the watchdog, from 2.15 p.m.<\/p>\n IN THE LORDS: <\/strong>Peers shimmer in at 3 p.m. for the third reading of the medical training places bill and the first report stage debate of the Crime and Policing Bill.<\/p>\n NOTHING CONTROVERSIAL HERE: <\/strong>Trade Minister Chris Bryant is interrogated by the arms export controls committee about the U.K.\u2019s sanctions regime, from 3.30 p.m.<\/p>\n ONLY HUMAN AFTER ALL: <\/strong>AI Minister Kanishka Narayan\u00a0faces a grilling from the Joint Committee on Human Rights, about AI regulation, alongside Microsoft and Meta officials, from 3.45 p.m.<\/p>\n PLOUGHING ON:<\/strong> The National Farmers\u2019 Union annual conference<\/a> concludes in Birmingham at 4 p.m.<\/p>\n ANY OTHER BUSINESS<\/p>\n SPOTTED:<\/strong> Former No.10 spinlord turned centrist podcast bro Alastair Campbell<\/strong> in Kyiv\u2019s Maidan Square to commemorate the Russian invasion of Ukraine. <\/p>\n WHAT I\u2019VE BEEN READING:<\/strong>\u00a0The\u00a0ConHome piece<\/a>\u00a0from Tali Fraser <\/strong>about how Kemi Badenoch is trying to win over younger voters through policies on student loans, stamp duty and apprenticeships. Fraser says the age cap for the Young Conservatives group has been lifted from 25 to 30 and is seeking to attract \u201cnormal people.\u201d\u00a0Best of luck with that. <\/p>\n\n \n<\/tr>\n \n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/040035_Meta_Youth-Phase-1_Content_OFP_Static_300x250_en-GB.jpg\")
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