Boris vs Rishi — Technically speaking — Starmer’s lefty robots – POLITICO

Good Tuesday morning. This is Rosa Prince. Eleni Courea will be taking you into Wednesday.

DRIVING THE DAY

NO, YOU’RE A LIAR: The Conservative Party is in a state of all-out war this morning, as Rishi Sunak and his predecessor-but-one continue to trade insults in their extraordinary bust-up over the events leading up to Boris Johnson’s dramatic resignation. Their private spat finally burst into the open yesterday, with Johnson accusing Sunak of “talking rubbish” for claiming his former boss asked him to do “something I wasn’t prepared to do” — intervene in the award of peerages. The briefing and counter-briefing continued late into the night. Here’s where we are this morning:

Development 1: The Cabinet Office issued a late-night statement rejecting suggestions that the House of Lords Appointments Committee (HOLAC) and No. 10, pulled a fast one on Johnson’s MP nominees by failing to tell them they would have to quit the Commons to get a peerage. “‘HOLAC did not support the nominations of the MPs put forward by the former prime minister. It is unprecedented for a sitting prime minister to invite HOLAC to reconsider the vetting of individual nominees on a former prime minister’s resignation list. It is not therefore a formality.”

Development 2: Boris uber-ally Nadine Dorries used her Mail column and an interview with TalkTV’s Piers Morgan to claim Sunak had assured Johnson, and Tory chief whip Simon Hart had told her, that her peerage was in the bag. She suggested “posh boys” Sunak and his top adviser James Forsyth had deliberately blocked “a girl, born into poverty in Liverpool, from reaching the House of Lords.” 

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Development 3: The Times reported that the privileges committee’s report, now expected tomorrow, has concluded that Johnson misled parliament when he said officials had assured him social distancing rules were followed in No. 10. 

Development 4: Johnson vowed “I’ll be back” in a quickie interview with the Express’ Sam Lister. He told her: “We must fully deliver on Brexit and on the 2019 manifesto. We must smash Labour at the next election. Nothing less than absolute victory and total Brexit will do — and as the great Arnold Schwarzenegger said, I’ll be back.”

Recollections vary: The dispute about what exactly went down in the “secret meeting” (h/t Nadine Dorries) between Sunak and Johnson continues. Team Boris insists he was assured his nominations for peerages would go through. A No. 10 insider told Playbook it ain’t so: “He absolutely knew when he met Rishi that they weren’t on the list.” 

Rubbish: Johnson’s team rejects this claim. A friend said: “This is yet more rubbish. No. 10 reneged on its commitment to put the list thru intact.”

Shome misunderstanding? So who said what? No. 10 says Sunak told Johnson he would “follow precedent” by waiving through HOLAC’s approved list — which did not include the MPs — and that the latter misunderstood, possibly deliberately. “The idea that this is some conspiracy is a complete fantasy,” the insider said. 

Nadine ain’t buying it: In her column, Dorries writes: “It is my belief that when Rishi Sunak told Boris Johnson he would sign off the list returned to him by HOLAC, he was using weasel words. He already knew who was and wasn’t on that list because he had engineered it via his aide [James] Forsyth.” The No. 10 insider suggested Johnson was “not being truthful” to Dorries, adding that the “Dorries piece is — politely put — full of nonsense.”

Heart to heart: A spokesman for the chief whip described Dorries’ claim that he had assured her she remained on the list of those receiving peerages as “categorically untrue.” 

All on Boris: No. 10 came out fighting over the suggestion that Sunak blocked Dorries and her fellow MPs Nigel Adams and Alok Sharma from appearing on the approved peerage list. The No. 10 insider told Playbook it had been in the public domain for months that sitting MPs would need to step down before being awarded a seat in the Lords. In response to Dorries’ anger at not being told this directly, a Cabinet Office spokesperson said Johnson was the only person HOLAC briefed on the situation. 

Not us, guv: The No. 10 insider told Playbook the same, saying: “It is neither allowed nor incumbent on the government to speak to anyone on the list. The only person who is updated as a courtesy is the former prime minister … the person who could have told the MPs about the progress but clearly didn’t, or wasn’t being totally upfront, was Boris.” The friend of the newly appointed Steward and Bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern, said in response: “This is nonsense. HOLAC deals with No. 10 … It’s very simple, Rishi made an agreement to put the list thru intact. He reneged on that agreement.”

If all that wasn’t enough: The Times’ Steven Swinford reports that Johnson lobbied Sunak for a knighthood for his father, Stanley, saying it was “customary” for members of former PMs’ families to receive baubles, and he “deserved one” for his contribution to the Conservative Party and the environment. No. 10 is said to have “concerns” about “reputational damage.” (Reminder, Johnson senior has been accused of improperly touching women.) 

The Johnson friend says: “Stanley Johnson has contributed to Conservative Party politics for decades and has made a significant national impact with his work on the environment. Is briefing against 82-year-olds really a priority for the government? The govt should cease this unedifying war of words which does no good for the party.”

THE VERDICT: And another Steven Swinford Boris scoop. The Times pol-ed reports that the privileges committee will find that Johnson misled parliament when he claimed he had been assured by officials that social distancing guidelines were followed in No. 10. The paper splashes the story, which says the committee also concludes that Johnson and his allies’ criticism of its work, which has led members to be offered beefed up security, should be treated as a contempt of parliament. 

The response: Johnson’s friend insisted: “Our position remains the same. Mr. Johnson did not knowingly or wittingly mislead the Commons.”

Dragging out the drama: The privileges committee will not publish its report until tomorrow after Swinford hears there was a hold-up with printing hard copies. Johnson’s pal sniffed: “I hear they have printer trouble — which is usually solved by just going on Amazon Prime and getting a new ink cartridge.”

Snigger: Playbook actually laughed out loud at William Hague’s description of Tory privileges committee members Charles Walker and Bernard Jenkin, who stand accused by Johnson’s allies of launching a “witch hunt.” Hague writes in his latest Times column: “If anyone wanted to launch a witch-hunt, Sir Charles, or indeed Sir Bernard Jenkin, another longstanding Tory MP on the committee, would be among the last people they would ever ask to join it. Within minutes, these MPs would be forming an all-party group for the defence of witches and demanding a fair trial for witches throughout the land.”

Magic Johnson no more: Are we sick of Boris Johnson? My POLITICO colleague Esther Webber has been talking to Tory MPs about their Boris fatigue, and found that most were palpably relieved that he appears to be riding off into the sunset. One minister told her he was “the architect of his own destruction — but then he has never known how to behave. Best to move on,” while another rejoiced: “We’re over him. It’s over, thank goodness.”

Turning up the volume: In his latest Guardian sketch, John Crace points out how rare it is for the usually measured Sunak to hit back in the way he did at Johnson yesterday. The No. 10 insider insisted to Playbook that the PM wasn’t bovvered about how his words would land — and considered he had been straight and factual without getting personal. 

But, but, but: As Peter Walker writes, also in the Guardian, the spat with Johnson isn’t great for Sunak no matter who emerges victorious in the war of words. 

Poll klaxon: The latest Redfield and Wilton poll has the parties unchanged, with Labour 14 points ahead of the Tories. When it comes who voters believe to be the best potential PM, Keir Starmer leads Sunak by 10 points, at 43 percent to 33 percent. Polling from YouGov found that 56 percent of the public do not want Johnson back as an MP.

SILVER LINING: ITN’s Harry Horton suggests the Uxbridge by-election triggered by Johnson’s departure may not be the walkover Labour predicts, with many voters there upset about London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s proposed ULEZ expansion — the controversial scheme to extend the tax on gas-guzzling vehicles to the outer boroughs. He even suggests Sunak could hang on in all three by-elections, setting himself up nicely for a less turbulent, Boris-free summer and autumn. It’s a take — and one No. 10 certainly won’t resile from.

Davey disagrees: The Guardian’s Aletha Adu went on the campaign trail in Dorries’ soon-to-be-former seat of Mid Beds with Ed Davey who, natch, is confident of victory.

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO: Jeremy Hunt has responded to those on his backbenchers — and those who used to be on his backbenchers, i.e. Johnson — who have been calling for lower taxes. Speaking at the Centre for Policy Studies’ Margaret Thatcher Conference on Monday evening, Hunt promised a “path” to lower taxes through public sector efficiencies. The Telegraph splashes his words. The FT reports that Hunt has appointed Chief Secretary John Glen to lead “the most ambitious public sector productivity review ever undertaken by a government,” reporting back by fall.

TECH NATION

TECH BREK: Sunak will attend a breakfast hosted by Economic Secretary to the Treasury Andrew Griffith at No. 10 for investors in technology, kicking off Day 2 of London Tech Week. Glen will also attend the event for partners, CEOs and directors of major investment firms. 

Over at the QE2: The main event — politically speaking — in the Queen Elizabeth II conference center, where LTW is taking place, is a speech by Starmer on harnessing AI for future jobs. He’ll be speaking in conversation with Bloomberg’s Francine Lacqua at 9.30 a.m., and their discussion will be live-streamed. Energy Secretary Grant Shapps speaks at 2.05 p.m. and ex-Chancellor Sajid Javid at 4.55 p.m.

Starmer speaks: The Labour leader will make the left-of-center case for AI, arguing it should be harnessed to support workers and start-ups, not “those who already hold wealth and power.” Acknowledging the “disruptive” power of tech, he will say: “The question facing our country is who will benefit from this disruption? Will it leave some behind, as happened with de-industrialization across vast swathes of our country? Or can it help build a society where everyone is included, and inequalities are narrowed not widened?”

The Labour case: Starmer will add that oppo Sunak lacks credibility in this area, saying the AI White Paper is out of date two months after it was produced. He will add: “I do say to him, it’s all very well having these ambitions, but if they’re not matched with actions at home, we won’t have credibility on the world stage.” 

For the people: In an op-ed in the Independent, Starmer expands on the idea, saying Britain mustn’t allow AI to fuel unemployment. “We must also learn from the deindustrialization of the ’80s and tech revolution of the ’90s, a time when manual and clerical jobs were being automated … We cannot afford to make the same mistake again. AI must work for working people.” 

Shad Cab day out: From LTV, Starmer and his Shadow Cabinet will drop in on Google’s HQ in central London. They’ll meet with senior execs and hear about the potential of AI-enabled tech. He’ll then be shown the Accessibility Discovery Centre London to see how Google is partnering with charities to build accessible technology.

Back in the QE2: In his own LTW speech, Shapps will announce £4.3 million funding for top U.K. universities and tech businesses to develop solar satellite technology, promising to help them “boldly go” into space exploration. He will pledge to help space-based solar power “achieve lift-off.” There will presumably be more space-based puns. The Mail has a write-up.

More Shapps: The business sec was interviewed by my colleague Charlie Cooper and said Britain did not need further green subsidies to achieve net zero. Full story here. 

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DREAM TEAM: Tony Blair and former foe William Hague have teamed up to produce a new report on AI. The two big beasts set out practical steps for how Britain can become an “AI superpower” by transforming how governments use technology. In a joint foreword, they say: “Society is about to be radically reshaped, requiring a more strategic state and a fundamental change in how we plan for the future.” The Times carries the report on its front.

DATA DAY: Leading academics have signed a letter organized by the Minderoo Center for Technology and Democracy at the University of Cambridge, urging acting Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Chloe Smith to increase social media data access to ensure democratic oversight. The letter argues data access keeps people safe online and means the U.K. remains one of the most innovative places for research. 

TASKFORCE LEAD: My Morning Tech colleague Joseph Bambridge messages to say he hears Sky is on the money in tipping entrepreneur Ian Hogarth to lead the government’s Foundation Model Taskforce. Hogarth founded the concert discovery website Songkick and more recently backed a number of AI ventures. Here’s his recent essay for the FT setting out his views, and fears, regarding AI.

LABOUR LAND

PART OF THE UNION: Paul Nowak became the first TUC leader for a decade to address the PLP last night — a sign that all is well-ish between the movement and the party. He told MPs Labour’s program for government was one the unions could unite around. And he called on the leadership to tell business when it had got things wrong, “engage in a national conversation around tax,” and work in partnership with the public sector workforce.

OUT IN THE REGIONS: Starmer has an extensive regional round of interviews based around his Green Prosperity Plan, including with the Coventry Telegraph, where he discusses Labour’s commitment to a giga-factory in the West Mids, and the Hartlepool Mail and Yorkshire Post where steel was his main concern. He told the YP: “If we are able to move at pace to green steel, then we don’t just preserve the steel jobs we got, we will create the steel jobs of the future.”

YOU’RE NO. 1: The European Union would be a Labour government’s “number one priority,” Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy told PoliticsHome.

COVID INQUIRY

COVID, PART ONE: The first public hearings of the COVID inquiry begin this morning, with a film featuring testimonies from the bereaved. That will be followed by opening statements from lawyers for the core participants. The first stage of the inquiry is examining the U.K.’s resilience and preparedness before the pandemic.

The people who matter: The Mirror’s front page makes the point that as politicians squabble, bereaved families are waiting for answers about what exactly transpired inside No. 10 as the pandemic struck. 

HOT DOCS: The Telegraph has got hold of internal Department of Health guidance for officials preparing documentation for the inquiry, showing that material deemed “extremely problematic” or even helpful to former Health Secretary Matt Hancock should be labeled “boiling.”

No protective ring: In the Guardian, Care Minister Helen Whately seems to be distancing herself from Hancock’s claim that the government threw a “protective ring around care homes” at the start of the pandemic. She says she preferred to “use my own words which is that I look back on doing everything I felt that we could to help care homes and social care more broadly at an incredibly difficult time.”

ALWAYS A BREXIT LINE: The i says that the inquiry will explore the connection between Britain’s departure from the EU — which was finalized two days before the first coronavirus cases were confirmed in the U.K. — and the government’s response to the pandemic.

NEXT STEPS: The TUC and others are due to give evidence this week on how prepared the U.K. was for the virus. Lawyers for groups affected by COVID, including bereaved families, will also speak. Former PM David Cameron, ex-Chancellor George Osborne and then-Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt are expected to be called next week.

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TODAY IN WESTMINSTER

ABOUT TIME: More people criminalized for gay sex in the past can have their convictions wiped from their record, the Home Office announced. Women as well as men can now seek redress if convicted or cautioned under any repealed or abolished offenses related to same-sex activity. Previously, only men were able to apply, under a specified list of offenses. The Guardian has the details.

SLAP DOWN: Judges will have greater powers to dismiss lawsuits designed purely to evade scrutiny or stifle free speech, under government plans to amend the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill. Legal cases referred to as Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) can be used aggressively by wealthy individuals to financially exhaust opponents. The Daily Mail has more.

HOSPITAL HUBBUB: Six ambulance hubs and 42 upgraded discharge lounges will open at hospitals across the country backed by nearly £50 million of government investment to cut waiting times, the Department of Health announces today.

PRITI SERIOUS: The i’s fascinating exposure of an alleged Russian intelligence officer living in the U.K. with his family under the Homes for Ukraine scheme has a tantalizing detail about a high-level quarrel. Leveling-Up Secretary Michael Gove and former Home Secretary Priti Patel are said to have clashed over the extent of security checks that should be carried out on applicants to the Homes for Ukraine scheme, the i was told. A senior Home Office official said the pair butt heads over security vetting delaying the processing of applicants, describing it as a “bloody mess.”

TAXING TIMES: Council tax has increased by 79 percent in real terms since its introduction in 1993-94, according to a TaxPayers’ Alliance analysis. The organization found the average band D council tax bill more than tripled to over £2,000. The Daily Express has the details.

U.S. IN FOCUS: Transatlantic trade group BritishAmerican Business hosts its annual summit in London today. Ahead of the event, BAB released a report showing that U.S. companies’ confidence in the U.K. has dropped for a third year in a row due to concerns about Brexit, growth prospects and tax increases. The FT has a write-up.

ROUGH JUSTICE: The Sun has got hold of Home Office stats showing that hundreds of rape trials collapsed the day before they were due to go to court.

NOT IN WESTMINSTER, BUT: Unison’s annual conference begins in Liverpool.

SW1 EVENTS: The Institute for Government discusses what makes a successful special adviser with speakers including Labour peer and Tony Blair’s former Director of Government Relations Sally Morgan from 1.30 p.m. … Onward holds a session on how the U.K. can better support innovative firms to grow with Economic Secretary to the Treasury Andrew Griffith and DSIT Minister George Freeman from 4 p.m. … The IPPR launches Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee’s book — “An Uneasy Inheritance: My Family and Other Radicals” — from 6 p.m. … and WPI Strategy hosts its second Tech Leaders’ Network drinks event, including a speech from Shadow Culture Secretary Lucy Powell.

CHINESE TAKEAWAY: The Procurement Bill returns to the Commons, with China hawks including former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith eager to see the form of promised government concessions. If the bill has not been changed to their satisfaction, IDS will submit amendments when it returns to the Lords.

HOUSE OF COMMONS: Sits from 11.30 a.m. with FCDO questions followed by Tory MP Richard Graham’s 10-minute rule bill on spiking … and the main business is the Procurement Bill. Tory MP Bill Wiggin has the adjournment debate on heating rural homes.

WESTMINSTER HALL: Debates from 9.30 a.m. appraisals for cancer medicine (led by the DUP’s Jim Shannon) … regulation of cryptocurrency (led by SNP MP Lisa Cameron) … and government policy on tackling rogue builders (led by Tory MP Mark Garnier).

On Committee corridor: BBC Director-General Tim Davie is among those speaking to the culture, media and sport committee about the work of the BBC (10 a.m.) … Ofsted Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman speaks to the education committee about reforms to the children’s social care sector (10 a.m.) … The business and trade committee hears from CBI representatives (10 a.m.) … Tory peer James O’Shaughnessy speaks to the Lords’ science and technology committee about the independent review into U.K. clinical trials (10.15 a.m.) … FCDO Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan gives evidence to the foreign affairs committee about critical minerals (3 p.m.) … and the Lords’ economic affairs committee questions Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey (3 p.m.).

HOUSE OF LORDS: Sits from 2.30 p.m. with oral questions on the impact of voter ID rules , a review of the renewable transport fuel obligation and an assessment of the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam in Ukraine and the international response … and then the main business is the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill at committee stage, the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Bill at committee stage and the third day of the Financial Services and Markets Bill at report stage.

BEYOND THE M25

SNP UPDATE: Nicola Sturgeon has no plans to resign the SNP whip following her arrest and release without charge Sunday, despite two senior party figures calling for her to do so, Kieran Andrews and John Boothman report on the front of The Times’ Scottish edition. After successor Humza Yousaf rejected calls to suspend his former mentor, “figures close to” the new leader tell the paper it would be easier if she were to stand aside voluntarily. However, “her allies” believe doing so would expose damaging internal divisions. Full story here. 

Not normal: The FT’s Stephen Bush has a nice piece on Sturgeon’s ability to portray the abnormal as normal — including with the unorthodox arrangement of running a country via a narrow clique that included her husband.

BIG BEN: Defense Secretary and (undeclared) aspiring NATO boss Ben Wallace is in Amsterdam attending a meeting of Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Defense Ministers — there’s a press conference at 4 p.m. U.K. time.

ITALY MOURNS: Fans of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi gathered outside his official residence in Arcore, in Lombardy, to pay their respects. Berlusconi’s coffin will remain at the villa until his state funeral on Wednesday. The i has the details — and my POLITICO colleague Paul Dallison runs through his nine most controversial moments.

ALL EYES ON MIAMI: Donald Trump appears at Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Courthouse in Miami faced with dozens of charges related to retaining classified information. It marks the first-ever federal criminal prosecution against a former U.S. president — the BBC has a write-up.

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MEDIA ROUND

Shadow Culture Secretary Lucy Powell broadcast round: Times Radio (7.50 a.m.) … Sky News (8.05 a.m.) … LBC News (8.20 a.m.) … TalkTV (8.45 a.m.) … GB News (9.05 a.m.).

Also on Sky News Breakfast: Tory peer James Bethell (7.20 a.m.) … Former Victims’ Commissioner Vera Baird (7.45 a.m.).

Also on TalkTV Breakfast: Former Gordon Brown adviser Michael Jacobs (7.05 a.m.) … Tory MP John Redwood (7.20 a.m.) …  Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde John Curtice (8.05 a.m.) … Former Downing Street Director of Communications Guto Harri (8.30 a.m.) … Tory MP Craig Mackinlay (9.05 a.m.).

Also on Times Radio breakfast: Keith Brown, deputy leader of the SNP (8.35 a.m.) … Clare Gerada, president of the Royal College of GPs (8.45 a.m.).

Today program: Former head of the UK Border Force Tony Smith and Lucy Moreton of ISU (7.30 a.m.) … Labour MP Diana Johnson (8.10 a.m.) … former FBI Director James Comey (8.35 a.m.) … Tory MP Tim Loughton (8.40 a.m.).

Nick Ferrari at Breakfast: Tory peer Andrew Robathan (7.07 a.m.) … Just Stop Oil spokesperson Zoe Cohen (8.07 a.m.).

Good Morning Britain: Barrister Michael Mansfield (7.25 a.m.) … Lawyer Charlotte Proudman (8.10 a.m.) … Ecotricity founder Dale Vince (8.20 a.m.) … Money-saving expert Martin Lewis (8.45 a.m.).

BBC Breakfast: The Institute for Government’s Emma Norris (7.30 a.m.).

Politics Live (BBC Two 12.15 p.m.): Craig Mackinlay … Shadow Home Office Minister Sarah Jones … Times Radio’s Ayesha Hazarika … ConHome’s Henry Hill.

TODAY’S FRONT PAGES

POLITICO UK: Britain’s so over Boris Johnson.

Daily Express: Boris — Believe me … I shall return to frontline politics.

Daily Mail: A vision of Keir’s Britain?

Daily Mirror: They deserve better.

Daily Star: UFO crash hushed up by the Pope.

Financial Times: MPs to grill City watchdog over Odey investigation.

i: The Russian ‘agent’ living in U.K. with his family … thanks to Homes for Ukraine.

Metro: All out war.

The Daily Telegraph: Hunt — I’ll put us on path to lower tax.

The Guardian: Outrage as woman jailed for abortion after legal cut-off.

The Independent: Boris — I didn’t ask PM to bend honours rules … ‘he’s talking rubbish.’

The Sun: Having treble, Jack?

The Times: Ex-PM was not told he had obeyed COVID rules.

LONDON CALLING

WESTMINSTER WEATHER: Sunny with a moderate breeze. Highs of 28C.

IN MEMORIAM: Stanley Clinton-Davis, the former Labour MP and peer, has died aged 94. Clinton-Davis represented Hackney Central from 1970 to 1983, serving as a minister in the Wilson, Callaghan and Blair governments as well as being a European commissioner. Mayor of Hackney Philip Glanville paid tribute to him.

SPOTTED … attending the FA, Football Foundation and Premier League’s event in parliament yesterday afternoon to promote grassroots football, with around 50 MPs dropping in to hear about grassroots football facilities in their constituencies: Sports Minister Stuart Andrew … Transport Minister Richard Holden … Tory MPs Tracey Crouch, Conor Burns and Damian Green … Shadow Climate Change and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband … Shadow Defense Secretary John Healey … Labour MPs Kim Leadbeater and Ian Lavery … Former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron … Women and equalities committee Chair Caroline Nokes … and special guest former professional football player John Barnes.

Also spotted … at the CPS’ private dinner rounding off the Margaret Thatcher Conference on Opportunity featuring a speech from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt: Ministers Greg Hands, Jeremy Quin, James Davies and Steve Baker … 1922 committee Chair Graham Brady … Tory MPs Alan Mak, Andrea Jenkyns, Anthony Mangnall, Chris Green, Harriett Baldwin, Jack Lopresti, Jackie Doyle-Price, Jo Gideon, Jonathan Djanogly, Mark Jenkinson, Mark Logan, Matt Warman, Nigel Mills, George Eustice, John Redwood, Robert Goodwill, Robert Syms, Bill Cash, Tom Randall and Tim Loughton … Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans … Tory peers Theodore Agnew, Jonathan Hill and Michael Spencer … SpAds Adam Memon, Alice Hopkin, Beatrice Timpson, Callum Price, Caroline Elsom, Dylan Sharpe, Ed de Minckwitz, Francesca Fraser, Guy Miscampbell, Iain Carter, James Heywood, Jock McMillan, Joel Winton, Katie Lam, Lawrence Abel, Lucy Noakes, Meera Vadher, Oliver Legard, Peter Quentin, Rebecca Macintyre, Robyn Staveley, Sally Rushton and Sam Hamilton …

And breathe: … Hacks Alys Denby, Amy Gibbons, Annabel Denham, Christopher Hope, Francis Dearnley, James Heale, Jeremy Warner, John Ashmore, Kate Andrews, Katy Balls, Lewis Page, Louise Clarence-Smith, Madeline Grant, Michael Mosbacher, Mutaz Ahmed, Paul Goodman, Sam Ashworth-Hayes, Sherelle Jacobs, Szu Ping Chan and William Atkinson … KCL’s Jon Davis … PricedOut’s Freddie Poser … Onward’s Sebastian Payne … and the CPS’ Bryony Betts, Camille Cross, Dillon Smith, Elizabeth Dunkley, Emma Revell, Eugenie de Naurois, Josh Coupland, Karl Williams, Mark Lehain, Matthew Feeney, Nick King, Robert Colvile, Samuel Hughes, Tom Clougherty and Vincent Folléa.

NEW GIG: Crossbench peer and former National Security Adviser Peter Ricketts has been appointed chair of the Lords’ European affairs committee, taking over from crossbench peer Charles Hay.

BOOK BONANZA: “Korea: A New History of South and North” by Victor Cha and Ramon Pacheco Pardo is published by Yale University Press … and “End Times: Elites, Counter-Elites and the Path of Political Disintegration” by Peter Turchin is released by Allen Lane.

AUDIO TREAT: Inside Whitehall’s James Starkie and Jonathan Gullis speak to the Sunday Times’ Tim Shipman about the art of political writing, including a sneak preview of his forthcoming book.

NOAH’S CULTURE FIX: King’s College London launches Ukraine at War, a photographic exhibition by renowned conflict photographer Adam Dobby at 7 p.m. at The Exchange, Bush House North East Wing — a 24-minute walk from Westminster.

NOW WATCH: Comedian and impressionist Matt Forde performs at the Tommyfield in Kennington from 8 p.m.

JOB ADS: The House of Commons is looking for a digital lead (research and information communications) … and the DfE is hiring a policy and program adviser HEO.

NOW READ: Bloomberg explores how the death of Silvio Berlusconi could reshape the media and business empire in Italy.

BIRTHDAYS: Former opposition Chief Whip Nick Brown … Newbury MP Laura Farris … Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon … Tory peer and former Defense Secretary Tom King turns 90 … Founder of the Independent Andreas Whittam Smith.

PLAYBOOK COULDN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT: My editor Emma Anderson, reporter Noah Keate and producer Dato Parulava.

Note: this edition of Playbook has been edited to correct a misattributed quote.

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