Dear John,

Due to unforeseen circumstances your weekend wire is coming to you shortly before the next week. But that won't deter us. To the news!

Ed Davey is “Carer-in-Chief”

Amidst a sea of smiling Lib Dem MPs and a little ABBA for good measure, Sir Ed Davey delivered an emotional keynote speech at the party’s conference in Brighton this week. Far from just a victory lap after the Lib Dems' best election result in over a century, Davey used his platform to position himself as a champion for carers—both unpaid and overlooked.

His personal experience as a carer aside, there seems to be a clear political strategy at play as the Government is yet to confirm how they will address this major challenges in their intray. With a track record of taking seats from the Tories, Davey also signalled that his party’s aims to replace them as the “responsible opposition” this country needs.

It wasn’t all serious, though. In true Ed Davey fashion, the speech came after a series of stunts, including jet skiing, beach volleyball—and almost, but not quite, wing-walking on a biplane (health and safety concerns prevailed).

When in Rome…

This week, Sir Keir Starmer ventured to Rome and came back with a few ideas, some of which have raised eyebrows within his own party. During a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Starmer expressed interest in Italy’s approach to curbing illegal migration, particularly their asylum processing deal with Albania. The scheme, which sends migrants to Albania to have their claims processed, could offer a new tactic in handling the UK's small boat crisis.

Starmer also took note of Italy’s partnerships with North African nations, where financial aid is exchanged for stricter migration control. While Labour has scrapped the Rwanda plan, Starmer's move toward a more "pragmatic" approach has prompted criticism from some Labour MPs, who find it hard to swallow that inspiration is being taken from Italy’s right-wing government.

The Cost of Freebies

Labour may have promised to clean up government ethics, but this week, Keir Starmer found himself dodging criticism over his growing list of freebies. The latest kerfuffle, cheekily dubbed “Frockgate,” came after the Government disclosed that some gifts received by Starmer’s wife were accidentally left off the register of members' interests. While Starmer quickly cleared it up as an “oversight,” this hasn’t stopped the Conservative Party from piling on the pressure—unsuccessfully trying to launch a standards investigation.

But wait, there’s more. Starmer’s critics are now revisiting earlier reports that he’s accepted a whopping £76,000 worth of freebies since 2019, including tickets to Arsenal games, luxury glasses, and seats in the royal box at Wimbledon. While none of this breaks parliamentary rules, the optics of a self-styled "Prime Minister of service" who never missed an opportunity to criticise the last lot for dodginess, is proving tricky for Labour to navigate.

Whether this is just another minor political hiccup or a growing problem for Starmer’s image is unclear. But one thing’s clear: freebies aren’t free in regard to political reputation.

No Change, No Cuts

The Bank of England’s rate-cut hopefuls are in for a disappointment, as inflation refused to budge in August, staying stuck at 2.2%. Despite easing energy prices, a sharp rise in airfares and the ongoing strength of the housing market have kept inflation frustratingly high and dashed hopes for a second interest rate cut this month.

Brexit Corner

Are Our Protections Going Down the Drain?

Since Brexit, pesticide regulations in Great Britain seem to have been quietly loosening—dramatically. According to a new analysis, the pesticide residues allowed on more than 100 food items have soared, with some thresholds now set thousands of times higher than before. From potatoes and rice to avocados and coffee, many everyday groceries are now subject to weaker protections than when we were in the EU.

Tea lovers might want to note that the maximum residue levels (MRLs) for some pesticides in tea have skyrocketed, with one insecticide increasing by a staggering 4,000 times. Even the controversial weedkiller glyphosate, branded a “probable human carcinogen” by the WHO, has seen its allowable level on beans rise by 7.5 times.

Campaigners are urging the government to rethink this perilous path. Until then, it’s probably worth washing those avocados extra carefully.

That's it for your special late-night edition 'Wire! 

Elsie Gisslegard
Content Executive
Best for Britain