Labour’s line on its Head of Operations organising for one hundred staffers to fly to the US to campaign against Trump is that it’s just politics nerds doing politics nerd things – nothing to do with the Party, let alone the government. Must be why the original post was deleted, then…

The government is meant to stay neutral: “Whoever the American people elect, the United Kingdom government will work with them very closely.” Starmer and Lammy have made pains to keep the line impartial…

One minister didn’t get the memo. Kirsty McNeill is hosting an election night “Come on Kamala” Rally on November 5^th with the Labour Women’s Network. “Labour For Kamala” badges have been produced to distribute to staffers. The event’s advert says:

“Before the results start to come in and the chaos begins, join LWN and special guests including Kirsty McNeill, MP for Midlothian and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland and Amy Lamé, broadcaster, performer and outgoing London Night Czar, for an evening of analysis, predictions, taking in the moment and cheering on Kamala.”

Failed London Night Tsar Lamé is jumping back into politics after leaving her politically restricted post in City Hall at the end of October. That must be why only 18 people have bothered to RSVP…

The SNP’s Stephen Flynn used his question at PMQs to dig at Rayner over Labour’s USA campaining trip:

“In today’s spirit of cross party working, will the Deputy Prime Minister join me in applauding the brave Labour staff members who’ve travelled across the Atlantic to campaign against Donald Trump?”

In response Rayner issued the Labour line verbatim: “People in their own time often go and campaign and that’s what we’ve seen. It happens in all political parties – people go and campaign and they do what they want to do in their own time with their own money.“ While housed by Dems…

It’s the battle of the deputies today as Dowden and Rayner trade blows in the Commons while Starmer flies to Samoa. Dowden jumped in with a simple question: “What is the Deputy Prime Minister’s definition of working people?”

Rayner swerved in response:

“The definition of working people are the people that the Tory party have failed for the last fourteen years.”

Dowden pressed on: Are the 5 million small business owners in Britain working people? Again Rayner dodged the question…

Rachel Reeves made it clear and public what the party’s definition of working people was during the election campaign: “Working people are people who get their income from going out to work everyday, and also pensioners that have worked all their lives and are now in retirement.” The upcoming budget has had quite the effect on the Cabinet’s memories…

The Lords Commissioner Standards has completed an investigation into Lord Alli’s potential breaches of conduct. It concludes there are four breaches:

“Finally, while I consider each individual breach of the Code to be minor, I have found there to be four breaches in total, and have therefore recommended that Lord Alli write a letter of apology to the Chair of the Conduct Committee, Baroness Manningham-Buller.”

Lord Alli’s apology:

“I am writing to you today to offer my apology for my breach of conduct by not registering my interests correctly. I will endeavour to keep to the Code of Conduct at all times to avoid such circumstances again.”

The breaches are explained:

• “Lord Alli should have included in his entry on the Register of Lords’ Interests his position as an unremunerated director of The Charlie Parsons Foundation, as well as his trusteeship. By not doing so he was in breach of paragraphs 14(a) and 17 of the Code of Conduct.”
• “I find that Lord Alli’s late registration of his interest as an unremunerated director of MAC (BVI) Limited breached paragraph 17 of the Code of Conduct.”
• “I find that Lord Alli should have maintained his entry in category 3 of the Register of Lords’ Interests as he remains on the Companies House register as a Person with Significant Control of Silvergate BP Bidco Limited.”
• “Similarly, I find that he should have maintained his registration in category 4(a) of his shareholding amounting to a controlling interest. By removing these register entries prematurely Lord Alli breached paragraphs 14(a) and 17 of the Code of Conduct.”

Read the full report below:

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William Hague has levelled his guns over the prisoner release scheme at… the Tories. Raising a few eyebrows there…

The former Tory leader says Labour has “a really good point actually” when it blames its predecessors, like everything else, while letting thousands of prisoners out early:

“The Conservative government failed to grasp either they either had to build more prison places or they had to let people out, and they didn’t want to face up to it either over a long period. That’s a real failure um and so this situation now does focus everybody’s minds on what are we going to do.”

Guido didn’t realise that releasing the wrong prisoners and letting them cheer Keir Starmer while driving away in their sports cars was the Tories’ fault. One Tory source tells Guido: “No wonder the Tories are so irrelevant when their former leaders row in behind Labour to defend mass prisoner releases.” Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood is uncorking the Gauke to lead a sentencing review – probably so she can blame another (former) Tory when it goes wrong…

All eyes are on the High Court this week, as law firm Pogust Goodhead brings the largest ever opt-in class action case against Australian mining giants BHP. Pogust represents some 600,000 claimants in the action – seeking £36 billion in damages. These cases are becoming increasingly common, as US-style lawfare spreads…

The election of the Labour government – with lefties linked to similar class actions and firms – has led to concerns over the impact on business in the UK. Starmer could usher in a wave of such cases…

Meanwhile, PR firm The PHA Group has been drafted in to sharpen up the lawyers’ press coverage. PHA has a roster of former hacks on staff and enjoys a varied client list, having included everything from anti-animal testing to Julian Assange. British business is fearing this area will become a cottage industry…