Why Ukraine is losing the war with Russia politico.eu/article/why-uk…

Next Sunday Tom Larkin - whose brilliant work followers of this feed will be very familiar with - is running the London Marathon for a cause close to him and his family.

Do share and think about giving…

Apologies all - no idea why London Playbook has not yet arrived in your inboxes.

They're trying to fix the issue now.

In the meantime you can read it online here: 👇👇👇

politico.eu/newsletter/lon…

STORY: Politicians, officials and journalists working in parliament are being targeted with personalized messages and explicit images in what experts believe is a clear attempt to compromise them.

Have you received these? Get in touch confidentially…

politico.eu/article/uk-par…

They say the messages used similar language, like a “little flirt.” In several cases the sender escalated to sending nudes.

Lots of personal detail. One journalist was asked how they and their boyfriend (named) were getting on. “Was v nice to hear you on the radio yesterday.'

BREAKING: A serving government minister is among 12 men now known to have been targeted by suspected 'spear-phishing' WhatsApp messages in Westminster.

We had a story on 6 people this morning; 6 more have since come forward.

politico.eu/article/uk-min…

“Always bite the hand that feeds you”

Great advice to journos from a legend of the craft, my old boss Charles Reiss

Former Standard political editor Charles Reiss dies aged 82 standard.co.uk/news/politics/…

NEW from Politico:

Naked photos sent in WhatsApp ‘phishing’ attacks on UK MPs and staff.

Top hacks Aggie Chambre & Dan Bloom find at least six top MPs / officials / journos inside the UK Parliament targeted with highly personalised msgs 👇

Story here

politico.eu/article/uk-par…

Again, a moment to pause & appreciate the cool professionalism of those in & around the Key Bridge at 1:24 am Tuesday.

Ship’s pilot radios in that ship has lost steerage & will hit bridge.

Someone (maritime control?) transmits urgent alert to Maryland/Balt police dispatch…

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NEW from Politico:

Polling guru Sir John Curtice tells Playbook there is now a '99% chance' that Labour leads the next British government.

In your inboxes now 👇

politico.eu/newsletter/lon…

“Kate has cancer at 42, is having chemo, and has three young children. Do you really have it in you to grade her media strategy and find it wanting?” ⁦Helen Lewis⁩ being good again. theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/…

🎙️NEW EPISODE🎙️As every poll tells us how unpopular Sunak is I found out the secrets of pollsters + could the polls be wrong?

Andrew Cooper Stanley Greenberg
Tom Lubbock Scarlett Maguire Rachel Cunliffe

focus groups w Josh Williams Labour Together & Luke Tryl
politico.eu/podcast/the-se…

Supernatural girl power 🧙‍♀️

Author Emily Midorikawa talks about Victorian women who could supposedly contact the dead and who inspires her this #WomensHistoryMonth

#KayBurley SS

EXCL The U.K., U.S. and Australia are rushing to expand parts of their AUKUS defence partnership to other nations before elections in all three countries.

Comes amid fears that Donald Trump could wind back or scrap AUKUS if he wins in November

politico.eu/article/aukus-…

NEW from Politico:

Margaret Thatcher was a visionary... says Labour's shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy 👇

politico.eu/article/margar…

In the year to February 2024:

▪️ Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH) rose by 3.8%, down from 4.2% in January.
▪️ Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rose by 3.4%, down from 4.0% in January.

➡️ ons.gov.uk/economy/inflat…

NEW from Politico:

Bungled EU app launch signals more Brexit chaos for British travellers

Scoop via the ace Jon Stone 👇

politico.eu/article/delay-…

Westminster is obsessed with the idea of all-powerful, Malcolm Tucker-like backroom players and Sue Gray is the latest to fill this role in SW1’s imagination.

Recent history suggests this doesn’t always end well.

via POLITICOEurope

politico.eu/article/keir-s…