🌹Got your agenda sorted for Labour Party Conference?

Don't miss our panel on the future of UK-EU relations with the Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, @jillongovt.bsky.social, @jannikewachowiak.bsky.social, @ellenmilligan.bsky.social, @almutm.bsky.social & Tobias Cremer MEP

📍Mon 29 Sept, 11:15am, Hilton Hotel

Spain Gets New Powers Over Visas, Residence Permits in Gibraltar The European Union and UK agreed to give Spain new powers over the issuance of residency permits, visas and asylum in Gibraltar, as part of an accord to settle the post-Brexit border arrangements for ...

❗️NEW Spain obtains powers in permits for Gibraltar
Special role is foreseen for Madrid in issuing visas, residence & asylum, EC told us.
Gibraltar could only grant visas for limited cases & will keep a say in asylum, we’re told.

With @ellenmilligan.bsky.social

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

UK Confronts Hard Reality of Rebuilding Its Military Prowess Years of underinvestment, botched contracts and poor recruitment have hollowed out what was once a superpower.

Years of underinvestment, botched contracts and poor recruitment have hollowed out what was once a military superpower, forcing the UK to confront the hard reality of rebuilding its defences.

Our big paywall-free feature is out today:

www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...

UK Signals Openness to EU Court Oversight of Key Food Checks The UK is prepared to retain some regulatory alignment with the European Union and accept supervision of the bloc’s court over a deal to cut checks on imports of foods and agricultural products, a mov...

❗️NEW: UK has signaled to EU an openness to accept the dynamic alignment of rules on agrifood standard and oversight of EU court on this in signal of growing closeness between both sides, we’re told
By @ellenmilligan.bsky.social, @albertonardelli.bsky.social & me

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Starmer Faces Defining Moment in Campaign to Sway Trump The last time Keir Starmer crossed the Atlantic to meet Donald Trump the British prime minister needed to show he could avoid a personality clash with the once and future president. The stakes are con...

Bloomberg Saturday read

Trump crisis sets Starmer a defining test of leadership

With @ellenmilligan.bsky.social >>>

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

UK Military Chiefs Warn Treasury 2.5% Spending Goal Falls Short UK defense chiefs have privately warned the government that plans to raise military funding to 2.5% of economic output won’t be enough, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer prepares to make a budget decisio...

Exclusive with @ellenmilligan.bsky.social

Military chiefs have told Starmer and Reeves that raising defence spending to 2.5% will only see UK capabilities “stand still”

Improving the military will require a significant uplift beyond that, they’ve said privately

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Reeves Gives Whitehall Departments ‘Flat Cash’ Austerity Warning The UK Treasury has told several government departments to prepare for their budgets to be frozen in cash terms ahead of a major spending review planned in June.

Treasury has told unprotected depts to prepare for ‘flat cash’ budgets at spending review

Would mean big cuts after inflation

Likely worst-case model in event of another bond rout

But threatens austerity 2.0

w/ @philaldrick.bsky.social @ellenmilligan.bsky.social www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Northern Ireland Sizes Up Exposure to Trump Trade War With EU Donald Trump’s trade war is threatening to open fresh Brexit wounds in Northern Ireland.

The prospect of a US-EU trade war is causing worries in Northern Ireland. Some fear it cd reopen Brexit wounds, as EU tariff retaliation would likely mean tariffs on US imports to NI - but not GB. Story with @oliviafletcher.bsky.social @ellenmilligan.bsky.social
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

UK Considers Making Netflix Users Pay License Fee to Fund BBC The UK is considering making households who only use streaming services such as Netflix and Disney pay the BBC license fee, as part of plans to modernize the way it funds the public-service broadcaste...

Scoop with @pronouncedalva.bsky.social:

The government is considering making households who exclusively use streaming services like Netflix + Disney pay the BBC licence fee.

It's one of a series of options being looked at to modernize the way the BBC is funded

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

How Rachel Reeves Decided UK Needs to Bet Big on Economic Growth Soon after her UK budget on Oct. 30, as economic sentiment plummeted and businesses protested higher taxes, an under-pressure Rachel Reeves had one key message for Treasury officials: “We need to go f...

How Rachel Reeves Decided UK Needs to Bet Big on Economic Growth

With @pronouncedalva.bsky.social @ellenmilligan.bsky.social @joemayes.bsky.social >>>

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Starmer Faces Labour Party Split Over Heathrow Airport Expansion Plan Keir Starmer’s plans to green-light a third runway at London’s Heathrow Airport risk triggering a damaging split within his governing Labour Party amid concerns that extend into his own cabinet about ...

Keir Starmer faces a damaging Labour split over expansion plans for Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton

Sadiq Khan says he will launch a fresh legal challenge. Cabinet divided and feel bounced by Treasury

Story with @pronouncedalva.bsky.social @ellenmilligan.bsky.social > www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

UK Poised to Back Heathrow Airport Expansion in Push for Growth Keir Starmer’s government is preparing to approve controversial expansions to three London airports as part of a push to spur growth that’s become more urgent this month after international markets ca...

Exclusive with @pronouncedalva.bsky.social @ellenmilligan.bsky.social

UK Poised to Back Heathrow Airport Expansion in Push for Growth

Gatwick, Luton projects also set for approval

As well as Lower Thames Crossing and Universal Studios theme park

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Europe Grows More Optimistic Trump Won’t Abandon Ukraine Ukraine’s European allies have become cautiously optimistic that US President-elect Donald Trump won’t force Kyiv into premature negotiations with Russia.

European officials are increasingly optimistic Trump won’t completely pull the plug on Ukraine, after private talks

Bloomberg pre-inauguration deep dive with @ellenmilligan.bsky.social and team >>> www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Keir Starmer to Visit Ukraine to Discuss Postwar Peacekeeping Force Keir Starmer will travel to Ukraine in the coming weeks to discuss the possibility of deploying an international peacekeeping force there after the conflict with Russia has ended, his first visit to t...

NEW: Keir Starmer will travel to Ukraine in the coming weeks for the first time since becoming PM.

He's expected to discuss the possibility of British troops participating in a post-war peacekeeping force in Ukraine:

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

UK Weighs Front-Loading Payments for Mauritius in Chagos Deal The UK is considering front-loading its funding package for Mauritius as part of a sweetened deal ceding sovereignty of the Chagos islands, including a key UK-US military base, to the Indian Ocean nat...

Mauritian officials, led by its Attorney General, have arrived in the UK for further negotiations this week. The UK hopes that offering to front-load the payments will help clinch the deal

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

UK Weighs Front-Loading Payments for Mauritius in Chagos Deal The UK is considering front-loading its funding package for Mauritius as part of a sweetened deal ceding sovereignty of the Chagos islands, including a key UK-US military base, to the Indian Ocean nat...

New: The UK will tell Mauritius it's open to front-loading payments as part of a sweetened Chagos deal in fresh talks this week

No more money will be offered but the UK could pay the 1st tranche upfront or condense the annual payments so more is paid earlier:

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

How An Unemployed Trader Became a $700 Million Exile YouTube video by Bloomberg Originals

Big news from my old financial crime beat: A British trader has been sentenced (while wearing a xmas elf hat) to 12 years in Danish prison for orchestrating a billion-dollar tax scam www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Video investigation w/ @donalgriffin.bsky.social : www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHfL...

New: Keir Starmer will attend a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels in February, focused on defence cooperation

It follows two Bloomberg scoops on the UK eyeing access to the EU’s weapons fund + EU members wanting to accelerate talks on a joint defence pact after Trump’s election

UK Gives £75 Million to Veterans Who Faced Decades of Homophobia The UK government set aside £75 million ($96 million) for gay veterans who suffered decades of homophobic abuse in the British military, a 50% increase on previously-planned compensation.

New: LGBT veterans who suffered decades of homophobic abuse will be compensated by up to £70,000 each, totaling £75 million

Many of them endured electric-shock conversion therapy, blackmail + sexual assault, as I revealed in a series of stories last year

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

UK Explores Joining €1.5 billion EU Fund to Boost Defense Sector The UK is considering participating in a €1.5 billion ($1.6 billion) fund being set up by the European Union to bolster the regional defense industry, people familiar with the matter said.

Scoop: The UK is considering participating in a €1.5 billion defence fund the EU is setting up to allow British firms to bid for funding. Rachel Reeves told commissioner Piotr Serafin yesterday that the UK is open to joining the European Defence Investment Program.

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Starmer Looks to Revive Post-Brexit School Trips From Europe Prime Minister Keir Starmer is seeking to smooth post-Brexit travel requirements for school trips from individual European nations, in what would be one of the first tangible outcomes of his proposed ...

Scoop with @alexwickham.bsky.social:

The UK is in talks with Germany to expand a passport/visa-free deal with France for school visits

It’s one of the first tangible outcomes of the EU reset, with other member states eyeing similar deals

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

UK Warns Assad Downfall Could Trigger European Migration Crisis Bashar al-Assad’s fall from power in Syria could spark a fresh migration crisis across Europe, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy warned, as Britain paused decisions on Syrian asylum claims.

Story with @ellenmilligan.bsky.social

UK warns Assad’s downfall could trigger another migration crisis at it suspends asylum claims for Syrians

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Starmer Triggers Labour Alarm After Early Reset Bid Falls Flat Keir Starmer is facing calls from across his Labour Party for bolder policies and sharper messaging to reconnect with voters, after a major speech aimed at rebooting his stuttering UK premiership flop...

NEW: Bloomberg Saturday read

Keir Starmer has triggered alarm across Labour over his poor performance in his first 5 months as PM, after Thursday’s reset speech flopped

His party wants bolder policies, a clearer purpose and much sharper messaging

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Starmer Reset Bid Underscores UK Government’s Early Struggles Keir Starmer pledged to fast-track the approval of at least 150 major infrastructure projects as one of a series of milestones he wants his new UK government to measured by, as the prime minister trie...

Mine + @alexwickham.bsky.social’s take on Starmer’s speech:

The immediate confusion over his messaging + whether these milestones are consistent with previous pledges shows he has more to do to overcome teething problems already at risk of defining his government

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

UK Won’t Choose Between Trump and European Allies, Starmer Says The UK doesn’t need to trade off its special relationship with the US against its European alliances, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, despite concern that President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to to ...

New: Keir Starmer foreign policy speech tonight

He says for the first time the Russia-Ukraine war will need a negotiated settlement

And that he won’t choose between Trump and EU

But PM again v v light on detail or strategy…

With @ellenmilligan.bsky.social

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

UK Won’t Choose Between Trump and European Allies, Starmer Says The UK doesn’t need to trade off its special relationship with the US against its European alliances, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, despite concern that President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to to ...

Starmer also uses a keynote foreign policy speech to say the end of the Russia-Ukraine war will need to be negotiated + that the UK “must be prepared to talk to a wider range of countries” including China. More here:

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

UK Won’t Choose Between Trump and European Allies, Starmer Says The UK doesn’t need to trade off its special relationship with the US against its European alliances, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, despite concern that President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to to ...

New: Starmer says the UK doesn’t need to trade off its relationship with the US under Trump against its European alliances:
 
“The idea that we must choose between our allies, that somehow we’re with either America or Europe, is plain wrong: I reject it utterly”

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

The assisted dying bill passes its second reading, paving the way to allow terminally ill people given less than six months to live the option of legally ending their lives. A huge achievement for Kim Leadbeater and campaigners.

First cabinet resignation just five months into Keir Starmer’s administration:

The Downing Street christmas tree is going up outside Number 10!