Enjoy yourselves, OK?

 

Enjoy yourselves, OK?

By Sam Blewett

September 17, 2025 8:00 am CET

https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-playbook/enjoy-yourselves-ok/

 

London Playbook

By SAM BLEWETT

with MARTIN ALFONSIN LARSEN

 

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING: The U.S. committee investigating late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein released yet another tranche of materials, including pages of the alleged “birthday book” to which ousted ambassador Peter Mandelson contributed, and a transcript from an interview with Donald Trump’s former Attorney General William Barr. The latest drop also included a contact book fit with all sorts of familiar names. My colleagues in the States have the story.

 

The long and short of it: If the publication by the Republican-led House Oversight Committee tell us anything it’s that, as much as the president and Keir Starmer might want this story to die down during this state visit, there is a whole lot of interest in keeping it alive.

 

Good Wednesday morning. This is Sam Blewett.

 

DRIVING THE DAY

THE POMP BEFORE THE STORM: Donald Trump is here and Keir Starmer is deploying the royal family to mount a charm offensive like no other. The hard talk and the tricky press conference won’t come until Thursday; now is the time to butter the president up with pageantry, military displays and quiet words from King Charles. Because the prime minister’s going to need some big wins to sell to a British public that doesn’t much like the president — or the PM right now, for that matter.

 

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The Only Way (in) is Essex: The government announced its first win — a multi-billion pound “tech prosperity deal” — soon after Air Force One touched down in Stansted at 9.08 p.m. last night. Trump (with first lady Melania in tow) was greeted with a long old handshake by new Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper before the Marine One chopper whisked him off to his accommodation at Winfield House.

 

Trump really is excited to be here: On the flight to Blighty he was merrily telling reporters how it’s going to be “a beautiful event,” imploring them to “enjoy yourselves, OK?” This unprecedented second state visit for a president is, without a doubt, a helluva ego trip for Trump, who’s making very clear just how fond of Britain he is, even if the feeling isn’t mutual. “A lot of things here, they warm my heart,” Trump told broadcasters at the ambassador’s residence in Regent’s Park.

 

It truly warms the cockles: Just as Air Force One was homing in on Essex, climate protesters burst into a dinner for Republicans in Windsor shouting “how many will you kill if you drill, baby, drill.” The Indy’s David Maddox was there to capture the drama.

 

The peasants are revolting: Then there are the creative attempts to bait Trump over his past association with Jeffrey Epstein — like projecting a snap of him and the billionaire pedophile onto the wall of Windsor Castle. The cops swooped and arrested four people over that one.

 

They are cases in point: So much of this visit has been planned so Trump’s ensconced safely away from the hoi polloi — but the next two days will be packed with moments of peril all the same. Starmer will be hoping the months of meticulous planning will deliver an eye-catching trip that’ll bury some of the many bad headlines of late — and alleviate some of the doubts about his future harbored by his melancholic MPs. But, while we’re at it, here’re a few more …

 

SCOOP — Confidence issues: Around 10 Labour MPs have told their whips that they’ve lost confidence in the prime minister, Playbook has been told. This is no organized operation and it’s a mere smattering of doubters compared to the 80 MPs who actually need to back designated challengers to trigger a leadership contest — but it’s not a great look for the PM’s authority.

 

The doomsters: The whips reckon most of those doubters are just expressing their grave concern rather than demanding that the PM’s gotta go now. That is the impression your author’s been picking up, too. But it’s still another sign of the low morale in the party ranks. One backbencher from the center-left of the party (by no means a usual suspect) said the PLP has slipped into a “deep malaise,” with the mood being a “pervading sense of doom and gloom.” For some even more choice quotes, check out this piece from the i’s Arj Singh, who’s also caught wind of some of the complaints to the whips. 

 

A RAY OF LIGHT: Shiny new Tech Secretary Liz Kendall is on the morning broadcast round right now to herald the agreement of the long-touted tech deal that’ll see Britain team up with the U.S. on artificial intelligence, quantum and nuclear. There’s even a new “AI growth zone” to drive jobs in the northeast, too. Check out the coverage from POLITICO’s Tom Bristow for the details.

 

On top of that: Big tech firms like Nvidia, Google, OpenAI, CoreWeave and Microsoft will invest £31 billion in the U.K.’s AI infrastructure. Microsoft’s boss told the BBC AI could boost Britain’s economy by 10 percent in five years (though how many workers that benefits is another matter). Kendall is keen to stress that the investment will benefit Brits by all sorts of means, like quicker medical diagnoses, fraud detection and more reliable energy. The deal nets a lesser spotted positive splash of the Times.

 

But hold on: The text of the deal isn’t expected until the Chequers rendezvous Thursday — so we’re none the wiser on what the government has given up to secure the agreement. Silicon Valley’s been pushing for the digital services to be scrapped and for exemptions to reforms of copyright law, as the Times’ Mark Sellman points out in this question-posing piece.

 

BACK TO THE CLOUDS: The less sunny news is that the government has given up hope of securing a tariff-busting deal for a quota of steel and aluminum exports for now, officials tell my trade guru colleagues. Instead, negotiators are pushing to permanently lock in steel tariffs at 25 percent. Sure, we may have avoided the 50 percent hitting other nations — but it’s now four months since the U.K. said the tariff would be “reduced to zero,” and leaders of an already knackered steel industry will be watching through their fingers.

 

What’s more embarrassing still … is the Guardian’s Eleni Courea scooping that ministers had been poised to finalize the zero tariff this week before putting it on ice just hours before Trump’s touchdown. Why it’s fallen apart is unclear, but the public — and a sizable number of Labour MPs — who don’t like to see the toadying up to Trump will want to see tangible benefits of this trip to make the fawning seem worth it.

 

DON IN, NONE OUT: Starmer is also facing a slew of blush-inducing front pages after the High Court dealt a blow to his “one in, one out” plan to tackle small boat crossings. An emergency hearing gave an Eritrean man a reprieve hours before he was due to be flown to France — with the judge granting him temporary stay so he can provide evidence to support his claim he’d been the victim of modern slavery.

 

All’s not lost: Officials insisted that the interim ruling only applies to that individual and doesn’t impact the broader policy. The Home Office still argues the first returns will take place “imminently.” Sure, it’s technically nothing to do with the state visit, but it’s not a great look for the PM just as he hosts the MAGA man who’s made such a big thing of taking a hardline approach to immigration; the Sun’s splash brands it “Air Farce One.”

 

NOT TO FEEL LEFT OUT: This day belongs to Labour — but that doesn’t mean its right-wing opponents have been totally snubbed by the visiting Republicans. Last night Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Jacob Rees-Mogg were among those spotted mingling with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at a reception at the Peninsula Hotel laid on by Newsmax boss Christopher Ruddy.

 

But back to today: POLITICO, as ever, has got you covered. Follow all the day’s action in our live blog kicking off at 10 a.m.

 

COURT CIRCULAR

THE DEVIL MAKES WORK FOR TINY HANDS: As Donald Trump made clear before take-off, he’s really here for all the pomp and ceremony. Downing Street’s more than happy to keep him occupied with oodles of pageantry, even if the PM’s true ambitions are to try bend the president’s will in favor of British interests. Here’s a rundown of Operation Keep Trump Occupied — and his critics’ plans to provoke a rise.

 

Your Highnesses: The Trumps will be met from Marine One in the grounds of Windsor this morning by the Waleses, William and Kate. They’re the two royals he’s apparently super keen to bond with, as detailed on our excellent episode of Westminster Insider, which delves into all the secrets of a state visit.

 

A moving moment: Then it’s over to the castle to be greeted by King Charles and Queen Camilla. A royal salute will be fired both there and at the Tower of London before a right royal lunch. The Trumps will privately lay a wreath on Queen Elizabeth II’s tomb in St. George’s Chapel, in what will be a moving moment for the president who speaks so fondly of her.

 

MEANWHILE IN LONDON … Protestors under the banner of the Stop Trump Coalition will be gathering in Portland Place from 2 p.m., destined for a 5 p.m. rally in Parliament Square, with Green firebrand Zack Polanski in the line-up. The left-wing leader told POLITICO’s Noah Keate the sizeable march expected will show how unpopular Labour’s “rolling out the red carpet” is. Scotland Yard is deploying more than 1,600 officers to keep disruption to a minimum and the president’s being kept well away from scenes of discontent.

 

Knowing your audience: The protesters will be happy with Sadiq Khan having fired another salvo Trump’s way. This time the London mayor is accusing the president and his chums of having “perhaps done the most to fan the flames of divisive, far-right politics around the world in recent years,” and accusing him of deploying tactics “straight out of the autocrat’s playbook.” Khan delivered this barrage of criticism by penning an article in the Guardian. You get the sense that he’d be rather disappointed if Trump doesn’t bite back — as unwelcome a distraction that would be for the PM.

 

SO LOOK OVER HERE, MR. PRESIDENT: Come late afternoon and the Starmers will be rocking up in Windsor. The PM and his “beautiful wife” Victoria (as Trump so awkwardly loves to put it) join proceedings for what the MoD describes as the largest military ceremony for a state visit in living memory — it’s full of superlatives and firsts too.

 

And look up there! Trump will be treated to a joint RAF and U.S. Air Force flypast (a first of its kind) and a Red Arrows demonstration … 1,300 troops taking place in a guard of honor (the largest ever at a state visit) … and a beating retreat (apparently not as painful as it sounds) which, you guessed it, is a first of its kind too. The Donald better appreciate all this.

 

Then the McFeast: The day culminates with the lavish dinner at Windsor Castle, fit with the most special of guests and the finest wines — or a real primo Diet Coke for the president. Watch out for the speeches from Charles and Trump that’ll be broadcast at the top of the feast, mid-evening. Expect plenty of niceties — and absolutely no mention of Jeffrey Epstein, who’s most definitely on the list of banned conversations over the dinner of hamburgers and donuts (or whatever’s on the menu).

 

AFTER THE CASTLE SLEEPOVER: Chequers awaits on Thursday — along with the press conference climax, in which hacks will try to get Trump to bite with tricky questions about Epstein and Mandelson.

 

Starter for 10: How does Starmer feel about the president allegedly appearing in Epstein’s “birthday book,” considering he sacked Peter Mandelson over his friendship with the sex trafficker? (Well, eventually.)

 

The agenda: As well as talks on tariffs, like how difficult it remains to get this trade deal fully enacted despite Britain pulling out all the stops, Starmer will want to press the president on backing Ukraine and ramping up the pressure on Vladimir Putin. Israel, too, was always likely to be a big talking point — and Britain’s pending recognition of a state of Palestine next week — but the ever graver situation in Gaza should make it more prominent.

 

ON THE MIDDLE EAST: Israeli troops pummeled Gaza City in its new ground offensive amid an international outcry. Despite that, and a U.N. commission ruling Israel had committed genocide against the Palestinians, Benjamin Netanyahu announced Trump had invited him back to the White House for his fourth visit this year on Sept. 29. Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey broke with the leaders of the main parties to level the G word at Israel — and hopes to heap pressure on Starmer to raise it with Trump over the next two days.

 

You shall not pass — part 2: Another round of MPs have been denied entry into Israel. This time it’s the medical duo of Simon Opher and Peter Prinsley, who said they were denied passage as they attempted to witness medical and humanitarian work conducted in the occupied West Bank. Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer called the situation — after Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed also being denied entry to the country in April — “unacceptable.”

 

ON UKRAINE: King Charles is expected to raise the Ukrainian cause as European allies watch anxiously for Trump’s next move toward ending the war there, my colleague Esther Webber writes. A senior defense official points out the king is “very close” to the detail of ceasefire negotiations and to Volodymyr Zelenskyy himself. A former diplomat said that while the king does not speak publicly about matters of government, he is “adept at finding other ways of showing his views.”

 

For Kyiv and country: Whether Trump will listen is a different matter, but one optimistic government adviser pointed to Trump’s royal reception by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, arguing it helped pave the way for a successful NATO summit, at which he recommitted to the alliance. Read Esther’s piece here.

 

ESSENTIAL VIEWING: The moment that might set the scene for Chequers more than any other is the Fox News interview Trump is giving today. It’s billed to air at 8 p.m. — and is hardly going to be uncontroversial.