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Welcome to your Weekend Wire from Best for Britain.
This week, the headlines have been dominated by news of the collapse of the (alleged) Chinese spying case and the government’s latest immersion in hot water. We’re also entering the final week of the Labour deputy leadership contest. Internationally, the world is now a week into the ceasefire in Gaza and the initial stage of the peace process - so far - has tentatively held.
The Best for Britain Wire is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
While at Best for Britain HQ, it’s full steam ahead of the Budget next month (how did that happen?) after Chancellor Rachel Reeves began directly linking Britain’s economic woes to our exit from the European Union, much to our absolute delight - and relief.
After a decade of campaigning, and making this very argument until we’re EU-flag blue in the face, it’s fantastic to see the government, at long last, openly acknowledge that a closer relationship with Europe is well and truly what’s Best for Britain. Inject it into our veins, Rachel.
Read on for more on all of that…
The Spy who Loved Xi
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Your author clearly hasn’t watched enough James Bond films (alternate Bond-related headline suggestions in the comments, please) and was labouring under the impression that alleged spying and associated legal issues are generally meant to be a secret business. That misconception was put firmly to rights this week, after a drip-feed of details emerging from No10 and others received wall to wall coverage.
At time of writing the director of public prosecutions (DPP) Stephen Parkinson is facing growing pressure to give a further explanation of why the case collapsed last month against two men - parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash, 30, and academic Christopher Berry, 33 - accused of spying for China. Both men deny the allegations.
Parkinson has blamed the UK government for not providing enough evidence showing China was a threat to the UK’s national security. But MPs and others now want more clarity after the government published witness statements on Wednesday outlining the threat posed by Beijing.
The Guardian produced a profile of Parkinson, while the BBC ran an explainer on the allegations against Berry and Cash, which they have both denied.
On a more serious note, there clearly are questions to be asked here about what exactly happened, and it was confirmed this week that MPs are to hold an inquiry into the matter.
Peace at last?
Following US President Donald Trump’s (optimistic?) declaration that “the war is over” in Gaza after more than two years, thus far the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been maintained. The terms of the multi-stage peace plan began Monday, with the release of the remaining 20 living Israeli hostages, and thousands of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Some of their stories, and moving words from the families - of both Israelis and Palestinians - were reported here and here by the Guardian.
However, there have been accusations - against both sides - of violating the ceasefire terms, as well as disputes over the transportation of aid into Gaza and the return of the bodies of deceased hostages to Israel.
The United Nations (UN) has called for more crossing points to open for aid into Gaza, and warned it would take “some time to scale back the famine”. Meanwhile the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that infectious diseases are “spiralling out of control”.
Poll up! Poll up!
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With the Budget circus once again rolling into town spare a thought for the poor Treasury SPADs clambering onto their fiscal tightropes and dodging the OBR’s firebreathers. Ringmaster Chancellor Rachel Reeves meanwhile is limbering up for a bid to tame the Brexit lion. Forgive the extended metaphor, but after nine long years of polling, researching and campaigning on this issue, we at Best for Britain are flying higher than trapeze artists.
After the subject of Brexit’s economic impact was broached in the Times last week, much to Wes Streeting’s reported delight, this week Reeves told Sky News: “There is no doubting that the impact of Brexit is severe and long-lasting.” [We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.]
In response, our CEO Naomi Smith welcomed her comments, telling the HuffPost how Brexit had “been a calamity for Brits facing spiralling supermarket prices and rocketing energy bills”. She also spoke to Iain Dale on LBCabout our recent polling on public attitudes to Brexit and how “politics is catching up with economic reality”.
And (drumroll please) you can hear far more about all that recent polling - and how the government’s strategy is likely to resonate with the electorate - at our webinar next week.
Top political economist and Observer columnist Will Hutton and our policy director Tom Brufatto will take viewers through all the details from 12-1pm on Friday, 24 October with opportunities for questions after. Sign up here!
President Melchett
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And just like that, he is back! In a desperate bid to break through the Parliamentary stalemate threatening France with economic catastrophe (see last week’s Weekend Wire for more), following late-night chats by the Élysée fireside, Macron came to a conclusion. A way through the political malaise, to banish the paralysis, a happy plan for a happier France. The president’s solution? Re-appointing the same bloke who had resigned just four days earlier…
Like Blackadder’s General Melchett selling another advance “over the top,” perhaps the repetition of a tried, tested, and failed formula will catch Le Pen and co. off guard? Alas, Macron’s plan has not earned him a role as Professor of Cunning at Oxford University, but will most likely provoke an almost instantaneous vote of no confidence in the new government.
Faced with a legislature split into three antagonistic factions - each despising the others more than the last - a near-universal and growing unpopularity, and calls from his staunchest defenders to resign, things are looking bleak for the future of Macronism. Read more in this fantastic piece from our own Josh Edwicker.
Y aller ou ne pas y aller, telle est la question. (To go or not to go, that is the question.)
Hot, hot, hot…
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Bad news for climate change watchers - which should be all of us - this week, as independent climate advisers have warned the UK needs to prepare for extreme weather as a result of at least 2C of global warming by 2050.
In a letter to the government, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) warned the UK was “not yet adapted” to worsening extremes already occurring, “let alone” what was expected to come, and advised Britain to prepare for climate change beyond what was set out in the Paris Agreement.
Their warning followed the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirming that 2024 saw a record rise of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. The BBC’s climate editor covered the story.
In the red corner…
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And also in the red corner! It’s Lucy Powell versus Bridget Phillipson entering their final week of going head-to-head in the Labour Party’s deputy leadership contest.
Why not spend some time this weekend diving into a couple of good round up pieces ahead of the final days of the election period? There’s this, by the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, on why the race could be a “verdict on Starmer”, and this, by the New Statesman’s George Eaton, on how the candidates represent old battles being “reborn”.
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In long-trailed news earlier this week, the EU’s entry-exit system came into force in at least some countries, prompting reports of long queues and delays at continental airports. Only 80% of them were from travel journalist supremo Simon Calder.
Whether travelling for work, family reasons or a well-deserved holiday, no one wants to wait for longer at the border than necessary. That’s why we’re continuing to call for the government and EU member states to make progress on the vital UK-EU reset, including smoother border management - aka headache free(r) travel from A to B. On y va…
Cheerful News of the Week
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It’s not all unrelenting gloom, however, even when we’re the ones highlighting the risks of climate change in this very email. On to the bright side, and the potential for technical solutions to the problem of human environmental impact!
Global electric vehicle (EV) and plug-in hybrid sales hit a record high in September, passing the two million mark, it was reported by Reuters and others this week. Demand was driven by China and the US in a tax-credit rush, according to market research firm Rho Motion.
It comes after EV sales in the UK also hit a record high of 72,779 last month, according to the latest industry figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers (SMMT).
Of course, EVs aren’t environmentally perfect - what is? But as Thea Riofrancos, a political scientist told NPR last year: “You know, there’s no perfect world out there, but there is better and worse and everything in between.”
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Just Boris Johnson using a slightly strange accent and saying that he “loves” ChatGPT for telling him he’s “clever” and “brilliant”.
Keep an eye out next week for European ministers meeting to discuss migration, including the prospect of “return hubs” in non-EU nations. It’s also the Caerphilly by-election, and Diwali.
And don’t forget to register for our Brexit Budget webinar!
Have a good one.
Jessica Frank-Keyes
Senior Press Officer
Best for Britain
With thanks to Josh Edwicker
The Best for Britain Wire is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
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