Good afternoon. This is Emilio Casalicchio.
LOBBY A GRENADE: In the past half hour as Westminster prepares for Christmas, No.10 confirmed it will cancel its afternoon briefing for reporters — sparking a furious response from journalists. A note from Tim Allan (one of the unending treadmill of Downing Street comms bosses) said a series of changes are needed to “better serve journalists and to better inform the public about government policies.” Emphasis on the last bit, of course.
What this is about: There are two “lobby briefings” for reporters most days — opportunities for hacks to ask questions to a PM spokesperson with no time limit. The first is in the late morning and the second at around 3.45 p.m. The later edition is often not that well-attended but is a good chance for journos to ask about late-breaking stories or get lines on items their deadlines are looming for.
The plan: Downing Street said instead of the afternoon briefings there will be “occasional” afternoon press conferences with ministers or technical briefings with officials. Meanwhile, “occasional” morning press conferences will see the morning briefings cancelled, too. Those will also be open to social media influencers. “The media landscape has been utterly transformed over the last few years, and current arrangements are not fit for purpose,” Allan said. “I hope you agree that these changes will allow Lobby journalists more direct access to Ministers and a greater ability access information about government policies.”]
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Which is … different to the line from earlier in the week when No.10 officials insisted rumors of these changes were just scoping exercises, with no plans to change the approach.
And so … hacks aren’t best pleased. Outgoing Lobby chair David Hughes (PA pol ed) and his incoming successor Lizzy Buchan (Mirror pol ed) said they were “greatly concerned by this step and furious that the lobby was not consulted about this move which restricts access and, we fear, scrutiny. Downing Street has promised more ministerial press conferences but they will obviously control the timetable for those and will no doubt seek to choose who they take questions from” — an issue your Playbook PM author has been banging on about for ages.
The pair added: “None of this bodes well for transparency from a government which came into office promising to raise standards.”
And in another win for government comms … officials were expecting to announce the new U.K. ambassador to Washington before this newsletter landed. But it now appears to be up in the air and might not appear until tomorrow.
THURSDAY CHEAT SHEET
— The government slipped out more local election hold-ups and a damning farming review as the Commons closed for Christmas.
— Ministers are on a media blitz to shout about their new violence against women plan.
— Keir Starmer is thinking about his next list of bills … despite lagging on the current ones.
— EU leaders are still talking about funding for Ukraine after punting the issue down the European Council running order.
— A box of Christmas cards had the bomb squad swarming around parliament.
TOP OF THE NEWSLIST
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT DOES AND DOESN’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT: Ministers are trumpeting their big plan to tackle violence against women and the latest interest rate cut. But the toxic debate about postponing elections is back, as well as the row about the incoming farming tax.
It’s little surprise … ministers chose the final few hours in parliament before the Christmas break to reveal dozens more councils will be free to postpone local elections from 2026 to 2027. Communities Minister Alison McGovern said authorities have been sounding the alarm about holding the elections while grappling with the government-ordered reorganization. She said ministers have opened a consultation until the middle of next month and that councils wanting to postpone votes will be granted their wishes.
In numbers: Some 63 councils in 21 areas undergoing reorganization are scheduled to hold elections in 2026 — which could mean 63 councils postponing their elections. That’s on top of the four mayoral elections that were pushed back this month and the nine council elections confirmed as postponed earlier this year.
Not impressed: Opposition MPs in the (almost empty) Commons this afternoon were fuming after Communities Secretary Steve Reed told them this week he was not expecting further postponements. Reform second-in-command Richard Tice said colleagues were coming to the “regrettable conclusion” that Reed might have “misled the House.” McGovern insisted councils have raised concerns since Reed spoke.
Not present but involved: Shadow Communities Secretary James Cleverly said in a statement that Labour is “scared of the voters” and “fiddling the democratic process to serve their own political interests.” Let’s see how many Conservative councils opt to postpone their votes first, shall we?
WHAT ELSE THE GOVERNMENT DOESN’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT: The report it commissioned from former NFU boss Minette Batters tearing it a new one on the incoming agricultural inheritance tax. Batters notes in the document published this morning that the new tax was not in her remit but “I could not write this report without reference to it.” Merry Christmas, Rachel Reeves.
Indeed: Batters said “nearly all the responses to this review have cited Inheritance Tax as the single biggest issue regarding farming viability that they face,” adding: “The farming sector is bewildered and frightened of what might lie ahead.” Ouch. She also sounded the alarm about general rising farm costs despite the government farming budget not moving much since 2007, and she put forward 57 recommendations.
Piling in: The Tories said it was “no wonder” the government “have buried this report … and sneaked it out on the last day of term.” Because the Tories never, ever pulled the same anti-democratic wheeze, natch. The Lib Dems said the report should be the “final nail in the coffin” for the inheritance tax.
Being polite: Farming Secretary Emma Reynolds said in a statement she wants to “give farmers confidence to grow and invest” as she announced she will chair a new “Farming and Food Partnership Board” to help the government better chat with farmers.
WHAT ELSE THE GOVERNMENT DOESN’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT: The police funding details it slipped out in the past hour. The spin of course makes it sound positive. But the government would not have announced it under cover of darkness if that were the truth.
WHAT ELSE THE GOVERNMENT DOESN’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT: The MoD confirmed it has paused all use of the Ajax armored fighting vehicle after another member of the armed forces was injured during trials. The program was suspended for training purposes after around 30 soldiers became ill from noise and vibration during an exercise in November, but Defense Minister Luke Pollard said in a statement that trials had continued and another soldier had become ill. The MoD will assess whether trials can be restarted in 2026 and continues to investigate. More from Esther Webber here.
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT: The new violence against women and girls plan (published here this afternoon) which (as our POLITICO Tech U.K. Pro colleagues scooped a month ago) includes a ban on “nudification” apps and a crackdown on kids taking, sharing or viewing nude images on their phones. The plan also includes training for teachers to spot hatred and contempt for women in the classroom, routes for high-risk kids to be sent for behavioral courses, plus a helpline for teens to raise concerns about abuse in their relationships.
Also in there: Pre-announced measures including specialist police investigators for sexual offense cases … domestic abuse protection orders … better NHS support for child and adult abuse victims … and safe local housing for domestic abuse victims.
Although bear in mind … government is sloooooow. There will be a pilot of the teacher training scheme first, and relationship classroom sessions are promised before the next election.
Flooding the zone: The PM was on ITV’s Loose Women to promote the report, where he gave Donald Trump a mild ticking off for calling a reporter “piggy.” He also did a Channel 4 interview for their program tonight, plus a Lad Bible interview with Victims Minister Jess Phillips, who wrote a piece for Mumsnet. Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones is on the evening broadcast round right now to sell the plans and counter the critics.
Tough crowd: Children’s Commissioner Rachel De Souza issued a statement this afternoon welcoming the plan but warning it lacks enough to protect girls under 16. That’s after both the victims and domestic abuse commissioners argued the £20 million funding package for the plan is not enough. Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch chimed in that the cash was “a pittance” and said the government needs to put more police on the street, deport foreign criminals quicker and crack down on people “from cultures that don’t respect women” coming to Britain. She posted on social media doubling down that migration is the issue, rather than school kids.
Tripling down: Shadow Home Office Minister Katie Lam focused her VAWG Commons response on migration, too. “Not every country and culture in the world believes, as we do, that women are equal to men with personal, bodily and sexual autonomy,” she argued. “And when people from those countries and cultures come here, this can be dangerous.”
But but but: Phillips shot back that most incidents are down to “people who were born in our country abusing other people who were born in our country. From every culture, from every creed, I have yet to come across any community where violence against women and girls does not happen.”
WHAT ELSE THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT: The Bank of England cut interest rates from 4 percent to 3.75 percent — the lowest rate since Feb. 2023. Rachel Reeves said it was “good news for families with mortgages and businesses with loans.” But while her Conservative counterpart Mel Stride welcomed the cut, he argued the Bank’s decision was down to economic weakness in Britain.
WHAT ELSE THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT II: The crown court backlog edging closer to 80,000, with more than 20,000 cases open for more than 12 months at the end of September, according to the latest figures. The worse the numbers get, the easier it is to make the argument for the juries reform David Lammy wants to implement, of course. “The scale of this crisis means tinkering at the edges is not enough,” he said in a statement.
WHAT ELSE THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT III: Its big planning and infrastructure legislation is now law. Officials in the communities department have been wishing each other a merry PIBmas. Merry PIBmas right back at them!
NEW YEAR, NEW KEIR
STARTING A NEW REPORT CARD BEFORE THE EXISTING ONE ENDS: The next king’s speech will come the week after Keir Starmer is expected to be done in at the local elections. The Beeb got the scoop on the timing, which sets MPs up for an effective confidence vote at what will be the point of greatest risk (so far) for the Starmer premiership.
One thing that might help save the PM’s bacon, could be … delivering on the promises he made at the previous king’s speech, which is looking like a tall order. Some 17 bills promised in summer 2024 are still to be passed in the short time between now and spring, and one (the National Wealth Fund Bill) hasn’t even been published.
Not to mention … the promises to publish (albeit not pass) draft bills on equalities, corporate governance, conversion practices and leasehold. None of those have appeared, with the corporate governance plans officially ditched for the moment.
Not so safe as houses: Even in November, ministers were promising the leasehold and commonhold draft before the end of 2025. This morning London Mayor Sadiq Khan expressed “concern” about it going AWOL, noting that his affordable housing scheme requires the law change to function, and Labour MP Barry Gardiner was going tonto about it in the Commons this afternoon. Ministers did however launch two consultations into so-called “fleecehold” estates.
The TL;DR on what’s holding up the draft bill: The PM and his chancellor need to decide whether fears about spooking freehold investors trump delivering on Labour promises to improve the lives of voters suffering the “feudal” leasehold regime. Remember when Labour pledged to abolish leasehold within its first four months in office? Feels like a long time ago.
To declare an interest: Your Playbook PM author is a leaseholder.
DRIVETIME DEBRIEF
RUH ROH: The government’s council funding shake-up does on the whole benefit the most deprived councils, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies — but some Labour MPs have been complaining about the specifics. Chris Webb said in an adjournment debate just now that the new plan “disproportionately penalizes” areas like his.
Nevertheless: An IFS explainer from Kate Ogden and David Phillips on the allocations this week said core funding for the most deprived tenth of council areas will see 22.6 percent average increases, and will be around 46 percent higher in the most deprived than the least deprived tenth of areas in 2028-29. The figures include the assumption that council tax increases will be maxed out.
Think of the shires: Shire districts will see 70 percent falls in their funding (leaving the Tories and Lib Dems smarting) while inner London boroughs can expect 67 percent falls.
POLITICAL FLU: “Flu cases in hospital reached 3,140 by the end of last week — the highest ever for this time of year and up 18 percent on the week before,” the health department said about the latest data released this morning. But as the Beeb’s Nick Triggle writes, these records only began in 2021, and remain well below the NHS England predictions of between 5,000 and 8,000 cases at this point. Triggle notes that encouraging people to get vaccinated and piling pressure on striking junior doctors could be behind ministers talking up the risk to the health service. The Lib Dems nevertheless called for a COBR meeting on the figures.
It’s a long game: Think tank the Health Foundation said despite the better-than-feared news, annual winter crises in the NHS would not be inevitable if the health service had long-term investment. The King’s Fund said similar about the perma-failure to fix social care.
ON A RELATED NOTE: Responding to the official Covid probe cost the government almost £20.7 million in the six months to September 2025, split between legal costs and staff, a ministerial statement revealed.
And one more thing on Covid: It seems it’s not just the government taking out the trash on the final day of term. PPE Medpro, the firm linked to former Tory peer Michelle Mone, has been put into liquidation. It owes the government £148 million for supplying unusable equipment. DHSC said the company was “hopelessly insolvent” and should not continue. The Guardian has a writeup.
WHAT THE CONSERVATIVES WANT TO TALK ABOUT: Their proposals to move £6 billion from research and development to the MoD … £11 billion from the national wealth fund into a “national defense and resilience bank” … and to raise £33bn of private finance, all of which would create a £50 billion “sovereign defence fund.” Labour said the Tories were “gaslighting the British public on defence” with made-up numbers and argued that the previous government “starved our forces of funding, drove down morale and left Britain less safe.”
NEXT HEADACHE: The Home Office confirmed 200,000 Hong Kongers on a special 2021 visa scheme are indeed included in the consultation about tightening salary and language requirements to qualify for indefinite leave to remain (ILR.) But officials noted that the BNO visa holders will benefit from a five-year route to ILR, rather than the default decade. The confirmation came after 34 Labour MPs urged ministers to ensure support for Hong Kongers isn’t pulled. Sky’s Alix Culbertson got the scoop.
ALL GREEK: Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper announced £1.5 million for development projects in North Africa aimed at tackling the root causes of illegal migration, as part of her continued drive to point the FCDO at the small boats problem. Speaking on a visit to Athens where she met Greek counterpart George Gerapetritis, she said they had discussed how to “tackle the criminal gangs who make huge profits from dangerous boat crossings that undermine our border security.” The U.K. will also provide training to help Greek police fight people smuggling.
BEYOND THE M25
CRUNCH TIME: EU leaders are still locked in talks about the bloc’s plan to leverage €210 billion Russian frozen assets for Ukraine. Earlier in the day, leaders pushed the Ukraine part of the European Council summit down the agenda to allow more time to solve Belgium’s objections, although there should be movement shortly. Keep across every beat with our live blog.
IT’S NOT JUST STARMER: The cost-of-living crisis that upended global politics last year continues to ripple. POLITICO and Public First’s first-ever joint international poll shows just how deep the voter frustration runs.
European gloom: In France, 82 percent of adults say the cost of living in the country has worsened over the last year, as do 78 percent of respondents in Germany; 77 percent of adults in the U.K. and 79 percent in Canada say the same. A majority of people in all five countries go even further, saying the cost of living crisis has never been worse. Dig into the full findings here.
EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT: China condemned the U.S. approving arms sales worth $11 billion for Taiwan. Beijing’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun claimed the move would tilt the region “toward the danger of war.” The Times has the coverage.
**A message from Goldman Sachs: Trade uncertainty is driving volatility across global markets as rapid announcement and implementation of US governmental policies on everything from trade and taxes to crypto and geopolitics have rippled through global markets in recent weeks. At the same time, the outlook for European GDP growth is being reshaped by increased spending in Germany and the bloc’s other major economies. But how will the continent fare amid major changes in global trade and shocks that are yet to come? Dive deep on the most consequential questions in the European markets with insights from across Goldman Sachs.**
TONIGHT’S MEDIA ROUND
LEADING THE NEWS BULLETINS: ITV Evening News (6.30 p.m.) focuses on the Bank of England cutting interest rates … Channel 4 News (7 p.m.) leads on the government’s violence against women and girls strategy and has interviews with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
Tom Swarbrick at Drive (LBC, until 6 p.m.): Labour MP Natalie Fleet and Male Allies UK CEO Lee Chambers (both 5.05 p.m.).
Drive with John Pienaar (Times Radio, until 7 p.m.): Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones … Domestic Abuse Commissioner Nicole Jacobs … former Tony Blair and Keir Starmer adviser Peter Hyman … Lithuanian Finance Minister Kristupas Vaitiekūnas … historian Peter Frankopan … More in Common’s Luke Tryl.
BBC PM (Radio 4, 5 p.m.): Crossbench peer and former National Farmers’ Union President Minette Batters … West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin.
News Hour (Sky News, 5 p.m.): Nicole Jacobs (5.30 p.m.) … former U.K. National Security Adviser Peter Ricketts (5.45 p.m.) … University of Oxford economist Linda Yueh (6.30 p.m.).
Tonight With Andrew Marr (LBC, 6 p.m.): Alex Davies-Jones … EU Ambassador to the U.K. Pedro Serrano … author Stephanie Baker … Equity General Secretary Paul W. Fleming.
Dewbs and Co (GB News, 6 p.m.): Reform UK councilor Laila Cunningham.
Farage (GB News, 7 p.m.): Former Lib Dem adviser Jo Phillips.
Politics Hub (Sky News, 7 p.m.): Alex Davies-Jones … Labour MP Dawn Butler … former Victims’ Commissioner Vera Baird.
The Evening Edition with Kait Borsay (Times Radio, 7 p.m.): Former Watergate prosecutor Nick Akerman (7.15 p.m.) … London School of Economics academic Tony Travers (7.35 p.m.) … financier Bill Browder (8.20 p.m.).
Jacob Rees-Mogg’s State of the Nation (GB News, 8 p.m.): Labour MP Fabian Hamilton.
Patrick Christys Tonight (GB News, 9 p.m.): Tory peer Shaun Bailey … former Labour adviser Matthew Laza.
Late Show Live (GB News, 12 a.m.): Republicans Overseas U.K. Chair Greg Swenson.
Newsnight (BBC Two, 10.30 p.m.): U.S. Under Secretary of State Lee Chambers … former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf.
TWEETING TOMORROW’S PAPERS TONIGHT: George Mann.
REVIEWING THE PAPERS TONIGHT: Times Radio (10.30 p.m.): HuffPost’s Kevin Schofield and former Tory MP Julie Kirkbride … Sky News (10.30 p.m. and 11.30 p.m.): Former Channel 4 Head of News and Current Affairs Dorothy Byrne and commentator Tim Montgomerie.
WHERE TO FIND BOOZE IN WESTMINSTER TONIGHT
WORTH A SICKIE TOMORROW: The Safe Sick Pay campaign is celebrating the new workers rights legislation being passed with drinks at the Red Lion. But it started at 4 p.m. and ends at 6 p.m. so get there quick.
TOMORROW’S WORLD
HAPPENING OVERNIGHT: The Lords Economic Affairs Committee has a report out about the ageing population.
NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS: Public sector borrowing figures covering the debt and deficit are out at 7 a.m.
PUTIN THE BOOT IN: Russian President Vladimir Putin holds his annual end of year news conference, from 9 a.m. U.K. time.
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT: Working with the Germans to tackle people smugglers.
IN PARLIAMENT: Just the security staff (unless they’re on strike). In recess until Jan 5.
FULL TRANSPARENCY: Deadline for the U.S. Justice Department to release all its files about the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
POST BOX OFFICE BOMB: A Met Police bomb disposal unit was called to Victoria Tower Gardens next to the Palace of Westminster this morning to investigate a suspicious package … which turned out to be a box of unsent Christmas cards addressed to Communities Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh. Unsurprisingly, the box was marked “most urgent” … given SW1 decamps for the year, er, today. Sky News has the details.
NEW GIG: Journalist James Tibbitts has joined LabourList to enhance the site’s social media game.
WHAT I’VE BEEN READING: The investigative report from Andrew Kersley in the Londoner… about every party leader’s favorite pub in the capital, which, obviously, created a good excuse for a political pub crawl.
All on brand: Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey, natch, chose The Antelope, a craft beer pub in his Surbiton constituency “so far out it might as well be Surrey” while Nigel Farage also stuck to script with an apperance at the Marquis of Granby on the edge of Westminster. Keir Starmer favorite the Pineapple in Kentish Town is “in the midst of an identity crisis” apt for “a politician whose personality is as changeable as [its] interior design,” Kersley mused. Green boss Zack Polanski went, of course, for London’s first vegan pub, The Spread Eagle in Hackney. Kemi Badenoch plumped for the Fox and Grapes near her in-laws in Wimbledon, while SNP Westminster Leader Stephen Flynn copped out, with: “I’ve not settled on a favourite. I am still conducting my research.”
Oh, and … the New Statesman’s George Eaton on the “five families” among Labour MPs, and how none of them count Keir Starmer as even a distant relative.
MEA CULPA: The solicitor general is, of course, Ellie Reeves.
PACKED LUNCH OR PALACE LUNCH: It’s recess! Make the most of a quiet parliament with a wander round to check out the menus.
ON THIS DAY IN POLITICS: On Dec. 18, 1783 William Cavendish-Bentinck resigned as prime minister of Great Britain after less than a year in office. He made a comeback as U.K. prime minister in 1807. On the same date in 1902, parliament passed the Education Act, standardizing elementary schooling in England and Wales. And in 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives impeached President Donald Trump for the first time. He was acquitted by the Senate.
WRITING PLAYBOOK TOMORROW MORNING: Andrew McDonald.
THANKS TO: My editor Matt Honeycombe-Foster, reporter Noah Keate and the POLITICO production team for making it look nice.
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