EXCL Starmer started the week worried about the Crown Prosecution Service’s ability to quickly charge + convict rioters. A person close to No 10 said officials were forced to “put a fucking firework up the CPS” to get them moving In today’s Playbook - politico.eu/newsletter/lon…

The Startup Party has its first Westminster candidate

Tory leadership contender Tom Tugendhat goes on the attack against Nigel Farage for his response to Southport attacks. “This is not leadership. It is deeply irresponsible and dangerous.”

EXCL Newly announced changes to the infected blood compensation scheme will require “significant additional costs,” POLITICOEurope can reveal. Comes as Rachel Reeves prepares to hike taxes/cut spending to deal with pressures on public finances. politico.eu/article/contam…

Spotted at the MP mail boxes outside the House of Commons. Of all the names to get wrong…

EXCL by Dan Bloom Robert Jenrick took Ozempic in the lead up to his Tory leadership campaign

For someone who was such a big figure in 1970s/80s New York, I'm shocked Trump seems so genuinely innocent about cocaine here. Even if he is a lifetime teetotaler, he had to know plenty of people going to Studio 54.

Writing tomorrow's Playbook 🖊️

🎙️NEW ep🎙️ Westminster Insider is back! Meet the new MPs as they learn the weird ways of SW1 🗣️Jake Richards MP & Chris Curtis MP 🧰Sarah Sackman MP 🔴Lola McEvoy 🔷Andrew Snowden MP 🇬🇧 🔶Bobby Dean MP 🔶 POLITICOEurope politico.eu/westminster-in…

My new POLITICOEurope piece out on Labour’s efforts to help Kamala Harris’ election campaign. Includes scoop that top Starmer aides Morgan McSweeney and Matthew Doyle met with Harris campaign at the DNC to speak about Labour’s election victory. politico.eu/article/kamala…

Charli XCX 🤝Boris Johnson

Kwasi throwing grenades at Liz Truss with that quote at the bottom

Steve Hilton, arch-disrupter of UK 00s politics, wants to smash things up again — this time in California. "Mad" is how some former colleagues describe him. Others say he could just do it. Michael Gove: “I don’t think anyone should underestimate him.” politico.eu/article/david-…

Nigel Farage told POLITICOEurope that Michel Barnier's appointment as French PM will make it easier for Keir Starmer to move the UK closer to the EU. politico.eu/article/michel…

Exclusive: Defence Secretary John Healey is in Germany where he will announce an extension to the UK's training programme for Ukrainian forces He calls Ukraine his "number one priority" even as UK faces severe challenges at home Report from Ramstein: politico.eu/article/ukrain…