London Playbook PM: Joe and Keir’s big meeting

Presented by SSE
By ANDREW MCDONALD
with DAN BLOOM
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Good afternoon. This is Andrew McDonald with Dan Bloom in Washington.
— Keir Starmer is preparing for a meeting with Joe Biden this evening as pressure grows for a decision on long-range missiles
— The PM had a light-hearted pop at hacks for writing “refused to rule out” headlines, as he refused to rule out axing the single person council tax discount.
— Ed Davey is about to launch a media blitz as Lib Dem conference looms.
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CRUNCH TIME: Keir Starmer is preparing for his big meeting with Joe Biden and will arrive at the White House in the coming hours — as both Kyiv and Moscow ratchet up the pressure on the PM. 
Pressure point I: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is clearly watching proceedings in Washington closely — and he sent out a long, punchy Twitter thread this afternoon calling for “strong decisions from the world” on both long-range missiles and air defense systems. “It’s difficult to repeatedly hear, ‘We are working on this,’ while Putin continues to burn down our cities and villages,” Zelenskyy said. That’s about as pointed as a remark can get. 
Zelenskyy has also been … seeing Boris Johnson, on the sidelines of the Yalta European Strategy meeting. Video here of the handshake and chat.
Pressure point II: Russia expelled six U.K. diplomats from Moscow after accusing them of spying and sabotage work, as tensions rise. Bloomberg’s Alex Wickham and Alberto Nardelli hear too that Western officials expect a big retaliation from Moscow if the U.S. and U.K. do approve use of long-range missiles on Russian targets — which could include a ramping-up of sabotage and cyber attacks on NATO countries. 
And remember: While the war in Ukraine is dominating the coverage, the meetings are about the Middle East too. 
Brace: No. 10 — which has been keen not to make a big deal out of this trip — has been keeping schtum about the developments so far, barring an FCDO response slamming the “completely baseless” spying accusations from Russia. That will change this evening, with Starmer set for a “spray” — a journo term for those rowdy affairs where U.S. hacks shout questions at the president — before his one-on-one meeting with Joe Biden this evening. That should be around 9 p.m. U.K. time.
After that: Playbook PM is told to expect a pool clip from Starmer now around 11 p.m. U.K. time, after he has a 90-minute meeting with an extended cast — including Foreign Secretary David Lammy … U.K. Ambassador Karen Pierce … U.S. Ambassador to the U.K. Jane Hartley … National Security Adviser Tim Barrow … and Secretary of State Antony Blinken too. No. 10 will also issue a written readout around the time Starmer’s plane lifts off.
Ready for their close-ups: Starmer and Lammy sat down on comfy sofas with the Pierce at her swish residence to prep for the big meeting. PA snapper Stefan Rousseau took a great pic of the lads. Starmer should also get a short stroll with Biden tonight in the White House rose garden. Let’s hope the president doesn’t try to hold his hand.
And the serious bit: Starmer has met reps from defense and aerospace firms at the British Embassy in the last few hours, Dan is told. No. 10 still hasn’t said who they were, but it all sounds rather handy if you’re looking at, say, Storm Shadow missiles.
Stonewalled: For days Downing Street aides had been at pains to stress that they wouldn’t say much ahead of the big meeting — and they sure didn’t. No. 10 decided not to have Starmer or Lammy speak to the media (or to hold a full lobby briefing) today ahead of the trip to the White House, even as Russia and Ukraine amped up the brinkmanship — a decision that caused a little, shall we say, disquiet among the press ranks. 
The exceptions: Starmer did take questions on the plane out (see this morning’s Playbook), though that was before Russia accused six British diplomats of spying AND before Zelenskyy’s mega-thread. 
The context: Nerves have clearly been on edge among many officials this week, as the details of discussions about a matter with such delicate security implications are splashed time and again across the media. Officials believe revealing the nature of the talks would only help Vladimir Putin and never wanted to make a big thing of this trip. They may find the news agenda runs away from them.
DECLINED TO RULE OUT: Also in his plane huddle with hacks, Dan texts in, Keir Starmer declined to rule out axing the single person council tax discount — instead taking aim at journalists for asking questions about budget decisions and then writing “declined to rule out” headlines like the one above. 
Not playing: “The budget is on Oct. 30th. So between now and then you are all going to ask me questions, as you did before the election, will you rule out X, Y, Z? And knowing that I’m not going to say before the budget what we’re going to do, you will then write a story saying ‘refused to rule out X, Y, Z.’ I’m not going to say before the budget what we’re going to do,” Starmer said — with a half chuckle.
But but but: As a quick-thinking journalist pointed out to the PM, the government has chosen to rule out other cuts — including scrapping free bus services for pensioners. Starmer didn’t bite,  insisting only that the government will “look at everything in the round at the budget.” 
ONWARDS TO BRIGHTON: Conference season is well and truly here, with Lib Dem conference kicking off tomorrow. This morning’s Playbook had a great preview of the action from Playbook’s Noah Keate. 
‘Edding south: Lib Dem boss Ed Davey arrives at conference tomorrow lunchtime — you should probably expect some form of election-style photo-op or stunt, though Lib Dem aides were being coy this afternoon. Davey has done sit-downs with the Mirror and Guardian coming out this evening, as well as with regional press, to hammer home his pre-conference message: that every day at conference will be about the NHS. 
Davey will also … be on Laura Kuenssberg’s Sunday show sofa, and he has a morning broadcast blitz planned for Monday too.
PLANET TORY: Tory leadership contender James Cleverly has been targeted by a dirty dossier compiled for an anonymous client of an “opposition reserach” firm, the Guardian’s Rowena Mason reports. Spokespeople for the other candidates denied having anything to do with it.
TAKING THE D OUT OF FCDO: New Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Emily Thornberry has called on the government to bring back the Department for International Development, in an interview with the BBC’s Newscast podcast. Thornberry reckons it’s just a question of “when”. The podcast should drop shortly here. 
NIGEL THE BRAVE: Reform boss Nigel Farage isn’t scared of going to Scotland anymore. He told STV his party is now “holding meetings” in Scotland and will be heading north next year as he campaigns to win Reform representation in Holyrood. His party did unexpectedly well in Scotland in the election despite mainly fielding paper candidates, winning seven percent of the vote — which would likely be enough to secure MSPs if repeated at the Holyrood election in two years. 
UNION WARS: Staff at the TSSA transport union are undertaking strike action amid allegations of a toxic culture, Byline Times’ Josiah Mortimer reports. 
STORMONT GOES SOUTH: The North-South Ministerial Council, which brings together both governments on the island of Ireland under terms of the Good Friday peace accord, met at Dublin Castle for the first time in four years. It’s back in business because there’s now a functioning government north of the border.
Irish eyes smiling: At a joint press conference, the leaders of Ireland’s coalition government (Taoiseach Simon Harris and Tanaiste Micheál Martin) and Stormont’s power-sharing duo (Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill and the Democratic Unionists’ Emma Little-Pengelly) were all smiles as they credited Keir Starmer’s rise to power with making Anglo-Irish relations work smoothly again.  
Ooh, friends: Harris said his meetings with Starmer at Chequers in July and last weekend in Dublin had opened a new era of cooperation that “isn’t just about warmth.” He added that it was “really good that we now have a British government that wants to engage with Ireland.” O’Neill said she was relieved to see London and Dublin treating each other with respect after what she called “the past 14 years of Tory mismanagement of the peace process.” Watch for what they’re saying in a year’s time.
IN CHINA: The retirement age will increase for the first time since the 1950s due to China’s aging population and a reduced pensions budget, Beijing announced. Men will retire at 63 rather than of 60, while women will retire at 55 and 58 instead of 50 and 55, depending on their type of work. The changes come in from January 1 with further increases due over the next 15 years — via the BBC.
While in America: Joe Biden’s administration locked in steep tariff hikes on Chinese imports, including a 100 percent duty on electric vehicles, to strengthen domestic production and counter economic pressure from China’s vast manufacturing industry — Reuters has a writeup.
IN NORTH KOREA: State media published photos of Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un visiting a nuclear bomb factory, showing an uranium enrichment facility and unexpectedly advanced technology suggesting Pyongyang may have more warheads than previously believed — the Times has the pictures.
IN INDIA: Opposition leader Arvind Kejriwal was granted bail by the Supreme Court after spending almost six months in jail for a corruption case he said was politically motivated. An outspoken critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kejriwal was detained in March over accusations of taking bribes (which he denied) a few weeks before national elections. The Guardian has more details.
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LEADING THE NEWS BULLETINS: Channel 5 News (5 p.m.) and BBC News at Six lead on Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to the U.S. … as does Channel 4 News (7 p.m.) which has an interview with German Ambassador to the U.K. Miguel Berger and former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker.
Tom Swarbrick at Drive (LBC, until 7 p.m.): Former Defense Secretary Michael Fallon and former head of MI6 Richard Dearlove (both 5.05 p.m.).
BBC PM (Radio 4, 5 p.m.): Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.K. Matthew Barzun … former GCHQ Director David Ormand.
News Hour (Sky News, 5 p.m.): Former Senior British Military Adviser to U.S. Central Command Chip Chapman (5.30 p.m.) … Former Commanding General for the U.S. Army in Europe Ben Hodges (6.30 p.m.) … Crossbench peer Beeban Kidron (6.45 p.m.).
BBC Newscast (Podcast, drops at 5 p.m.): Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Emily Thornberry.
Any Questions (Radio 4, 8 p.m.): Energy Minister Michael Shanks … Scottish Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee … Tory peer Annabel Goldie … Alba Party Leader Alex Salmond.
TWEETING TOMORROW’S PAPERS TONIGHT: George Mann.
REVIEWING THE PAPERS TONIGHT: Times Radio (10.30 p.m.): Freelance journalist Rachel Wearmouth and commentator Jonathan Lis … Sky News (10.30 p.m. and 11.30 p.m.): The Guardian’s Zoe Williams and former Tory PPC Alex Deane.
STARMER’S WEEKEND: The PM returns to London Saturday then heads to Rome Sunday evening for a meeting with Italian PM Giorgia Meloni Monday.
IN BRIGHTON: Lib Dem conference begins Saturday. Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain has the first speech of conference Saturday (12.35 p.m.) and Education Spokesperson Munira Wilson has the main Sunday speech (11.05 a.m.).
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Week in Westminster (Radio 4, 11 a.m. on Saturday): Keir Starmer’s former pollster Deborah Mattinson … former Justice Secretary David Gauke … former Health Committee Chair Steve Brine … former Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt … former Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander … former Bank of England economist Richard Davies … former U.K. Ambassador to the U.S. Kim Darroch.
Ayesha Hazarika with Times Radio Drive (Times Radio, 4 p.m. on Saturday): Science Committee Chair Chi Onwurah (4.50 p.m.) … Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney (5 p.m.) … former Health Secretary Alan Johnson (6 p.m.).
Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg (BBC One, 9 a.m. on Sunday): Tory leadership contender James Cleverly … Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey.
The Camilla Tominey Show (GB News, 9.30 a.m. on Sunday): Tory leadership contender Tom Tugendhat … former Ministry of Defense Middle East adviser Simon Mayall.
Lewis Goodall (LBC, 10 a.m. on Sunday): Tom Tugendhat.
Sunday Morning with Kate McCann and Adam Boulton (Times Radio, 10 a.m. on Sunday): Tom Tugendhat (10.40 a.m.) … Lib Dem MP Munira Wilson (10.50 a.m.) … Labour peer Robert Winston (11.05 a.m.) … Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen (11.15 a.m.) … Green Party MP Siân Berry (11.30 a.m.).
Ayesha Hazarika with Times Radio Drive (Times Radio, 4 p.m. on Sunday): Labour MP Clive Efford … Tory MP Jerome Mayhew … Plaid Cymru MP Ben Lake.
Westminster Hour (Radio 4, 10 p.m. on Sunday): Labour MP Helena Dollimore … Shadow Business Secretary Kevin Hollinrake … Munira Wilson … the Times’ Lara Spirit.
NOW LISTEN TO: My boss Jack Blanchard‘s top Westminster Insider podcast on what it’s like to cover a U.S. election — hearing from journos on both sides of the Atlantic. 
ON THIS DAY: Iain Duncan Smith was elected Tory leader on this day in 2001. That went well. 
WRITING PLAYBOOK MONDAY MORNING: Stefan Boscia.
THANKS TO: My editor Rosa Prince, reporter Noah Keate and the POLITICO production team for making it look nice.
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