French newspaper Le Figaro reported last night that France and the UK had followed the US in greenlighting Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied long-range missiles to strike Russian soil. This morning the text has been changed to say the “debate is raging” on whether to do so…
In a bizarre move Starmer has chosen to brief and defend his decision to meet with Xi Jinping as he arrives in Rio for the G20 summit while refusing to provide an official response on Ukraine. Bridget Phillipson said on LBC an hour ago that Starmer and Healey will “continue to keep under review what we provide by way of military aid and support to the Ukrainian people.” Crickets from Downing Street on Ukraine while it happily briefs about the ‘China reset’ should sound alarm bells…
In Henry Mance’s piece today for the FT, lunching with Nigel Farage:
“Splendido!” Farage says, when the drinks arrive; I suppose it’s a step to European reconciliation. We clink glasses, and he lights the first of two back-to-back Benson & Hedges. A few minutes later, we’re back downstairs. “Are you drinking? Good.” He orders a glass of Sauvignon blanc for each of us — not a bottle, “because it’s Lent” — followed by a bottle of claret, to have with our meal. They say Farage drinks less than he used to. They say a lot of things.”