Rishi reacts — Nicola’s Next — CBI action plan – POLITICO

Good afternoon. This is Annabelle Dickson. Eleni Courea will be getting you up to speed tomorrow PM.

WEDNESDAY CHEAT SHEET

— Boris Johnson urged the Cabinet Office to hand over his “unredacted” diaries and messages in a statement just issued.

— AI will be on Rishi Sunak’s agenda when he travels to Washington next week.

— SCOOP — Scotland’s COVID-19 inquiry is also asking for ministerial WhatsApps.

— The CBI has published its action plan. Government and businesses is still in wait and see mode.

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TOP OF THE NEWSLIST

BORIS BOUNTY: Boris Johnson has issued a statement in the last few minutes confirming all his WhatsApps and notebooks requested by the COVID-19 Inquiry have been now handed to the Cabinet Office in “full and unredacted form.”

Take that, Cabinet Office: “Mr Johnson urges the Cabinet Office to urgently disclose it to the inquiry,” the statement says. “The Cabinet Office has had access to this material for several months. Mr Johnson would immediately disclose it directly to the inquiry if asked,” it adds.

Having fun? Playbook can’t help but get the sense the ex-PM is enjoying himself after the government spent days fighting off calls for the material to be released. A Tory insider told PM: “The Cabinet Office is totally snookered. It’s like Ronnie O’Sullivan is at the table. Boris clearly never had anything to hide from the inquiry – so why is the Cabinet Office taking the position it is?”

Clock ticking: It is just under 24 hours until the government has to decide whether it is going to comply with a request for the material by the COVID-19 Inquiry. (More on this below…)

RISHI REACTS: Rishi Sunak’s predecessor is again likely to overshadow his attempts to seize the agenda. Earlier today No. 10 made it clear the government is “looking very carefully” at expert warnings that artificial intelligence poses an existential risk like pandemics or nuclear wars. It is on the agenda for his trip to Washington next week, he revealed.

Sounding the alarm: In an usual move, No. 10 issued a transcript of a regional pool clip recorded yesterday after warnings from another load of experts that artificial intelligence could threaten our very existence made it onto various front pages this morning, including the Mail and the i paper. Clearly No. 10 was keen they saw the light of day after the comments weren’t initially picked up from the clip by broadcasters.

In quotes: “People will be concerned by the reports that AI poses an existential risk like pandemics or nuclear wars — I want them to be reassured that the government is looking very carefully at this,” Suank said, according to the transcript proactively sent around by No. 10 Downing Street.

Meeting the makers: Sunak has been at pains of late to show he is taking the risks of AI seriously. The punchy pool clip follows his powwow with the chief executives of leading AI developers OpenAI, DeepMind, and Anthropic last week. 

Let’s get together: Sunak also announced he plans to discuss the topic-du-jourwith U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington next week as part of a wider push to work with allies on AI “guardrails.” 

FOMO? U.S. and EU leaders have been discussing a more coordinated approach to generative AI at the EU-U.S. Trade and Tech Council in Sweden today. The Brits were NFI. In London, officials have been beavering away behind the scenes on their plans for international coordination, with the pace picking up since the G7, where it was also discussed by world leaders, one official told Playbook. 

Pact: The Telegraph says Sunak will endorse proposals for a voluntary pact designed to prevent the worst harms. A government official told Playbook Sunak thinks “international alignment on our approach to the issue” is needed and “that’s why he will be raising it with Biden.”

Change of tone: There has been a marked change of emphasis around the U.K. approach to artificial intelligence since the government launched its white paper earlier this year. The Guardian had a good piece last week looking at how Sunak is now scrambling to update the government’s approach.

NICOLA’S NEXT

SCOOPLET: Scotland’s own COVID inquiry has confirmed it is also seeking the private WhatsApps of (Scottish) ministers — meaning the inquiry might soon be examining the messages of a certain high-profile former Scottish first minister. POLITICO’s Andrew McDonald reports this afternoon. 

Watch out Nicola: The inquiry — separate to the U.K.-wide one — confirmed today it has asked the devolved government to hand over “communications between ministers, officials and advisers relevant to the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference,” which it said includes WhatsApps. Hands up if you want to read Nicola Sturgeon’s WhatsApp messages.

Nuffin yet: A spokesperson for Sturgeon said: “As of yet, Nicola has not received any request for information from the Scottish Covid Inquiry. As with the U.K. Covid Inquiry, Nicola will cooperate fully and provide any and all documentation to help with both inquiries.”

Back in (a very quiet) Westminster: The wait goes on for the standoff between the COVID-19 and Cabinet Office over Boris Johnson’s docs. That hasn’t stopped the “should they, shouldn’t they” debate over whether to hand over ministers’ private WhatsApp messages and notebooks to the inquiry continuing. 

Quick recap: Inquiry chair Heather Hallett had ordered the government to hand over the messages, as well as diary entries and notes by 4pm yesterday, but a short extension was granted and the deadline has now been set for 4pm tomorrow. As Playbook PM went to press there was no white smoke on the government’s next move. 

Not backing down: The government appears to be sticking to its guns over its argument that it should not be forced to hand over material it views as “unambiguously irrelevant.” On the media round this morning, Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said the government will be “absolutely robustly transparent where it is appropriate to be so.” 

Qualification: “I think that’s an important qualification, so that the inquiry has all the information that it is right for it to have,” Stride told Sky News.

Not cutting much ice: On the BBC’s World at One former Supreme Court judge Jonathan Sumption said he didn’t think the Cabinet Office line would “cut much ice” with either the inquiry, or with the courts if the government tried to quash Hallett’s decisions on judicial review.

See you in court: On Times Radio at lunchtime ex-perm sec at the Government Legal Department Jonathan Jones described as a “plausible outcome” — barring some sort of last minute compromise — that the government goes to court to challenge the notice, and to clarify if the inquiry has the power to insist on the material.

In the red corner: Wes Streeting, fast becoming Labour’s go-to soundbite delivery man, is enjoying the row, telling Sky News this morning that the PM “looks really slippery” over his government’s continuing battle to block the release of info. 

Not worried: Veteran Tory backbench MP John Redwood helpfully tweeted that he is chill about the government publishing his messages … but says he “would be even happier if they acted on the good advice” they contained. 

Also troubling the Cabinet office: Tortoise’s Cat Neilan reports on worrying allegations that whistleblowers had their names handed to Boris Johnson’s ex-chief of staff Dan Rosenfield, who was allegedly the subject of bullying complaints. “Complainants were interviewed by the Propriety and Ethics Team, which sits within the Cabinet Office … Although there was some optimism that the claims were being taken seriously, sources say no further action was taken. However, some weeks later, they discovered that Rosenfield had been made aware of their identities,” Neilan writes. 

‘No evidence’: A Cabinet Office spokesperson tells Tortoise: “There is no evidence to suggest that the government has acted improperly in handling this issue.” A friend of Rosenfield told Tortoise the bullying allegations were “completely untrue.”

Panicked by Peter? The most fun story of the morning media round was Stride’s GB News no-show. A Downing Street source was forced to deny that a last minute decision to pull Mel Stride’s interview with GB News was Peter Andre-related. The work and pensions secretary had been due to face the I’m a Celeb star, who is stepping into presenting duties on the channel’s breakfast show. The Express’ Christian Calgie has all the glorious details. 

Splash of the week: Chapeau to Private Eye for summing up the week’s news nicely on its front cover today.

One for the inquiry:The Guardian has dropped some extraordinary figures this afternoon which suggest fines during the pandemic were three times more likely to be given to black people, and seven times more likely to be issued in the poorest areas

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DRIVETIME DEBRIEF

CBI ACTION PLAN: U.K. government contact with the Confederation of British Industry — once the behemoth of the business lobbying world — remains suspended despite the publication of the troubled trade body’s rehabilitation action plan this morning.

That plan of action: The CBI, which has been rocked by a raft of sexual misconduct allegations, unveiled plans for an overhaul of its board today, including accelerating the appointment of a new president. A new “people and culture” committee has been proposed, along with an external “culture advisory committee.” 

Not all bad: The CBI said independent experts Principia had found it was not accurate to give a blanket portrayal of the organization as toxic, although it acknowledged serious work needed to be done. 

Next steps: The proposals will go before members at a meeting on June 6. Members will be able to decide whether to approve the new structure, but it has been widely reported that the group’s directors have been taking insolvency advice in case members decide the organisation should not continue.

Will it work? No. 10 said its position hadn’t changed that engagement with the CBI is still suspended, and one business which canceled its membership told Playbook it would take time to review the steps proposed by the CBI. CityAM’s Andy Silvester’s sources don’t pull their punches on the group’s future. One tells him the CBI doesn’t have a “God-given right” to be the premier business organization, and another says they don’t think the position will change, for now.

Coming attraction: CBI Director General Rain Newton-Smith will be on Radio 4’s PM program at 5.30 p.m.

ROW OF THE DAY: Teesside Mayor Ben Houchen came out swinging on the Radio 4’s World at One this afternoon following the FT’s Jen Williams‘ scoop suggesting he privately struck a deal with Hartlepool council to take control of local civic buildings, a process that had not previously been made public. 

Ding dong: The interview got a bit sidetracked when Houchen accused Labour MP Andy McDonald of being a “liar” and a “coward” for using parliamentary privilege to accuse him of “industrial-scale corruption” at Teesworks. WATO managed to get McDonald on later in the show. He would not repeat exactly what he had said in the House of Commons, where he is protected from a defamation case thanks to privilege, but said his intervention had “gained attention” to a very serious issues.

Stop obsessing: McDonald told Playbook that: “Instead of obsessing about me, we’d all be served if Ben Houchen addressed the very serious and concerning issues around the South Tees Development Corporations and the Teesworks Joint venture detailed by Private Eye and the Financial Times amongst many others.” 

Distraction: Some people thought it was all a bit of a distraction from the substance of the FT’s original story. 

PUT IT ON A POSTER: A new national ad campaign highlighting Nigel Farage’s Newsnight declaration a few weeks ago that Britain has not benefited economically from Brexit has begun. POLITICO’s Andrew McDonald has more. 

FUNDING BOOST: It’s been a day of mixed fortunes for Just Stop Oil. On the one hand protestors were pictured being dragged along a road after a slow march blockage. On the other, British businessman Dale Vince vowed to donate double all money given to Just Stop Oil in the next 48 hours. His pledge came after a furore this morning when Labour faced questions about accepting Vince’s donations given he is a Just Stop Oil funder too. Nick Thomas-Symonds said it was “perfectly legitimate” for Labour to accept donations from Vince and Labour had been “extremely clear on our views on Just Stop Oil.” 

GATES GATE: The Express has dug out a TikTok video posted by the man who drove into Downing Street’s gate last week, in which he claims the Tories are waging a “war” against “disabled people, poor people, against doctors, against anyone who feels that they are going on strike or underpaid.”

SNP DEADLINE DAY: The SNP’s Westminster group have averted disaster — and the loss of invaluable short money they pay their staff with — after filing audited accounts on time with their new AMS auditors. The party’s Westminster treasurer Peter Grant confirmed they had done so at about 1 p.m. —  11 hours before the midnight deadline for sending accounts to the Electoral Commission.

FOR FANS OF FOOTBALL AND INDEPENDENCE: Scottish FM — and Celtic fan — Humza Yousaf is due to show up on the Clyde 1 Superscoreboard radio program tonight (6-8 p.m.). The program —  a pretty lively phone-in normally dominated by angry Rangers and Celtic fans — has billed it as a chat about all things Scottish football.

SOCIAL AFFAIRS

UNMASKED: Anti-climax klaxon. It wasn’t a comedian, or an actual MP, behind the Secret Tory account on Twitter which amassed a near 200,000 following, and led to a spin-off book. The social media wag is actually a Wales-based personal trainer who is into amateur dramatics. “Other people discover they’re good at things like ballet or darts. Turns out I’m very good at pretending to be a Tory MP,” Henry Morris told the BBC, who was prominently featuring the unmasking on its website today.

AROUND THE WORLD

IN RUSSIA: British politicians are now a legitimate military target for Moscow, according to former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Writing on Twitter, Medvedev argued the U.K. is “de facto leading an undeclared war against Russia” by supplying Ukraine with military aid. My POLITICO colleague Cristina Gallardo has the details.

IN KOSOVO: The U.S. announced measures against Kosovo for ignoring its advice to avoid raising tensions in majority-Serb areas. The country has been expelled from participating in an ongoing American-led military exercise in Europe. The BBC has a write-up. It comes as Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti said he is prepared to consider early elections in northern Kosovo. The Guardian has the story.

IN CHINA: Chinese leader Xi Jinping called on his top national security advisers to think about “worst case” scenarios and prepare for “stormy seas” as the Communist Party hardens efforts to counter perceived internal and external threats. CNN has more information — it comes as China is criticized by the U.N. for the lack of women in senior roles. The Times has the details.

IN TURKEY: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has pulled out tomorrow’s summit of European leaders in Moldova, after Sweden said it has assuaged all the concerns raised by his country over its NATO membership bid. My POLITICO colleagues have further information here and here.

IN SPAIN: Spain’s opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo promised to cut taxes if elected in of July’s snap election. Speaking at a business event in Barcelona, the leader of the conservative People’s Party said he was “very worried about Spain’s debt … we have to attract investment and tell companies that Spain is the best place for them to invest.” Bloomberg has the write-up.

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TONIGHT’S MEDIA ROUND

LEADING THE NEWS BULLETINS: Channel 5 News (5 p.m.) leads on rail strikes and ITV … Channel 4 News (7 p.m.) focuses on the latest in Ukraine, including an interview with former National Security Adviser Lyall Grant.

Lewis Goodall at Drive (LBC, until 7 p.m.): Labour MP Stella Creasy and former Director of the Labour Remain Campaign Mike Buckley (both 5.05 p.m.) … Generation Home CEO Will Rice (6 p.m.).

BBC PM (Radio 4, 5 p.m.): CBI Director General Rain Newton-Smith (5.30 p.m.) … U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Jeff Hovenier … Competition and Markets Authority Director Sabrina Basran.

News Hour (Sky News, 5 p.m.): Former Head of the Government Legal Department Jonathan Jones (5.30 p.m.) … Tory MP Sarah Atherton (6.45 p.m.).

Drive with John Pienaar (Times Radio, 5 p.m.): The CBI’s Syma Cullasy-Aldridge (5.15 p.m.) … Tortoise’s Cat Neilan and the i’s Paul Waugh (both after 7 p.m.) … Ecotricity founder Dale Vince (7.35 p.m.).

Farage (GB News, 7 p.m.): Former Boris Johnson adviser Kulveer Ranger.

Jeremy Kyle Live (TalkTV, 7 p.m.): Former Tory MP Jerry Hayes … Former Tory adviser Leon Emirali.

Cross Question with Ali Miraj (LBC, 8 p.m.): Tory London Mayoral contender Susan Hall … Former Green Party Leader Siân Berry … i columnist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown … FT Whitehall Editor Lucy Fisher.

First Edition (TalkTV, 10 p.m.): ASLEF General Secretary Mick Whelan.

REVIEWING THE PAPERS TONIGHT: TalkTV (10 p.m.): The Spectator’s James Heale and the New Statesman’s Rachel Cunliffe … Sky News (10.30 p.m. and 11.30 p.m.): The Mirror’s Kevin Maguire and the Mail’s Sarah Vine.

WHERE TO FIND BOOZE IN WESTMINSTER TONIGHT

SOZ: Westminster is still a party-free zone. Even the coffee choices are limited. The struggle is real.

TOMORROW’S WORLD

DIPLOMACY PUSH: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will attend the European Political Community summit in Moldova. Small boats and the threat from Russia are expected to be on the agenda.

DIARY DASH: New COVID-19 inquiry deadline for the government to hand over Boris Johnson’s diaries and WhatsApp messages, 4 p.m.

PAY DAY: The NHS pay deal takes effect.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

REMINDER: We suspend the beloved “packed lunch or parl lunch” section during recess, as so many people are away from the estate and the venues slim down. It’ll be back next week. Good luck with lunch roulette.

WHAT I’VE BEEN READING: The Conversation has a fascinating deep-dive into the direction the Conservative Party might take if it loses the next election, looking at which MPs might be left picking up the pieces, and how different scenarios might play out.  

MEA CULPA: Playbook AM’s hideously anti-social hours mean we usually don’t know what day it is — apologies for any confusion caused by mixing up Tuesday and Wednesday in this morning’s edition.

THANKS TO: My editor Rosa Prince, Playbook reporter Noah Keate and the POLITICO production team for making it look nice.

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