Joe Biden heads for Israel following Gaza hospital atrocity – POLITICO

Good morning. This is Rosa Prince.

DRIVING THE DAY

TOUCH DOWN IN HELL: Joe Biden touches down in Israel this morning in a region gripped by violence and death. The U.S. president said he was “outraged and deeply saddened by the explosion” which left hundreds dead at the Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza. Biden was forced to abandon a planned summit in Jordan to meet Arab leaders, after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas pulled out of the gathering in response to the tragedy. 

On the agenda: Biden will see Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a private session before meeting the full war cabinet. After that, he will greet some first responders, and some of the families of those whose loved ones are believed lost or held hostage. He is expected to make public remarks later in the day, followed by a short meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Instead of face-to-face meetings, he will now make calls to Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on his return journey.

The aim: What does Biden hope to achieve? My POLITICO colleagues in Washington, Alexander Ward and Jonathan Lemire, say he wishes not only to stand with Israel but also to make clear to Netanyahu that he will not allow the U.S. to be bogged down in a wider regional conflict that could derail his domestic agenda.

Don’t lose sight of: How extraordinary it is for an octogenarian president to fly into what has become a war zone in the space of 10 days. It’s also a dangerous place even for someone with as much personal protection as a world leader — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s plane had to be evacuated at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport Tuesday evening due to rocket attacks.

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Blame game: Hamas accused Israel of carrying out an air strike on the hospital, where thousands of Gazans were sheltering, leading to mass loss of life and further appalling suffering. Israel continues to insist however that it was not responsible. IDF spokesman Jonathan Conricus posted footage he suggested could show a failed rocket fired by Islamic Jihad, a group allied with Hamas.

Heartbreak: Disturbing images from the hospital continued to appear overnight, and feature in all the newspapers. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Labour leader Keir Starmer both tweeted their sympathies. Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf, whose in-laws are trapped in Gaza, also tweeted about the attack, saying: “There can be no justification for this. None whatsoever. If people can not be safe in a hospital, where can they?”

IN DC: British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps is in Washington meeting his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin and American lawmakers. POLITICO’s Tim Ross and Alex Ward caught up with Shapps as he visited the U.K. Embassy as news of the hospital strike began to emerge. 

Keep it legal: While Shapps did not comment specifically on the hospital incident, he did insist that he tells Israeli ministers privately as well as publicly that Britain backs their right to target Hamas, in a “proportionate” way. “The U.K. believes that Israel absolutely has a right to go after Hamas, a terrorist organization who’s just swept in and killed probably 1,500 people, maimed and injured many more,” he said. “Judgements about how that’s done, as long as it’s within international humanitarian laws, are for Israel …  I say the same thing in private as I do in public, which is, under international humanitarian law, ensure it’s proportionate, but there’s a job to be done.”

Boots off the ground: Shapps is among the British ministers ringing round Middle East governments trying to prevent the conflict spiraling out of control. “Deterrence,” he said, was the main reason why he’s sent military assets to the region. But what if it does escalate, with, say Iran or Hezbollah joining the war in a major way? Can he rule out sending Western or British troops? “There’s certainly no plans to put boots on the ground,” Shapps said. Which of course isn’t a guarantee. 

All about deterrence: “We’ve sent ships, we’ve sent aircraft, and helicopters, there’s marines. We have broadened our support in a variety of different locations in the Middle East. Why have we done that? Number one: deterrence. Let’s not have anyone look at this and think this is an opportunity for us to get involved and stir things up.” 

Shapps slaps Simpson: Amid the ongoing row about the BBC’s decision not to describe Hamas as “terrorists,” Shapps criticized journalist John Simpson for comparing the BBC’s reporting of Hamas to the way the corporation described the Nazis during World War II. “John Simpson, who’s a journalist who I hugely have always admired, must know as well as anyone else does that when you start to cite the Nazis in any argument you’ve basically lost it. Parliament has defined them as a terrorist organization, Ofcom have confirmed that the BBC is wrong to claim that Ofcom won’t let them call them terrorists. I think it’s time for the BBC to move on.”

On Shapps’ agenda: Today Shapps will meet Defense Secretary Austin and other military leaders at the Pentagon before laying a wreath at the Arlington National Cemetery and undertaking a tour of U.S. broadcasters. As well as expressing support for Israel, he will urge Americans not to forget the conflict in Ukraine.

PMQS: The crisis in Israel and Gaza is sure to dominate PMQs, which returns at noon after a month’s hiatus. What might have been expected to be a full throated post conference knockabout featuring jibes about HS2 and glitter will take on a more somber tone following the events of the last 10 days or so. Expect some statesmanlike performances from MPs eager to show they understand the gravity of the situation.

Heading home: The Foreign Office Tuesday night briefed that 900 British citizens have now been flown out of Israel, with all those who registered as wishing to leave allocated seats. The booking portal will close at 10 a.m. U.K. time, and nationals who wish to fly have been told to prepare to travel in the next 24 hours.

Expect Sunak to be asked: What assistance the prime minister can give to nationals trapped in Gaza, including Brits thought to be among the Israeli hostages being held there.

Will the consensus hold?: While the consensus between the front benches of the two main parties seems to be holding over the desirability of supporting Israel in its right to defend itself against Hamas, keep an eye on the Labour back benches, where murmurs about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza will only grow louder following the hospital attack. 

Indeed: Both the Telegraph and FT report disquiet among some Labour councilors about the leadership’s stance in unswervingly siding with Israel.

Perhaps with this in mind: Labour leader Keir Starmer met Tuesday with NGOs operating in the Palestinian territories to discuss the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. An aide told Playbook he: “listened to their moving testimony of staff who had been displaced and killed whilst trying to ease the desperate plight of those innocent Palestinians civilians, including children, caught up in this humanitarian emergency.” 

FIVE EYES: Domestic lone wolf terrorists could be radicalized and “inspired” by the events in Gaza and Israel, the head of MI5, Ken McCallum, has said. Speaking to journalists during an unprecedented gathering of the Five Eyes group of intelligence allies in California, the spymaster said: “There clearly is the possibility that profound events in the Middle East will either generate more volume of U.K. threat and/or change its shape in terms of what is being targeted, in terms of how people are taking inspiration.” The Times has more.

Middle East protests: Fires were lit during protests outside the U.S. embassy in Beirut Tuesday night, with demonstrators also taking to the streets in Jordon, Morocco, Libya, Iran and Turkey.

HAMAS AND HEZBOLLAH: In an interview with POLITICO’S Jamie Dettmer, Ahmed Abdul-Hadi, the head of Hamas’ political bureau in Beirut, said the terror group was now working with its ally Hezbollah on their next steps, and are in “full cooperation.” The full piece is well worth a read.

PROSCRIBE THE IRGC: PolHome’s Tom Scotson has spoken to Tory MPs calling for Iran’s revolutionary guard to be proscribed as a terrorist organization.

TODAY IN WESTMINSTER

INFLATION NATION: Latest inflation figures are released by the Office for National Statistics here around now. These are important for determining pension and benefit levels. Remember, under the triple lock (which ministers seem to be sticking to for now) pensions rise by the highest of inflation, measured by the September consumer price index (CPI), earnings or 2.5 percent. CPI was 6.7 percent in August, a fair bit lower than earnings at 8.5 percent. So without a major leap, that should mean a decent pension hike for OAPs come April.

But but but: As MoneySavingExpert suggests, there have however been whispers that ministers could strip bonuses out of the earnings figures when it comes to calculating the triple lock, taking this metric down to 7.8 percent, a difference of nearly a pound a week. 

Feeling the benefit: Benefits including universal credit are usually increased in line with CPI — although ministers will need to confirm this.

BUILD IT, BABY: The twice a decade report of the National Infrastructure Commission is published today, providing a big picture assessment of the state of the nation’s building projects. There’s tons of different angles and plenty of meat to get stuck into depending on your diet of choice. The Guardian has a comprehensive write-up here.

Among the lines: The Beeb’s Faisel Islam is told by Commission Chair John Armitt that the government should pause the sale of land purchased for the now dumped construction of the northern leg of HS2 in order to keep all options open; the Mail picks up on a line that the cost of reaching net zero by measures including switching households to heat pumps could cost a trillion pounds by 2050; several papers point to the commission’s warning that congestion charging will be necessary in our biggest cities to stop gridlock. 

The response: Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said the report vindicated “Labour’s plans to get Britain building again,” adding: “There is no doubt we need a transformation in the U.K’s approach to infrastructure to drive investment and growth across Britain.” A government spokesperson said: “Delivering high quality infrastructure is the foundation of our future growth. Our Network North plan will deliver the transport that matters most to people and we’re adopting a fairer and more pragmatic approach to meeting net zero that supports households and families to make greener choices whilst easing the burdens on working people.”

Got any spare change? Tory MP Ben Bradley, who is running to be East Midlands mayor, writes in the Express about what Sunak could spend the dosh saved from HS2 on. 

RENTERS REDUX: The Renters (Reform) Bill, which includes a ban on no fault evictions, lives to fight another day after the FT reported that Leveling-Up Secretary Michael Gove overturned opposition from Tory MP landlords to persuade Rishi Sunak to introduce the measure. Playbook was separately told by a government insider that the bill will return for a second reading next week, before a “carry over motion” allowing it to return in the next parliamentary session. Tom Darling, campaign manager for the Renters’ Reform Coalition, told Playbook: “These are basic reforms to renting which were in the government’s 2019 manifesto, so there is no pat on the back for the fact it is reported we will get a second reading after years of delays.”

MAKING THE CHANGE: Women should be offered support with the menopause with regular GP checks to stop them checking out of the workplace, the menopause APPG says in a report today. The Mail has more.

NO PASSAGE TO INDIA: Hopes that Rishi Sunak could sign off on a trade deal with India during the Cricket World Cup are fading, the FT reports, due to a lack of progress in allowing British access to Indian markets in professional services such as law and accountancy.

NO LAUGHING MATTER: Possession of nitrous oxide — aka laughing gas — will be illegal from November 8, with repeat users facing up to two years in prison and dealers up to 14 years, the Home Office announces today, as part of a drive to tackle antisocial behavior.

ROUGH JUSTICE: Shadow Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood tells the Mirror how her parents’ corner shop in Birmingham was repeatedly robbed and the family subjected to racial abuse.

FUTURE LEADERS: The Future Leaders program launches a collection of essays written by Conservative and Labour candidates with a forward from William Hague from 6 p.m. Deets here.

SEEKING JUSTICE: The Supreme Court ruling is published into a judicial review requested by the family of Sean Eugene Dalton, who died in an IRA bomb in 1988, amid claims the RUC had prior knowledge of the attack.

SPOOKY: In Dominic Cummings’ latest substack, which includes his musings on HS2, a new book on the “U.S. deep state,” and Apple’s management structure, he says he’s due to appear before the Covid Inquiry on October 31 … Halloween.

BROKEN BRITAIN: Ministers have agreed to meet hospital consultants in a bid to bring to an end the long running doctors’ strikes. More in the Telegraph.

SW1 EVENTS: Reform hosts a discussion on preventative healthcare at 2 p.m. with Heath and Social Care Committee Chair Steve Brine and former Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt … Onward hosts its latest event for young politicos, with Rishi Sunak’s PPS Craig Williams, from 6 p.m. Register here … Bright Blue holds a panel discussion on unlocking clean steel at 6.30 p.m. with Conservative MP Robert Buckland, Labour’s Stephen Kinnock and the Green Alliance’s Roz Bulleid. More info here.

HOUSE OF COMMONS: Sits from 11.30 a.m. with Wales questions followed by PMQs at noon and Siobhain McDonagh‘s 10 minute rule bill on brain tumors …  and then the main business is consideration of Lords amendments to the Energy Bill followed by a debate to approve the Draft Airports Slot Allocation moved by Transport Secretary Mark Harper. Tory MP Mark Menzies has the adjournment debate on the South Fylde Line.

WESTMINSTER HALL: Debates from 9.30 a.m. on U.K. support for stability in Libya (led by Labour MP Fabian Hamilton) … impact of staffing changes on railway stations in Cumbria (led by Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron) … the contribution of ports to green energy (led by Conservative MP Stephen Crabb) … business banking and undesignated accounts (Conservative MP Kelly Tolhurst) … hate crime against the LGBT+ community (Labour MP Stephen Doughty).

On Committee corridor: The Defra committee holds a session on XL bully dogs (9.30 a.m) … the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee hears from NUF President Minette Batters (9.30 a.m) … the Transport Committee holds an evidence session on this summer’s air traffic control disruption (9.30 a.m) … First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford appears before the Welsh Affairs Committee (9.30 a.m) … British Museum Chair of Trustees George Osborne appears before the CMS committee to discuss the theft or loss of items from the collection (10 a.m) … Broadcasters Naga Munchetty and Vicky Pattison discuss their experiences of gynecological health before the Women and Equalities Committee (10 a.m) … the government’s preferred candidate for Ofgem chair Mark McAllister appears before the Energy, Security and Net Zero Committee for a pre-appointment hearing (1.30 p.m) … The Joint Committee on Human Rights examines the U.K’s response to Daesh war crimes committed in Syria and Iraq by returned British nationals or residents (3 p.m).

HOUSE OF LORDS: Sits from 3 p.m. with oral questions before consideration of Commons amendments to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill followed by a short debate on musical education in schools.

ELECTIONS ELECTIONS

IT’S POLLING DAY: No, not in the two big by-elections — we’ve got another sleep to go for that — but in the polls that matter almost as much to MPs: the openings for the chairs of three cushdy — and well remunerated — Commons select committees. All three are eligible only for Labour candidates, although MPs of all parties can vote. Let’s go through each one.

Business and Trade Committee: The election is being held to replace Darren Jones, who went to the shadow front bench after showing what a platform the committee can be. He made a name for himself with some probing investigations and timely media interventions.

Runners and riders: Smart and switched on former Chief Secretary Liam Byrne will hope winning this plum role might finally make people forget about that note; former minister and ex-Shadow Business Secretary Angela Eagle is best known for challenging Jeremy Corbyn for the Labour leadership in 2016; they are joined by Corbyn-era shadow cabinet Minister Andy McDonald.

Standards committee: This election follows the departure of Chris Bryant to Keir Starmer’s shadow ministerial team, and comes as the issues of standards and punishments for errant MPs are high in the public attention, making the role an increasingly high profile one.

Runners and riders: Mother of the House Harriet Harman has a head start, having stood in for Bryant when he recused himself from the inquiry into suggestions ex-PM Boris Johnson misled the House. But given she is standing down at the next election, MPs may decide to go for rival Stella Creasy, who has campaigned on Commons reform, particularly for mothers. 

Petitions Committee: Outgoing Chair Catherine McKinnell also moved to a front bench role in Starmer’s shadow cabinet reshuffle last month. The Petitions Committee is one of the newer — and more low profile — committees, but is valued by voters for facilitating parliamentary discussion about the topics which matter to them.

Runners and riders: Former Shadow Equalities Ministers Marsha de Cordova and Cat Smith and former whip Liz Twist square off in this one.

THE OTHER ELECTIONS: Polls open in two knife edge by-elections in almost 24 hours, as voters in Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth select new MPs. Both are too close to call, with the Tories and Labour figures Playbook spoke to Tuesday engaging in some major expectation management, and even the eternally optimistic Lib Dems saying the race in the three-way contest of Mid Beds is wide open. 

What they want: Conservatives hope the Lib Dem and Labour failure to work tactically and divide and conquer by focusing on a seat each could mean they manage to hang on to one if not both of the two seats. One MP who has campaigned in Tamworth recently said: “It doesn’t feel like there will be many switching to Labour. I think a lot of Tory voters will stay home — it just depends how many.”

Labour dreams: One senior Labour figure told Playbook victory in either seat would be “a triumph” — failure to do so would dent the party’s ebullient post conference mood.  

Liberal Democrat land: With everything apparently to play for, former leader Tim Farron and Mid Beds candidate Emma Holland-Lindsay are heading to an animal center this morning to pose with the horses and declare the race “neck and neck.” One aide told Playbook: “We have never known this many undecided voters going into the last 24 hours of a by-election.”

CANDIDATES IN THE CROSSFIRE: The Conservative candidate in Mid Beds, Festus Akinbusoye, is facing questions in the Sun about whether he took leave from his role as Beds police and crime commissioner to campaign. And the Mirror claims the party’s candidate in Tamworth, Andrew Cooper, posted to social media a chart disparaging parents who can’t feed their children.

AND THE NATIONAL PICTURE? A new More in Common poll shows a narrowing in the gap between the two main parties, with Labour’s 12 point lead the lowest in the group’s polling since May. The party is on 42 percent to 30 percent for the Conservatives. Full details here. More in Common U.K. Director Luke Tryl said: “After months of stability, our latest poll shows a modest bump for the Conservatives and the lowest Labour lead since May. However, the stark fact is that following a party conference season that fired the starting gun on the next general election the Conservatives remain 12 points behind.”

**Jack and Sam welcome you into their homes as they discuss what’s coming up in Westminster politics. Join the conversation – they’ll keep you in the loop, and in great company. Subscribe here to be notified of new episodes.**

BEYOND THE M25

IN BELGIUM: The gunman who shot dead two Swedish football fans in Brussels Monday was well known to the authorities and considered a risk due to his alleged ties to jihadists, my POLITICO colleagues in the city report. 

IN THE US: Rightwinger Jim Jordan failed in his first bid to be elected speaker of the House of Representatives following the toppling of Kevin McCarthy earlier this month. My POLITICO colleagues Stateside have more. Another vote will be held today.

THE SMILING NEW FACE OF CHINESE INTERESTS IN THE INDO-PACIFIC: Former U.K. PM David Cameron has been enlisted to drum up foreign investment for a shiny Sri Lankan metropolis that critics fear may act as a Chinese military outpost, Playbook’s Eleni Courea reports. 

Wait, what? Cameron flew to the UAE last month to speak at two investment events for Colombo Port City, a multi billion-dollar plan to build a Chinese funded tax haven in Sri Lanka to rival Dubai and Singapore. Read the full story here.

DC in UAE: Dilum Amunugama, Sri Lanka’s investment minister who attended the events in UAE, told Eleni he believed Cameron was enlisted to convince foreign investors to put money into the project. “The main point he was trying to stress is that it is not a purely Chinese project, it is a Sri Lankan-owned project — and that is the main point I think the Chinese also wanted him to iron out,” Amunugama said. He added that the decision to involve Cameron “was taken by the Chinese company, not the government.” 

NB: Cameron’s spokesman said he had had no direct contact with either the Chinese government or the Chinese state-controlled firm building the project. His office said his involvement was secured via the Washington Speakers Bureau and the UAE investment events organized by KPMG Sri Lanka. 

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MEDIA ROUND

Economic Secretary Andrew Griffiths broadcast round: Times Radio (7 a.m.) … Sky News (7.20 a.m.) … Good Morning Britain (7.35 a.m.) … LBC (7.50 a.m.) … GB News (8.30 a.m.).

Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones broadcast round: Times Radio (7.50 a.m) … Sky News (8.05 a.m) … LBC (8.50 a.m.)…  ITN (9.15 a.m.).

Also on TalkTV Breakfast: Former CIA officer Glenn Carle (6.05 a.m.) … former Conservative adviser Ed Boyd (6.15 a.m.) … former Tory adviser Hugh Bennett (8.15 a.m.) … former MoD Head of Counterterrorism Chip Chapman (9.10 a.m.).

Also on Good Morning Britain: First Minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf (8.20 a.m.).

Also on Times Radio Breakfast: IDF spokesperson Peter Lerner (7.30 a.m.) … PLO Central Council member Mustafa Barghouti (8.30 a.m.).

Also on LBC News: Former U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Philip T. Reeker (7.20 a.m.) … former Conservative Minister Nick Boles (8.20 a.m.). 

Politics Live (BBC Two 11.15 p.m.): Conservative MP Tim Loughton … Labour MP Rosena Allin-Khan … Journalist Paul Mason … Sun on Sunday Pol Ed Kate Ferguson … Justice Minister Ed Argar … Shadow Culture Minister Chris Bryant.

TODAY’S FRONT PAGES

POLITICO UK: Hamas says it’s closely coordinating war’s next moves with Hezbollah in Lebanon

Daily Express: Hundreds die in huge blast at Gaza hospital.

Daily Mail: Hospital horror: who’s to blame?

Daily Mirror: This must end.

Daily Star: Invasion of the hairy clawed nippers.

Financial Times: Gaza health ministry says hundreds killed in Israeli air strike on hospital.

i: Hundreds killed sheltering in hospital — as Israel denies air strike.

Metro: Bring my baby home.

The Daily Telegraph: Biden visits Israel as hundreds die in Gaza hospital.

The Guardian: Hundreds feared dead in Gaza hospital strike.

The Independent: Hundreds killed in missile attack on Gaza hospital.

The Sun: Inside horror house where Brit girl, 13, was slain.

The Times: Outrage at hospital attack.

LONDON CALLING

WESTMINSTER WEATHER: Brace for heavy rain from Storm Babet.

SPOTTED … At Nick Thomas-Symonds‘ book launch at Hatchards, Piccadilly, for his revised biography of Clement Attlee, featuring a foreword from Keir Starmer: Keir Starmer … Labour peers Peter Mandelson, Angela Smith, Don Touhig and Shami Chakrabarti… Tory peers Daniel Finkelstein, Michael Howard and Jonathan Marland … Shadow Minister Nia Griffith … PAds Matthew Doyle, Steph Driver, Sophie Nazemi, Stuart Ingham and Rob Keenan … Hacks Andrew Marr, Christopher Hope, Robert Peston, Tim Shipman, Kevin Maguire and Ben Glaze … TUC General Secretary Paul Novak … U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Matt Palmer … EU Ambassador Pedro Serrano, New Zealand High Commissioner Phil Goff … APCO’s Jo Tanner … former diplomat Sherard Cowper-Coles … former No. 10 spinner Guto Harri … historian Francis Beckett … Future Governance Forum’s Nathan Yeowell.

ALSO SPOTTED … At the book launch for Michael Ashcroft‘s updated biography of Rishi Sunak: Brexiteers Richard Tice, Nigel Farage and Aaron Banks … former DUP Leader Arlene Foster … Conservative MPs Ben Wallace, Tobias Ellwood, Matt Warman, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Chris Grayling, Liam Fox, Mark Francois and Peter Bottomley … Tory peer Virginia Bottomley … Olympian and Conservative candidate James Cracknell … Daily Mail Editor Ted Verity … Mail on Sunday Editor David Dillon … Total Politics’ Mark Wallace … Columnist Ian Birrell … Sky’s Jon Craig and Beth Rigby … the Sun’s Harry Cole … the Mail’s Quentin Letts and Claire Ellicott .. the Telegraph’s Camilla Tominey … The House magazine’s Sienna Rodgers, Tali Fraser, Sally Dawson, Harriet Symonds and Alan White … Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya … Liz Truss adviser Jonathan Isaby ... celebs Neil and Christine Hamilton.

LOUD AND PROUD: A parliamentary event to mark Loud Shirt Day — raising awareness of the perception of what deaf children can achieve with early detection and support — takes place in Portcullis House from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m, hosted by Conservative MP Sally-Ann Hart and Labour’s Rosie Duffield.

NEW GIGS: Guido unveiled two new reporters, Ellie Wheatley and Max Young — here’s the post.

ANOTHER NEW GIG: Boris Johnson has joined the honorary advisory board of the International Democracy Union. Here’s the post to prove it.

READ THIS: Quentin Letts’ spread in the Mail on Nigel Lawson’s memorial service is worth checking out for the headline alone: “Told he was dying, the great Nigel Lawson dined on figs, prosciutto and mozzarella with several glasses of red wine, a final Armagnac before bed … And five minutes later he was gone.” Playbook intends to bow out in exactly this way.

LISTEN TO: Understand, on BBC Radio 4 at 1.45 p.m: Katya Adler and guests discuss the context of the current crisis in Middle East.

NOT SURE PLAYBOOK’S ARE WORTH A PENNY: Fortune reports that Elon Musk will in the new year charge new users of the X site formerly known as Twitter a dollar a pop to tweet or retweet stuff.

WRITING PLAYBOOK PM: Emilio Casalicchio.

WRITING PLAYBOOK THURSDAY MORNING: Dan Bloom

BIRTHDAYS: Lib Dem peer Dick Taverne … former Chief of the Defense Staff of the Armed Forces Nick Houghton … BBC Health Editor Hugh Pym… SpAd Harriet Smith … James Daunt, founder of Daunt Books.

PLAYBOOK COULDN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT: My editor Jack Lahart and producer Seb Starcevic.

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