Dear John,

This week saw the world hold its breath as US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy met once again in the Oval Office; the UK government faced increasing pressure over asylum hotels as a court ruled against the use of The Bell in Essex; and school pupils celebrated, or commiserated, over their GCSE results, now marked numerically from one to nine in England, despite a slight drop in the overall pass rate. Congratulations to all!

Here to mark the week’s coursework, is your Weekend Wire.

Brace, brace...

Following last week’s… unusual meeting between Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, the stakes could hardly have been higher for the US President and heroic wartime leader Zelenskyy’s second Oval Office face-to-face on Monday, as peace discussions - and pressure on Ukraine to cede illegally conquered territory to its aggressor - continued.

After the berating the Ukrainian President endured in February, this time he came fully prepared. Dressed in black tailoring smart enough to avoid a further suit-related bust-up, he was also flanked by the leaders of NATO, the European Union (EU) and leaders of Coalition of the Willing allies including Britain, France, Germany and Italy, forming a united front in the White House.

Trump appeared to suggest the US could offer security guarantees to the Eastern European nation in a bid to prevent Putin coming back for more - without providing specifics. But as ever under this administration, the details are unclear and undoubtedly subject to change, even after military talks involving US top brass and UK Chief of the Defence Staff Tony Radakin. While the Kremlin continued to insist on involvement in talks over security guarantees as it launched one of the biggest aerial attacks of the war - 574 drones and 40 missiles - overnight into Thursday, including on a US electronics factory, and a drone hit Poland.

Bloomberg reported Ukraine’s allies were considering proposals to commit to decide on military support to Kyiv within 24 hours, should Russia attack again, and the Times focused on calls for the US to base F-35 fighter jets in Romania as part of wider air support.

And the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas told the BBC on Friday that letting Putin keep Ukrainian territories such as the Donbas region was a "trap that Putin wants us to walk into".

Slava Ukraini

While talks continue, Ukraine - and Ukrainian refugees here in Britain and elsewhere - prepare to mark their countries Independence Day this weekend, on Sunday, August 24.

The state holiday marks the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine being adopted, and is described as the “final full stop” in the collapse of the Soviet Union. 

Events will be held across the UK, from a traditional pancake race in Malvern, to the third annual UkraineFest in Swindon, Wiltshire, this weekend. Why not show your support for our Ukrainian friends and attend an event in your area to mark the occasion?

The EU’s diplomatic service is also sharing the stories of two young Ukrainian journalists, Olha and Milana, detailing Ukraine’s “pain, resilience, and hope for the future”.

From all of us at Best for Britain, Slava Ukraini.

Gaza City offensive

In news from the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, Israel has begun a ground assault in a bid to take over Gaza City in the north of the territory and called up 60,000 Israeli reservists from September.

The BBC reported Palestinian citizens fleeing parts of the city amid the planned ground offensive, with one resident telling the news agency AFP: “The house shakes with us all night long… the sound is getting closer, but where would we go?”

On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “shortening the timelines” for seizing what he called “the last terror strongholds” in Gaza, but a statement from Hamas described the actions as a “brutal war against innocent civilians in Gaza City”.

United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres issued renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire “to avoid the death and destruction" he said an assault on the territory would “inevitably” cause.

Meanwhile the UK is among 27 nations urging Israel to allow independent international media into Gaza, signing a statement from the Media Freedom Coalition, in light of what they called the “unfolding humanitarian catastrophe” and urged against “deliberate targeting” of journalists.

Elsewhere, UK foreign secretary David Lammy summoned the Israeli ambassador as Britain joined 20 other nations in condemning an Israeli plan to build new settlements in the West Bank, which critics say would divide the area in half, and could prevent a Palestinian state.

People power

After it emerged last week that Tesla and X owner Elon Musk had submitted an application to Ofgem to be a part of the UK’s energy generation system, more than 18,000 of you wrote to the regulator to object to the decision, after Best for Britain highlighted the risks of such a move.

The campaign also made headlines, with coverage in titles including the Independent, the National, LBC, and ITV. Our CEO Naomi Smith appeared on Lewis Goodall's LBC radio show to discuss the issue, explaining why Musk - who has claimed civil war in the UK is ‘inevitable’  and supported the extreme far right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, or Tommy Robinson - is “not a fit and proper person to be given a foothold in our essential services”.

Thank you to everyone who used our online tool to take action - and follow for updates on this campaign, and others, on our website and social media.

Let's Go Fly A Kite

Chancellor Rachel Reeves took a leaf out of Mary Poppins’ book this week as the Treasury began flying its policy kites ahead of the Budget this autumn.

Suggestions No11 could look at changing the rules around stamp duty and council tax abounded in the Guardian, while the Times reported Reeves could even look at altering capital gains tax, perhaps sending (some) pensioners’ heart rates soaring. 

Treasury officials are reportedly considering a report from the centre-right think tank Onward, from August last year, which proposed a dual national and local “proportional property tax”. Author Dr Tim Leunig, who worked on the Covid-19 furlough scheme, said the plans would “make it easier and cheaper to move house, for a better job, or to be near family, as well as being fairer”. 

You can expect to hear much, much more of this over the coming months - ahead of Reeves’ second official fiscal event, which Politico reported may not take place until November. Strap in...

Asylum protests

In a significant blow to the government this week, a court blocked the use of The Bell hotel in Epping Forest, Essex, for housing people seeking asylum in the UK, and ordered ministers to rehome those staying on the premises by mid-September.

It came after recent protests after a man living at the site was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. Former immigration minister and current shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick was photographed attending a protest there, with far right activist and former BNP strategist Eddy Butler pictured in the background, which Labour branded “a disgrace”.

The news poses a challenge for ministers as it prompted several more councils - including two Labour-run authorities - to begin considering legal action of their own. The UK is legally required to house people who arrive here in search of asylum and the use of HMOs and flats is already politically controversial due to the housing crisis and shortage of homes for UK residents. 

And as Minnie Rahman, from Praxis, said: “You can’t put 1,000 people with trauma from violence/persecution (and no support) in tiny rooms, stop access to work/education, let a private company run it and expect it to be chill. Do this to 800 British people, it would still be a distressing environment. Your passport doesn’t change that.” Read the rest of her thoughts on BlueSky.

Brexit Corner

The Guardian reported this week that vital environmental protections are being weakened in the UK post-Brexit, and that we are falling behind the EU on high standards.

Analysis from the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) revealed the UK is falling behind the EU in terms of protecting rare creatures such as red squirrels, cleaning up the air and water, removing dangerous chemicals from products, and making consumer products more recyclable and energy efficient.

This comes after our research revealed more than five times as many English bathing waters are rated poor quality, compared to in the EU, which you can read in full on our website.

Cheerful News of the Week

California governor Gavin Newsom and his social media team have been exploring a new approach to taking on Trump - mimicking his bizarre style on social media.

And the President appeared to take the bait, reusing a former nickname for the Democratic politician as he insisted “Gavin Newscum is way down in the polls” - suggested the online mockery might just have him rattled…

Cringe Column 

We hope you’re preparing to enjoy a relaxing bank holiday weekend, ahead of the final full week of recess, before politics gets going again in September.

Have a good one. 

All the best,

Jessica Frank-Keyes

Senior Press Officer

Best for Britain