Dear readers,
I’m in London again this week for some fascinating meetings with the powerless faces and faceless power of British politics. In a wonderful piece of political theater, former (short-lived) Prime Minister Liz Truss declared that being compared to a lettuce was definitely, absolutely, most certainly NOT funny! Which, of course, is really quite funny.
Back on the Continent, POLITICO had a hugely successful week at Cannes Lions — the annual schmoozefest for the advertising and marketing world. Our parent company, Axel Springer, had a big presence in the heart of the action where our executive editor and head of audio, Anne McElvoy, interviewed some fascinating guests as part of our “power hour” sessions.
These sessions also marked the pre-launch of Anne’s Power Play podcast, which is scheduled for launch in the coming months and will bring you high-level interviews with the world’s top power players.
One interview with Russian dissident Anastasia Shevchenko was particularly moving. Ms. Shevchenko is the first person in Russia to have a criminal case brought against her on charges of participating in an “undesirable” organization under Russian Federation law. She talked about how her disabled daughter died while she was in prison and how she remains prominent in the Russian opposition from abroad. Even hardened journalists in the audience were left in tears.
Other guests for the upcoming Power Play podcast launch included Kathryn Murdoch, entrepreneur and daughter-in-law of Rupert Murdoch, who was watched from the audience by her husband James Murdoch.
Power Play executive producer Cristina Gonzalez chaired a fantastic panel on sport and diplomacy so it was an all-round triumph for Team POLITICO.
Speaking of the Riviera and POLITICO podcasts, our Westminster Insider pod broke a nice scoop on aspiring British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s criminal past. Apparently he had a brush with French police over the illegal sale of ice creams during a student lads’ holiday to the Côte d’Azur.
And lastly, we had this gem of a story after Russian mercenary warlord Yevgeny Prighozin sarcastically demanded POLITICO help him secure F-35 fighter jets — via my home country of New Zealand, which actually doesn’t even have an air force any more. Prigozhin has since caused more chaos, declaring war Friday night on Russia’s own military leadership.
Keep cool and carry on this weekend. I’m in America and Finland next week so the excellent Kate Day, POLITICO’s deputy editor in chief in Europe, will bring you this newsletter next time.
Bon weekend,
Jamil
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EDITOR’S CHOICE
Inside Ukraine’s first day as an EU member
This is a beautifully written example of futurology blended with reporting to map the consequences of Ukraine joining the EU. We introduced readers to the prospect of a Ukraine-Poland bloc in the European Council and explained how Brussels would cope with a new farming superpower. Read the story.
Hook, line and sinker: How Brexit betrayed the UK fishing industry
A gripping deep dive (sorry!) into the North Sea disaster that has hit U.K. fishermen since Brexit. We managed to dovetail the hard facts and gritty detail of post-Brexit trading rules with colorful anecdotes and the sheer humanity of those affected. Read the story.
How US-made sniper ammunition ends up in Russian rifles
This investigation revealed a bullet-sized gap in the West’s sanctions on Russia. Using government import regulations, POLITICO showed how U.S. and EU-made ammunition is making its way into Russia, and likely into the rifles of Russian snipers. The diligent reporting included a request for comment from Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, who answered with a sarcastic voice message asking POLITICO for F-35 fighter jets. Read the story.
Non-performing banker: The mysterious swindling of the EU and the Bank of Italy
An in-depth, scoopy, fun feature on a topic that’s not very fun at all: European officials behaving badly. This top story about an economist we could only refer to as “G” who plundered hundreds of thousands of euros while advising an EU committee over several years — and then managed to land a job at the European Commission anyway — was the sort of journalism POLITICO does best: shining a spotlight on those who would normally be in the shadows, and holding them accountable. Read the story.
Britain’s mortgage crisis could destroy Rishi Sunak. Why won’t he act?
The U.K. team has been on fire this week dealing with the U.K.’s imminent mortgage crisis. I think our best work often comes when we put policy news in a political context (or vice versa). The teamwork here to dissect the coming apocalypse and what it means for Rishi Sunak is an excellent example of this. Read the story.
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EU capitals want media law carve-out to spy on reporters
We spotted an intriguing push by France to keep the power to snoop on journalists with hacking software. A great policy story that shines a light on the broader theme of how France is slipping when it comes to press freedom and surveillance protections. Read the story.
What genocide? Volkswagen’s morally expensive bet on China
This article used the example of Volkswagen’s investment in the Xinjiang region of China as an illustration of why Germany will struggle as the West tries to de-risk its supply chain from authoritarian governments like the one in Beijing. Activists argue that by maintaining the facility, the car company — and by extension Berlin, which supported its investments — is providing political cover for a campaign of mass detention, reeducation and forced labor that the United States has described as genocide of the Uyghur ethnic minority. Read the story.
YOUR WEEKEND PLAYLIST
EU Confidential: Europe’s new Marshall Plan: making a bet on Ukraine
This week’s EU Confidential episode comes to you from London, where the Ukraine Recovery Conference has just wrapped up. Ukraine may still be fighting a war, but already a conversation has started about how to rebuild the country. It’s a mammoth task — the price tag is already a cool $411 billion, according to the World Bank, United Nations and European Commission, a figure that will only increase as the war grinds on. Suzanne caught up with European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis on the sidelines of the conference, about the EU’s proposed €50 billion package for Ukraine. POLITICO’s Paola Tamma also joins us to discuss how the EU’s package will work in practice, and some of the challenges ahead. Finally, we hear from Oleksandra Azarkhina, Ukraine’s deputy minister for communities, territories and infrastructure development, about the reality for Ukraine as it tries to rebuild amid ongoing war. Listen to the episode.
Westminster Insider: The real Keir Starmer: Part I
In the first part of a major profile of Labour leader Keir Starmer, podcast hosts Ailbhe Rea and Aggie Chambre take a deeper look at the man hoping to become Britain’s next prime minister. Starting their journey from the kitchen of the house in Surrey where Starmer grew up, they follow his path through childhood and university toward a stellar legal career. Andrew Cooper, a schoolfriend who would go on to be an adviser to Prime Minister David Cameron, reveals the early antics — and politics — of the young Starmer, while John Murray, a university pal, lifts the lid on their laddish student life. Ken Macdonald, a crossbench peer and Starmer’s predecessor as DPP, recalls Starmer’s approach at the Bar. Denis Bradley, former vice chair of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, explains the tricky role Starmer took on as human rights adviser in Northern Ireland following the Good Friday Agreement. The Times’ Tom Witherow evaluates Starmer’s record as DPP, while Scarlett MccGwire, a legendary Labour aide, reveals how Starmer finally began to make inroads into the world of politics. Listen to the episode.
DECLASSIFIED
Who’s the most macho politician of them all? It has to be Emmanuel ‘beer-downer’ Macron. Declassified has more.
Caption competition
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“The latest Mission: Impossible movie — ‘Not Completely Sure If Italy Will Toe The Line On The Rule Of Law’ — looks awful.“
Can you do better? Email [email protected] or on Twitter @pdallisonesque
Last week we gave you this photo:
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Thanks for all the entries. Here’s the best from our postbag — there’s no prize except for the gift of laughter, which I think we can all agree is far more valuable than cash or booze.
“Sold for $60 to the gentleman in the front row! Classified document number 47 on U.S. nuclear capacity,” by Tom Morgan.
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