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To sanitise a quote from fictional government spin doctor Malcolm Tucker, “no one talks about dodgy donors okay? Because it makes everybody look bad.”

The real-life Downing Street operation may be learning a similar lesson to this during their summer campaign to try and create dividing lines with Labour on key election issues.

Put plainly: is it wise to throw the spotlight onto policy areas like housing, migration and health when the Conservative’s own record is patchy at best?

Take the so-called “small boats week”.

The aim was to demonstrate tangible progress and restate Tory commitment to hard-line measures to discourage channel crossings.

In reality, we ended the week with 39 migrants being taken off a barge in Dorset because of a Legionella alert; an uptick in channel crossings and the total number of people recorded making the journey passing the 100,000 mark; and six people losing their lives in the Channel after their boat began to sink off the French coast.

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A rescue operation this weekend after a migrant boat capsized

The Bibby Stockholm affair is arguably the biggest backfire.

More on Bibby Stockholm

It’s important to remember that – despite the endless media attention – the vessel was never much of an answer to the vexed question of what to do with the 50,000 or so asylum seekers housed in hotels.

Even at full capacity, the Bibby would only take 1% of that number.

No, the aim of the barge was for it to be a symbol of the government’s no holds barred approach to irregular migration.

It’s now warped into something quite different.

Tory MPs and voters may be forgiven for wondering what chance there is of hundreds of asylum seekers being permanently settled in Rwanda if the government can’t even keep a few dozen on a barge in Dorset for more than a week.

Or to put it another way, this is about competency.

And that’s what makes it dangerous for Rishi Sunak, because he has staked his premiership on his broader ability to fix problems and get things done.

But that’s not to say there aren’t some questions for Labour as well.

Part of the political strategy behind the Bibby Stockholm was to force Labour to take a position on this divisive election issue.

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Campaigners: ‘More people will die’ in Channel

The party appeared to do that this week with the shadow immigration minister calling the measure a “mess” but also suggesting they would initially keep the barge if in government.

The partial implosion of the policy now shows the potential dangers of this flavour of political triangulation and will likely fuel calls from the left of the party for the leadership to be bolder in speaking out on divisive so-called “wedge” issues.

So what next?

We’re told to expect a focus on the NHS in the coming days with the Health Secretary Steve Barclay provocatively writing to the Labour and SNP-run governments in Wales and Scotland to offer help with waiting lists.

But again, how wise is this given the health service in England starts the week with junior doctors on strike and with NHS leaders warning it may not be possible to meet the prime minister’s promise of cutting waiting lists?

Read More:
Analysis: Fiasco shows how far Sunak has to go
Government defends immigration strategy

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaking to the media during his visit to Shell St Fergus Gas Plant in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, for the announcement of further measures to protect the UK's long-term energy security. Picture date: Monday July 31, 2023.

Of course, the reason these strategies look risky is because of the unstable domestic backdrop the government is presiding over.

The hope in Downing Street is that by the time of the next election, progress on the economy, healthcare and migration will give ministers a firmer footing to launch attacks from.

The calculation for this current campaign may simply be “why not?” – given Labour’s huge poll lead and the fact that public attention is largely elsewhere during the summer break.

Or to put it another way: such is the state of the glass house Rishi Sunak is currently sat in, there’s probably little harm in throwing a few stones.

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Democrats probe housing regulator over considering crypto in mortgages

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Democrats probe housing regulator over considering crypto in mortgages

Democrats probe housing regulator over considering crypto in mortgages

A group of Senate Democrats has probed Federal Housing Finance Agency director William Pulte over his order to propose how to consider crypto in mortgage applications.

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Sir Keir Starmer set for Donald Trump trade talks as PM walks diplomatic line between EU allies and US on Gaza

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Sir Keir Starmer set for Donald Trump trade talks as PM walks diplomatic line between EU allies and US on Gaza

Gaza and transatlantic trade are set to dominate talks between Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer when the pair meet in Scotland on Monday.

Downing Street said the prime minister would discuss “what more can be done to secure the ceasefire [in the Middle East] urgently”, during the meeting at the president’s Turnberry golf course in Ayrshire.

Talks in Qatar over a ceasefire ended on Thursday after the US and Israel withdrew their negotiating teams.

Mr Trump blamed Hamas for the collapse of negotiations as he left the US for Scotland, saying the militant group “didn’t want to make a deal… they want to die”.

Sir Keir has tried to forge close personal ties with the president, frequently praising his actions on the world stage despite clear foreign policy differences between the US and UK.

The approach seemed to pay off in May when Mr Trump announced the agreement of a trade deal with the UK that would see several tariffs lowered.

The two leaders are expected to discuss this agreement when they meet, with the prime minister likely to press the president for a lowering of outstanding tariffs on imports such as steel.

Prior to the visit, the White House said the talks would allow them to “refine the historic US-UK trade deal”.

Extracting promises from the president on the Middle East may be harder though.

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Should aid be dropped into Gaza?

Despite some reports that Mr Trump is growing frustrated with Israel, there is a clear difference in tone between the US and its Western allies.

As he did over the Ukraine war, Sir Keir will have to walk a diplomatic line between the UK’s European allies and the White House.

On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced his country would formally recognise a Palestinian state in September, the first member of the G7 to do so.

That move was dismissed by Mr Trump, who said it “doesn’t carry any weight”.

Read more from Sky News:
US and EU agree trade deal – with bloc facing 15% tariffs
Geldof accuses Israel of ‘lying’ about Gaza starvation

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Trump: ‘It doesn’t matter what Macron says’

The UK, French and German leaders spoke over the weekend and agreed to work together on the “next phase” in Gaza that would see transitional governance and security arrangements put in place, alongside the large-scale delivery of aid.

Under pressure from members of his own party and cabinet to follow France and signal formal recognition of Palestine, Sir Keir has gradually become more critical of Israel in recent months.

On Friday, the prime minister said “the starvation and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, the increasing violence from extremist settler groups, and Israel’s disproportionate military escalation in Gaza are all indefensible”.

Government sources say UK recognition is a matter of “when, not if”, however, it’s thought Downing Street wants to ensure any announcement is made at a time when it can have the greatest diplomatic impact.

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Baby Zainab starved to death in Gaza

Cabinet ministers will be convened in the coming days, during the summer recess, to discuss the situation in Gaza.

The UK has also been working with Jordan to air drop supplies, after Israel said it would allow foreign countries to provide aid to the territory.

President Trump’s trip to Scotland comes ahead of his second state visit to the UK in September.

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Downing Street says Ukraine will also likely be discussed in the meeting with both men reflecting on what can be done to force Russia back to the negotiating table.

After the meeting at Turnberry, the prime minister will travel with the president to Aberdeen for a private engagement.

Mr Trump is also expected to meet Scottish First Minister John Swinney while in the country.

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Crypto isn’t crashing the American dream; it’s renovating it

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Crypto isn’t crashing the American dream; it’s renovating it

Crypto isn’t crashing the American dream; it’s renovating it

The US housing regulator’s decision to recognize crypto assets in mortgage applications marks a historic shift from exclusion to integration, opening new pathways to homeownership.

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