Susan Hall is closing the gap on Sadiq Khan as the mayoral race heats up #frontpage

A new poll reveals dramatic shifts in voting intentions in Inner and Outer London.

Find out the state of the race for City Hall: standard.co.uk/news/politics/…

Unusually blunt answer to a PQ...

Top three issues by 🇬🇧 voter group

🔴 Labour voters
1. Improving the NHS
2. Supporting people with the cost of living
3. Growing the economy

🔵 Conservative voters
1. Growing the economy
2. Improving the NHS
3. Stopping small boat crossings

🟣 Reform voters
1. Stopping small…

George Osborne comes close to hinting David Cameron is upstaging Rishi Sunak:

'On the world stage, Cameron is acting like the British Prime Minister' by securing meetings with Trump, Netanyahu and others, Osborne says on his podcast.

This is a holding cover yes? 🫣

Rishi Sunak again flirts with the idea of leaving the ECHR, but doesn't quite commit in his Nick Ferrari phone-in.

bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

After last night’s news:

Tory Whips spokesperson:

“Following Will Wragg’s decision to step back from his roles on the Public Accounts and 1922 committees, he has also notified the Chief Whip that he is voluntarily relinquishing the Conservative Whip.”

NEW: William Wragg has resigned the Tory whip

Whips spox: “Following Will Wragg’s decision to step back from his roles on the Public Accounts and 1922 committees, he has also notified the chief whip that he is voluntarily relinquishing the Conservative whip”

How Labour is preparing its candidates for govt

- training weekends in budget hotels, with tuition from actors on public speaking and delivery to camera.

- briefings from the frontbench on the party’s position on Israel-Gaza, Budget, £28 billion

bloomberg.com/news/newslette…

The UK government will keep on selling arms to Israel after reviewing advice from the nation’s lawyers, Foreign Secretary David Cameron said.

bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

Trump / Cameron meeting readout:

“Among the topics discussed were the upcoming US and UK elections, policy matters specific to Brexit'

- Does this mean a UK-US trade deal could be back in play?

NEW: Understand that William Wragg has stepped down as chair of PACAC Committee and as vice chairman of the Tory backbench 1922 committee

NEW: Bloomberg UK Saturday read

— Tory MPs are floating the idea of a “unity Cabinet” of moderates + right-wingers, led by Mordaunt, if Sunak can’t survive May 2

— No10 is seriously considering a big shift to the right on migration/ECHR to stop letters

bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

Today's Readout! The latest on the Thames Water crisis
as its parents company defaults on its debt.

With help from Giulia Morpurgo and Jess Shankleman, I ask: how long will Rishi Sunak's refusal to nationalize Thames Water last?

bloomberg.com/news/newslette…

Exc - Britain looks set to approve continued armed sales to Israel

The FCDO legal advice *pre-dates* the killing of seven aid workers in Gaza this week.

Legal advice goes to Kemi Badenoch, who makes the final decision on exports licences.