Jawad Iqbal

The Commonwealth – whose 56 nations are meeting in the Pacific island nation of Samoa – looks set to defy Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer by putting slavery reparations on the agenda. The leaders of some Caribbean countries insist it is 'only a matter of time' until Britain bows to demands of handing over billions of pounds in compensation. Reports suggest they are pushing for a clear agreement on plans for reparatory justice and want to publish this in the all-important final communique of the summit. Such a move would lay bare the growing divisions at the gathering. It would also amount to a damaging public setback for Starmer, who has insisted that compensation for the transatlantic slave trade is not on the table for discussions.

What has become of Sue Gray, the Prime Minister’s former Downing Street chief of staff, who was rather unceremoniously removed from her official duties earlier this month? At the time of her defenestration, there was much soothing talk about how she was moving to an important new role as Keir Starmer’s envoy on a new council of nations and regions. This body, according to official briefings, is intended to reset relationships and boost growth in every part of the UK. The new job was supposed to start immediately as part of a seamless transition that saw her replaced as chief of staff by Morgan McSweeney, who oversaw Labour’s victorious election campaign.

Do our new Labour rulers ever pause to think about how something they say or do might look to others? Do they consider, even for a nanosecond, how their behaviour in office or in private stacks up with the public positions they take, or how all this might look to ordinary voters outside the confines of Westminster? The whiff of brazen political hypocrisy – one rule for us and another for everyone else – hangs like a cloud over the new government. It goes some way towards explaining why this summer’s donor scandals, involving free clothes, spectacles and tickets to Taylor Swift concerts, have resonated so strongly with the public.

Thomas Tuchel, the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager, has emerged as the favourite to succeed Gareth Southgate as England manager. The Times reports that he could be unveiled later this week. It is believed that negotiations could proceed quickly, bringing to an end the FA’s search for a successor to Southgate, who quit after England’s defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final in July. Tuchel is attractive, in part simply because he is available. He has been out of work since leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season. Appointing him would mean no lengthy or expensive negotiations to prise him away from a club contract. Exact terms have yet to be agreed, but Tuchel is reportedly keen to take the job.

The appearance on our television screens of one Hamish Falconer, the newly-elected Labour MP for Lincoln, tells us much more about Keir Starmer’s government than meets the eye. Falconer is not exactly a household name, but has already been elevated to the role of junior minister in the Foreign Office. He is an ex-pupil of Westminster School and was elected to parliament at his first attempt in July. Just a fortnight or so later, Falconer – who spent his pre-MP career working at the Foreign Office – was made Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

It might be best described as the war for Keir Starmer’s ear in Downing Street, a battle to the bitter end between two of the Prime Minister’s most senior advisers. There was, in reality, only going to be one winner, and so it has come to pass. Morgan McSweeney, Keir Starmer’s chief adviser and architect of Labour’s massive general election victory this summer, has been anointed as the PM’s new all-powerful chief of staff. Out goes Sue Gray, his embattled predecessor. Gray decided the game was up, saying she 'risked becoming a distraction'.  How will he go about ensuring that Whitehall bends to his master’s will? This is Whitehall-speak for a series of negative briefings behind the scenes and increasingly acrimonious public rows.

Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary, has finally put an end to Whitehall’s worst-kept secret by formally announcing that he will quit at the end of the year. It means the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer can finally appoint his own man or woman in the role of the country’s most senior civil servant. Case is leaving his £200,000-a-year job on health grounds, telling colleagues: ‘Whilst the spirit remains willing, the body is not’. He added: ‘It’s been an honour to serve two sovereigns, four prime ministers and over 120 cabinet ministers in this role.’ Case has been in the job since September 2020, when he replaced Sir Mark Sedwill.

It is tantrums at dawn between Elon Musk and Keir Starmer’s Labour government. The Tesla billionaire and owner of Twitter is hopping mad after being denied an invitation to a government-led tech summit due to take place next month. In response Musk – certainly no one’s idea of a shrinking violet – said on Twitter: ‘I don’t think anyone should go to the UK when they’re releasing convicted paedophiles in order to imprison people for social media posts’. He appeared to be referring to the prisoner early release scheme, initiated by the Labour government to ease pressure on a prison system it has claimed is ‘on the point of collapse’ due to a lack of capacity.The spat is over the International Investment summit, scheduled to start on 14 October.

Gary Neville, the Sky Sports pundit and former Manchester United footballer, can’t help himself when it comes to tedious political rants. His latest comes in the form of a one-eyed defence of the Prime Minister’s right to accept freebies, including tickets to Premier League matches. Neville, a prominent Labour supporter, believes Sir Keir Starmer has 'not done anything wrong' by accepting thousands of pounds worth of football freebies, and that watching Arsenal with his family was 'his only release'. 'Given the absolute corruption of the past eight years... it's absolutely incredible people are angry about @Keir_Starmer getting free @Arsenal tickets'@GNev2 responds to the freebies furore while speaking at the @UKLabour party conference https://t.co/EElqczzT1K pic.

When Lucy Letby was convicted last year of murdering seven infants and attempting to kill seven others it seemed that the parents of her victims had at last secured justice. But in recent months, Letby's crimes – for which she is serving 15 whole-life sentences – have become the subject of heated debate. Victims’ families have said that the campaign to free the killer nurse has made them question humanity. 'All of this noise has caused enormous additional distress to the parents who have already suffered far too much' Letby's crimes are now, once again, back in the headlines, as the public inquiry set up to examine what happened at the Countess of Chester Hospital during the time Letby worked there is now formally underway.

It has fallen to Jonathan Hall KC, the independent reviewer of state threat legislation, to say the obvious in pointing out that the recent riots following the attacks in Southport show ‘why the public must be told more’ when such attacks happen. Hall, speaking at a conference organised by the Counter Extremism Group, highlighted the dangers posed by the ‘information vacuum’ in the immediate aftermath of the stabbings. He said: ‘I think we are at a point in time where trust in public institutions should not be taken for granted and when matters of high importance in the public mind happen that, as far as is possible, the police, the government and the media should level with them.

Twelve migrants, including six children and a pregnant woman, have died after their overcrowded dinghy capsized while they were trying to cross the Channel. Two people remain in a critical condition. Some 53 people were rescued, with several requiring emergency medical attention. Local French media reported that rescue workers are still searching for other migrants feared lost at sea. The disaster is the deadliest loss of life in the Channel this year. The boat, believed to be carrying 70 people, got into difficulties off Cape Gris-Nez, near Boulogne-sur-Mer, on the northern French coast. The Channel is one of the world’s busiest shipping routes and currents are strong. Crossings on small boats are more dangerous than ever.