As the bank holiday draws to a rainy close, sit down with this ace true crime ... uhh I mean Westminster Insider podcast about the honeytrap scam

By Aggie Chambre and featuring me on how the story got going on a by-election night back in February 🔎

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/ins…

It’s a big week for Johnny Mercer as the legal deadline approaches to share the names of the SAS informants who made allegations of unlawful killings in Afghanistan

Read my piece about the extraordinary claims and the threat of jail hanging over the MP

politico.eu/article/johnny…

Need a comprehensive guide to today's local elections and what to look out for over the weekend? The fantastic Andrew McDonald has you covered in Playbook PM, detailing all the results and what the parties are saying about the political landscape ahead.

politico.eu/newsletter/lon…

One figure in the rebel camp concedes their chances of ousting Rishi Sunak are over, as glimmers of good news in what are bad election results are securing the PM’s position

“It looks like Sunak will lead us into the election”

In Playbook PM: politico.eu/newsletter/lon…

NEW:

Hear the behind-the-scenes story of the Westminster honey trap scandal.

I spoke to the most of the key characters, including two of those targeted by the cat-fisher AND
Dan Bloom
Aubrey Allegretti
Henry Zeffman
Ciaran Martin

Listen here 👇
politico.eu/podcast/inside…

The early election results are bleak for the Tories, with Blackpool South and dozens of councillors already gone

We have a piece on these being Rishi Sunak’s most perilous hours - but the expectation is the plotters will be all scheme and no guillotine

politico.eu/article/rishi-…

Sssh, don’t mention you’re a Tory!

Super interesting read from Esther Webber on how Andy Street and Ben Houchen are being discrete about their Conservative credentials (and their ties to Rishi Sunak) in the big mayoral races

politico.eu/article/uk-loc…

I wrote about smoking in parliament, which resulted in possibly the best/most alarming anecdote I've ever taken down.

politico.eu/article/rishi-…

Is Cameron going harder on Israel because this is his last job?

One official says yes but it's wider than Israel, citing his appeasement comments on Ukraine. He's also said to be a key voice pushing No. 10 and G7 allies toward further sanctions against Iran

Me and Esther Webber have written about David Cameron being seen as a “man in a hurry” in the Foreign Office, as he rushes to rehabilitate his legacy by performing on the world stage

But his strident diplomacy on the Middle East has riled many Tories

politico.eu/article/uk-dav…

Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth has done the rounds of the Commons press gallery hawking this pamphlet fit with a frankly chilling photoshop job of Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss

EXCLUSIVE

Keir Starmer joins calls for 🇬🇧 military budget to increase to 2.5% of GDP.

He tells i newspaper: 'On defence spending, obviously we want to get to 2.5% as soon as resources allow that to happen.'

Read the full story: inews.co.uk/news/politics/…

🚨 SCOOP: Labour rolls back promise to publish anti-leasehold laws in first 100 days.

Insiders argue govt plan is so weak Labour will need more time.

Campaigner Harry Scoffin: 'Yet another U-turn from Starmer’s Labour. The rigged system wins again.'

politico.eu/newsletter/lon…

BREAKING: Police are investigating the WhatsApp “honey trap” messages to people in Westminster after a formal complaint from a serving MP.

Officers 'investigating a report of malicious communications'

By Aggie Chambre and me

politico.eu/article/westmi…

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…

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…

There is a 99% chance of Labour forming the next government, the (naturally cautious) elections expert Prof Sir John Curtice tells Sam Blewett. He adds that chances of a Tory revival are slim.

Fascinating read by my excellent colleagues summing up the Tory mood about the party’s latest attack ads on Sadiq Khan in the all-out mayoral election London

🚨Polling guru John Curtice reckons there’s just a 1% chance of the Conservatives forming the next government 🚨

Read all about the dire warnings of Rishi Sunak’s electoral chances in this morning’s London Playbook: politico.eu/newsletter/lon…

58 signatures so far for the new motion referring Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle to the privileges committee over the Gaza vote chaos

edm.parliament.uk/early-day-moti…