POLITICO London Playbook

Discover the latest happenings in Westminster, the heart of UK politics and decision-making. Stay informed about the key developments and discussions shaping the political landscape in the capital.

National

English

Newsletter (Digital)

Outlet metrics

Domain Authority

Ranking

Global

#6353

United States

#3888

News and Media

#234

Traffic sources

Monthly visitors

Articles

France probes activists accused of obstructing Gaza aid over ‘complicity in genocide’

2 days ago | politico.eu | Clea Caulcutt |Victor Goury-Laffont

PARIS — French prosecutors are investigating whether French-Israeli activists are complicit in genocide and responsible for crimes against humanity after they were accused of trying to block aid trucks from entering Gaza. France’s National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement to POLITICO Friday that the probes were triggered after two nongovernmental organizations lodged complaints in November.
Costa hints EU could penalize Israel over Gaza offensive

2 days ago | politico.eu | Gabriel Gavin

BRUSSELS — A new EU review is likely to find Israel is falling short of its human rights obligations, one of the bloc’s leaders warned, as diplomats push for concrete action to be taken against the country. “The situation in Gaza is of course completely unacceptable,” European Council President António Costa said in comments first reported by POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook.
France reiterates its military equipment isn’t used in Gaza as dock workers block shipment to Israel

2 days ago | politico.eu | Victor Goury-Laffont

PARIS — French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that shipments of military equipment bound for Israel from French ports would not be used by the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza following a protest by dock workers. “It is important to remain reasonable,” Barrot said in an interview with radio station RTL on Friday when asked about the strike.
Europe arms itself against cyber catastrophe

2 days ago | politico.eu | Antoaneta Roussi |Gabriel Gavin

LUXEMBOURG — The European Union will work more closely with national militaries and the NATO defense alliance to respond to large-scale cyber attacks, national ministers decided on Friday. Ministers gathering in Luxembourg for a European Union meeting on telecom policy approved an update of the bloc's “cybersecurity blueprint” laying out Europe's response mechanisms to major cybersecurity incidents.
Merz says he has ‘no doubt’ US remains committed to NATO after Trump meeting

2 days ago | politico.eu | Chris Lunday

BERLIN — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday he is fully confident that the United States under President Donald Trump will remain in NATO, despite years of tensions over defense spending and commitment within the alliance. “I have no doubt whatsoever that the American government is committed to NATO,” Merz said during a Q&A at an event of the Family Entrepreneurs Association in Berlin.
Politics at Sam and Anne’s weekly round up

2 days ago | politico.eu | Sam Coates |Anne Mcelvoy

Politics at Sam and Anne’s podcast. By SAM COATES and ANNE McELVOYICYMISky News’ Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McElvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics. Here’s a round up of this week’s episodes. MONDAYThis time last year, Labour and the Conservatives were in the throes of an era-defining election campaign that would end in Sir Keir Starmer winning an extraordinarily large majority.
Labour wins but Reform UK surges in crucial by-election

2 days ago | politico.eu | Dan Bloom |Stefan Boscia

Britain’s ruling Labour Party defied pundits Friday by clinching victory in a key by-election, despite a surge for right-wing populists Reform UK. Labour took the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse seat in the Scottish Parliament from the Scottish National Party on a 7.4 percent swing, winning 31.6 percent to the SNP’s 29.4 percent. However, Reform UK — Nigel Farage’s upstart movement that is leading U.K. national opinion polls — came a close third with 26.1 percent.
Doctors to refer NHS to data watchdog over feeding patient data to AI

2 days ago | politico.eu | Mizy Judah Clifton

LONDON — Doctors will urge the U.K.’s data watchdog to investigate whether NHS England broke the law in training its generative artificial intelligence model Foresight on patient records.
French Socialist leader scores razor-thin reelection, exposing deep party divisions

2 days ago | politico.eu | Victor Goury-Laffont

PARIS — The incumbent leader of France’s Socialist Party, Olivier Faure, was reelected by a razor-thin margin in a contest that exposed a serious split among the center-left movement on electoral strategy. Faure, a lawmaker representing a constituency just east of Paris, defeated Rouen Mayor Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol with just 50.9 percent of the vote. While official figures have not yet been released, it appears the election came down to just a few hundred votes.
Un an après la dissolution, le Sénat roi dans son palais

2 days ago | politico.eu | Elisa Bertholomey

PARIS — Longtemps sous-représentés au gouvernement (et au cœur du pouvoir), les sénateurs sont sans doute les principaux bénéficiaires de la dissolution, qui leur a permis d’opérer un retour au premier plan politique. “Tant qu’il y avait une majorité à l’Assemblée, ils s’efforçaient de nous bypasser et même de se passer de nous”, rappelle ainsi Hervé Marseille, le président du groupe Union centriste, satisfait de ce retour au centre du jeu.