Peter Jay, the former economics editor of the BBC, has died aged 87.
At various times, Jay was also economics editor of the Times newspaper, presenter of ITV’s Weekend World, British Ambassador to Washington, launch chairman of TV-am and chief of staff to Robert Maxwell.
In a statement, his family said: “Peter Jay’s family are very sad to announce he died peacefully at home today 22 September aged 87.
“He was a much loved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin, friend, and colleague.”
Charming, brilliant and arrogant in equal measure, he was famously described at school as ‘the cleverest young man in England.”
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“Is there someone cleverer in Wales?” came the retort.
Once tipped as a future world leader by Time magazine, Jay was later installed in splendour as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the US.
But what went up, came crashing down.
His time in Washington was overshadowed by the public disintegration of his marriage. So spectacular was the scandal, it later inspired a Hollywood film.
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By the age of 30, Peter Jay had become the economics editor of The Times
Jay was born on 7 February 1937, and enjoyed a glittering start to life.
His father, Douglas, was a Labour cabinet minister and destined for the Lords.
An early proponent of “modernisation” of the party, he argued for ditching its working class image and abandoning nationalisation as early as the 1960s.
His mother, Peggy, was a leading light of the London County Council and described by a local paper as the “uncrowned queen of Hampstead”.
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He was educated at the Dragon School in Oxford before, like his father and grandfather before him, going on to Winchester.
There, he scooped a host of academic prizes and was, inevitably, made head boy.
After national service in the Royal Navy, his effortless rise continued at Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated with a first class honours degree in politics, philosophy and economics
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Peter Jay and Margaret Callaghan married in 1961
It was at Oxford that he met Margaret, daughter of the future Labour prime minister Jim Callaghan and the couple married in 1961.
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Jay secured a job at the Treasury, before being appointed economics editor of the Times.
For a while, he was based in Washington where he became enthralled by the work of a new breed of free-market thinkers, including the Chicago-based economist, Milton Friedman.
Jay used his columns to promote “monetarism” in England. It later became Mrs Thatcher’s guiding economic philosophy but it also influenced his father-in-law.
He even said he wrote parts of Callaghan’s 1976 party conference speech.
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“We used to think that you could spend your way out of a recession,” the prime minister told a sceptical audience. “I tell you in all candour that that option no longer exists.”
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Peter and Margaret Jay with their daughter in 1966
He suffered fools badly, and saw his articles as part of a high-minded battle of ideas.
A sub editor once dared to complain that one piece was difficult to understand.
“I only wrote this for three people”, came the lofty reply. “The editor of the Times, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Governor of the Bank of England.”
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Jay attempted to follow his father into politics, but failed to be selected as the Labour candidate for Islington South West for the 1970 General Election.
So, he moved into television.
In the 1970s, he presented a news analysis programme called Weekend World for London Weekend Television where he became close friends with the programme’s creator, John Birt.
Together, they launched a savage critique of journalistic standards in TV.
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Pictures, they complained, took precedence over analysis – and this “bias against understanding” could only be addressed by bringing in experts and putting them in front of camera.
Later, this “mission to explain” became a central feature of Birt’s time as director general of the BBC.
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David Owen’s (right) appointment of Jay (left) as UK ambassador to Washington caused a storm of protest
Jay might have remained a journalist but, in 1977, he was suddenly appointed as British Ambassador to Washington.
With no experience in politics or diplomacy, his appointment was met by furious accusations of nepotism.
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James Callaghan faced angry questions in the House of Commons. But the decision had been the Foreign Secretary’s.
David Owen had felt the Jays would charm the incoming Carter administration and – by virtue of their personal friendship – Jay would be loyal in his service.
“Here comes Peter Jay,” was the headline in the Washington Post, “Britain’s brilliant and insufferable new ambassador”.
Jay and Margaret’s two years in Washington were a diplomatic success – but a personal disaster.
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By the time an incoming Conservative government called time on Jay’s appointment, Margaret was having an affair with Watergate journalist, Carl Bernstein.
The breakdown of two marriages was immortalised as Heartburn – a thinly-disguised, autobiographical, tragi-comic novel by Bernstein’s wife, Nora Ephron.
It later became a Hollywood film starring Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson.
The scandals kept coming. Jay was reported to have fathered a son with Jane Tustian, their children’s nanny at the embassy.
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The Daily Mail got wind of it, and – angry that he’d left her – Jane told them everything. Jay remained tight-lipped, until a blood test confirmed he was the father.
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Margaret Jay and Carl Bernstein’s affair became a scandal
On his return from the US, Jay led the consortium that set up TV-am, which successfully bid for the ITV breakfast television franchise in December 1980.
The launch of the new TV station was beset by highly publicised problems.
He was forced to rush the new broadcaster to air just weeks after the BBC had first broadcast its own early morning TV offering.
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The decision to make the new show highbrow and news-heavy was based on a mistaken belief that the BBC would do the same.
In the event, viewers were not ready for a heavyweight agenda over their cornflakes, much preferring the BBC’s lighter magazine style of programme.
TV-am’s viewing figures plunged, and pressure from investors led to a boardroom coup.
Jay was pushed out in March 1983. A fortnight later, to great fanfare, came the first appearance of Roland Rat.
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Peter Jay with the stars of TV-am: Robert Kee, Michael Parkinson, Anna Ford, David Frost and Angela Rippon
In 1986, Jay was announced as chief of staff to Maxwell, the flamboyant and later disgraced press and media tycoon.
Maxwell loved calling him “Mr Ambassador”, but subjected him to a barrage of late night phone calls and a daily round of humiliation.
Jay stayed for three-and-a-half years, working for a man he later described as “barbarous” but insisting he managed to shield himself from lasting damage.
“I was surrounded by an invisible glass wall through which (Maxwell) could never penetrate. His manner never got under my skin,” he said.
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In the end, an old friend came to the rescue in the shape of Birt, now the BBC’s director general.
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Peter Jay later described Robert Maxwell as “barbarous”
During his decade as the broadcaster’s economics editor, Jay reserved his appearances for special occasions.
There was sniping in the press that he was hard to tempt away from his farmhouse in Oxford, where he lived with his second wife, Emma, and their three children.
The highlight of his time at the BBC came with Road to Riches, a landmark series which examined the economic history of mankind.
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It gave him space to explore money, a subject that had always fascinated him.
“After sex, money is our second appetite” he once said, and freely admitted he’d gone into television to pay for luxuries, like his precious, private yachts.
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Peter Jay photographed towards the end of his time at the BBC
His time at the BBC came to an end in 2001, around the time that Greg Dyke, an incoming director general, reviewed the way the broadcaster explained the economy to its audience.
After that, Jay spent time as a director of the Bank of England, lecturing and doing consulting work before fading gently into retirement
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He once described his career as ending in anti-climax, having once been Ambassador to Washington.
But, more often, he presented it as “a chapter of accidents” and “a diverting and enjoyable ramble through life”.
But, no objective observer could describe such a life as a “ramble”.
It was a thrilling, exhausting, white-knuckle ride.
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The EU’s first defence commissioner wants to force countries to stockpile minimum levels of ammunition and other supplies, saying it is the best way to scale up the bloc’s undersized arms industry to ready it for war.
Andrius Kubilius, who will take the job this year if the European parliament approves, said the EU must prepare for Russian attack within a few years.
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He compared his plan to similar arrangements for natural gas, under which countries must keep reserves and share them with neighbours in need.
“Why do we not have some kind of criteria called military security to keep in storage such and such an amount of artillery shells and some other products . . . let’s say powder [explosives]?
The EU has tried to boost weapons output after Ukraine was forced to ration shells and missiles in its effort to push back Russian offensives.
Finland, Russia’s neighbour, is one of the few member states with large reserves of weaponry while media reports in Germany in 2022 said its army would run out of ammunition after two days of fighting.
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Kubilius said he had no wish to duplicate the role of Nato. Officials at the US-dominated alliance have criticised the EU’s alternative set of equipment standards and procurement efforts.
In March, the EU allocated €500mn under the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) to boost output capacity to 2mn shells annually by the end of 2025.
Kubilius, a former Lithuanian prime minister, said that was an improvement on the 300,000 annual limit when Russia attacked Kyiv in 2022. But more is needed, he said. “If I’m correct, we’re still behind the Russians.”
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said the bloc needs to spend €500bn to make up the shortfall in defence spending since the end of the cold war in the 1990s.
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She has given Kubilius 100 days after taking office to produce a white paper on defence strategy. It should include a European air shield, which would cost hundreds of billions of euros, and a cyber defence system, she said.
Kubilius wants EU member states to borrow the money for this jointly, an idea opposed for now by net budget contributors Germany and the Netherlands.
He will also sketch out other projects of common interest that would be eligible for EU funding, including ways of incentivising defence industry companies to work together across borders.
The tendency of various European governments to favour their own national champions has led to a proliferation of different models of tanks, artillery pieces and fighting vehicles, denting efficiency.
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To attract private money, meanwhile, the EU must change investment rules to classify defence spending as sustainable, Kubilius said.
He also said he wanted to work more closely with Ukraine arms manufacturers, as drones and missiles had transformed the modern battlefield. “They have real-world experience,” he said.
Kubilius warned there was no time to lose, citing Germany’s assessment that Russia could be ready to attack an EU member by 2029.
The EU has been scouring the globe to get weapons to send to Ukraine. The Czech Republic is leading an effort to buy 300,000 artillery shells.
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Kubilius said EU industry plans could include the UK, which has left the bloc.
“We consider Britain as part of Europe,” he said. “Democratic Europeans should be as united as possible. I see the danger of our weakness . . . and Putin could be tempted to look for some additional adventures.
“But the Chinese are [also] watching. The Chinese will make one simple conclusion. The West is quite weak. Despite the fact the combined Western economic spending power is 25 times stronger than Russian, we are not able to win. What is the reason? It’s a question of political will.”
In the heart of Athens, where ancient history blends seamlessly with modern vibrancy, lies the Gatsby Hotel, a stylish retreat that redefines luxury with a bold, retro flair. Inspired by the roaring twenties and the opulence of the Art Deco era, the Gatsby Hotel is a refreshing departure from the traditional, offering a unique fusion of classic glamour and contemporary sophistication. This boutique hotel, which is one of the newer hotels to open in the ancient city, stands out as a beacon of cool and chic, providing guests with an unforgettable experience in one of the world’s most historically rich cities.
The Gatsby Hotel enjoys a prime location in the lively neighborhood of Kolonaki, one of Athens’ most fashionable districts. Surrounded by upscale boutiques, art galleries, and trendy cafes, the hotel is perfectly situated for guests looking to explore the cultural and social scene of the city. The hotel is just a short stroll from many historic landmarks as well, including Syntagma Square and the iconic Acropolis, allowing guests to easily immerse themselves in Athens’ rich history and vibrant energy.
Whitney Spielfogel
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From the moment you enter the hotel, a former police station, the hotel simply wows! From the floral Instagram-worthy entryway to the flower-filled rooftop garden, the hotel creates a vibrant and immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall guest experience. The Gatsby Hotel is truly a visual masterpiece, with a design that pays homage to the glamour of the 1920s while embracing modern luxury. The Art Deco influence is evident in every corner of the hotel, from the bold geometric patterns and rich color palettes to the elegant use of gold, marble, and velvet. The lobby is a statement of sophistication, with its high ceilings, grand chandeliers, and striking black-and-white floor tiles, creating a space that is both inviting and awe-inspiring.
The hotel’s chic atmosphere extends beyond its public spaces, with each floor offering a unique design theme inspired by different aspects of the Jazz Age. This thoughtful attention to detail creates a cohesive yet dynamic environment, where guests can discover new elements of the hotel’s personality with every step they take.
Whitney Spielfogel
The Gatsby Hotel offers a variety of accommodations, each designed to provide a luxurious and comfortable stay, especially for a city hotel. The rooms and suites are a perfect blend of vintage charm and modern amenities, featuring plush bedding, custom-made furniture, modern technology, and carefully selected art pieces that reflect the hotel’s unique style. Most notable is the Gatsby Party Suite, which is the epitome of indulgence and includes a rooftop hot tub, with sweeping city and sunset views, and outdoor cinema area, sure to make your stay memorable. For those seeking a truly exceptional experience, this suite is perfect for guests who wish to enjoy a little extra luxury during their stay.
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The Gatsby Hotel’s dining options are as stylish and refined as the hotel itself. The Gatsby Restaurant serves a menu that combines Mediterranean flavors with international influences, using locally sourced ingredients to create dishes that are both innovative and authentic. The restaurant’s interior is a nod to the glamour of the 1920s, with sumptuous velvet seating, marble tables, and an elegant color scheme that enhances the dining experience. The hotel’s Rooftop Bar, complete with a fireplace and reserved for guests only, is also a highlight, offering breathtaking views of the Athens skyline and the Acropolis in the distance. Here, guests can enjoy a curated selection of craft cocktails, fine wines, and light bites, all while soaking in the vibrant atmosphere of the city below. The bar’s chic design, combined with the stunning views, makes it the perfect spot for a sunset drink or a nightcap.
Whitney Spielfogel
The Gatsby Hotel goes above and beyond to cater to the needs of its guests with its 24/7 “stay and play” concierge service on call, offering a range of amenities and services that enhance the overall experience. The hotel also features a fully equipped fitness center, allowing guests to maintain their workout routines while traveling. For those seeking relaxation, the hotel offers in-room spa services, where guests can enjoy a variety of treatments designed to rejuvenate the body and mind. Whether you are in Athens for business or leisure, the Gatsby Hotel ensures that every aspect of your stay is entertaining – and totally tailored to your needs.
Whether you are a history buff eager to explore the ancient wonders of Athens or a trendsetter looking for the coolest spots in the city, the Gatsby Hotel provides the perfect base for your adventures. Its impeccable design, comfortable and trendy accommodations, and exceptional service make it a standout choice for anyone looking to experience the best of Athens in style. With its unique blend of retro glamour and modern luxury, the hotel offers an experience that is both sophisticated and super fun.
If you think that Labor Day marks the end of summer vacations and seaside revelry, think again. For many European destinations, September’s “shoulder season” is one of the best times to travel abroad, and due to its recent rise in popularity, the Greek island of Paros is no exception. With its growing reputation as a top destination, Paros is on the brink of becoming the next major hotspot, so take advantage of its serene beauty sooner rather than later. A visit to Paros, Greece is a must, especially if you’re drawn to Cycladic charm combined with a laid-back island vibe. Paros offers a mix of picturesque white-washed villages, crystal-clear beaches, and a vibrant local culture.
Whitney Spielfogel
Paros has seen a significant rise in luxury tourism, with several new five-star resorts opening to cater to discerning travelers. These high-end properties offer a blend of traditional Cycladic architecture, modern amenities, and eco-conscious design, aligning with the island’s natural beauty and rich heritage. Paros’ growing appeal as a destination that can offer both authentic Greek island charm and world-class service is cemented with the addition of these high-end properties on the island.
Whitney Spielfogel
If an end-of-season jaunt to a tranquil, crowd-free Greek island is what you’re craving, look no further than the Parocks Hotel, perched on the sun-kissed cliffs of Paros, and the embodiment of serene luxury and sophisticated style. Opened in Summer 2022, Parocks is ideally situated in Ambelas, on the eastern coast of the island, a luxurious haven offering exceptional views of the Aegean Sea and the rocky landscape of Paros, which inspired the hotel’s name. As one of the island’s newest additions to the upscale hospitality scene, Parocks offers a unique blend of contemporary comfort and traditional Cycladic charm. Its tranquil location provides a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the island’s more crowded spots, while still being just a short drive from the vibrant town of Naoussa.
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Whitney Spielfogel
The hotel’s whitewashed buildings, with their smooth curves and minimalist lines, are a nod to the island’s architectural heritage. Inside, the design is clean and modern, with a focus on natural materials and earthy tones that reflect the beauty of the surrounding landscape. The accommodations at Parocks Hotel are designed with comfort and elegance in mind. The hotel offers a wide range of rooms and suites, each thoughtfully decorated to create a calming, luxurious environment. The interiors feature a palette of soft neutrals and cool blues, with plush bedding, high-end finishes, and bespoke furnishings that add a touch of sophistication. Each room comes with a private balcony or expansive terrace, perfect for enjoying the spectacular sunsets that Paros is known for. For those seeking something extra special on the property, Parocks offers several suites with private plunge pools (Villa 101 was a standout!), where guests can unwind in complete privacy while taking in the panoramic sea views and other Greek islands in the distance. These units are ideal for couples on a romantic getaway or anyone looking for an extra touch of indulgence during their stay.
Whitney Spielfogel
The hotel offers guests exclusive access to an undisclosed beach just across the street from the property. This secluded spot provides a peaceful retreat away from the more crowded tourist areas, equipped with plush sunbeds and umbrellas. This secret stretch of sand is perfect for relaxation or a private swim in the crystal-clear waters. This tiny beach embodies the luxurious yet intimate vibe that Parocks is known for, adding an extra layer of exclusivity to the Parocks hotel experience.
Whitney Spielfogel
For those looking to get out and explore the beautiful, buzzy island, Parocks is conveniently located near some of Paros’s best beaches, including Kolymbithres, known for its unique rock formations and crystal-clear waters, and Monastiri, a popular choice with stunning scenery, ideal for both relaxation and water sports. The hotel’s location is perfect for travelers who want to experience the laid-back allure of Paros while staying close to its trendy hotspots.
The charming, cosmopolitan fishing village of Naoussa, with narrow cobblestoned streets, chic boutiques, and waterfront seafood restaurants, is a quick 15-minute drive from the Parocks property and a must-visit during a stay. Dining in Naoussa is a feast for the senses, with seaside restaurants focusing on fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Standouts included the popular Barbarossa, located right by the harbor, a favorite among both locals and visitors (for good reason!). This renowned seafood restaurant offers a stunning view of the water (and sunset!) and a very lively atmosphere. Luaz was another extraordinary dining experience in Naoussa, offering guests perfectly cooked seafood plates, artisanal pastas, and dishes with innovative takes on traditional Greek favorites. With a sophisticated yet welcoming ambiance (tables right by the sand, with a gorgeous sunset in the background), it’s the perfect spot for those seeking a memorable and delicious meal on the island.
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Whitney Spielfogel
Naoussa’s charming boutiques are the perfect complement to its vibrant dining scene, making it an ideal spot for pre-or post-dinner strolls (and be sure to check out S.Cream near the bridge for a post-dinner treat). Nestled among the narrow, cobblestone streets, these boutiques offer a mix of stylish fashion, handcrafted jewelry, and unique home decor, often featuring local artisans and designers. Whether you’re browsing for one-of-a-kind souvenirs or indulging in luxury shopping, the little stores provide a relaxed yet upscale shopping experience. Exploring these shops, before or after dining at Naoussa’s renowned restaurants, adds a touch of elegance to an evening out on the town.
Whitney Spielfogel
While Paros is quickly gaining popularity, it still retains its authentic charm, offering a more relaxed and intimate experience than its bustling island neighbors, and Paros in September will be sure to still impress! With its still-warm beaches, plenty of sunshine, and lively restaurants where you can snag a hard-to-get reservation, now is the perfect time to enjoy Paros’ pristine beaches, traditional villages, and luxury resorts without the large tourist crowds.
If you’re looking to book that perfect Paros getaway, the Parocks Hotel is a true gem, offering a unique combination of modern luxury and traditional Cycladic charm. With its well-situated location, elegant design, and upscale service, Parocks provides an idyllic retreat for travelers looking to experience the best of Paros in style. Whether you’re seeking a romantic escape, a family vacation, or simply a peaceful retreat, Parocks delivers an experience that is both memorable and deeply satisfying.
This article is an on-site version of our The Week Ahead newsletter. Subscribers can sign up here to get the newsletter delivered every Sunday. Explore all of our newsletters here
Hello and welcome to the working week.
We start with something already under way, but leading UK news agendas this week: Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool.
As an alumnus of the city’s original red-brick university, I have many happy memories of days out at the rejuvenated Victorian waterfront, where Labour party apparatchiks, lobbyists and journalists will gather until Wednesday. Sir Keir Starmer, set to give his first address to delegates as prime minister on Tuesday, may not remember the next few days on the banks of the Mersey so fondly as I do given that controversy swirls about his personal ethics concerning Labour donor Lord Waheed Alli’s largesse.
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There is also much chatter about what will and will not be announced in the October Budget as chancellor Rachel Reeves gives her conference speech on Monday. For some insights into Labour’s plans with regards to business, read FT political editor George Parker’s interview with business secretary Jonathan Reynolds.
On the other side of the planet, we begin the week digesting results of Sri Lanka’s presidential election. Read more about that here.
Meanwhile Japan’s Liberal Democrats are gearing up for a “wild west” vote to elect a new leader, and therefore prime minister, on Friday. Could they appoint the country’s first female PM? Read this to find out more about the various contenders in this unusually wide-open contest.
Austria goes to the polls on Sunday with recent polls showing a clear lead for the far-right Freedom party.
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The new earnings season has yet to kick into gear, but the companies news diary includes British tech firm Raspberry Pi announcing its first results as a company listed on the London market on Tuesday. Also of note on the earnings schedule are the world’s largest clothing retailer H&M and global professional services business Accenture.
After last week’s deluge of rate-setting meetings, several central bankers will be out on the speaking circuit this week. There is also a more modest flow of economic data reports than last week, though we will get G7 economic comparisons from the latest PMI data on Monday and the final US GDP estimate for the second quarter on Thursday. More details on all of these elements below.
One more thing . . .
First, thank you to my colleagues David and Melody for holding the fort these past four weeks, and thank you also to those of you who wished me well, and even worried that I might not be returning from this brief sabbatical to rest, reflect and plan some new projects. The highlight was our family adventure across the US, by plane, train and automobile, which was even better than my (work) trip taking part in a guitar retreat in Turkey for the FT Travel section — I mention this because the piece, which you can read here, came out while I was away.
Wherever you find yourself this week, I hope it proves fruitful. Please share your thoughts about the highlights for this week by emailing me at jonathan.moules@ft.com or, if you are reading this from your inbox, hitting reply.
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Key economic and company reports
Here is a more complete list of what to expect in terms of company reports and economic data.
Monday
Eurozone, India, France, Germany, UK, US: HCOB/S&P Global September manufacturing and services purchasing managers’ index data
Japan: Autumn Equinox Day observed. Financial markets closed.
Results: Oxford BioMedica HY
Tuesday
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem provides a fireside chat at the Institute of International Finance and Canadian Bankers Association Canada Forum in Toronto
Banca d’Italia/G7 workshop titled “Building a quantum safe financial system: what role for authorities and for the private sector?” The event will include introductory remarks by Banca d’Italia senior deputy governor Luigi Federico Signorini
Australia: Reserve Bank of Australia interest rate decision announced
Germany: Ifo Business Climate Index
Japan: flash PMI data (AM local time)
Nigeria: Monetary Policy Committee interest rate decision announced
UK: average household income statistics
Results: AutoZone Q4, AG Barr HY, Card Factory HY, Fonix FY, HSS Hire HY, Raspberry Pi HY, Smiths FY, SThree Q3 trading update, Tui pre-close trading update
Wednesday
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee member Megan Greene speaks at event hosted by Newcastle’s Chambers of Commerce
Philippine central bank governor Eli Remolona speaks at a forum of the Asian Development Bank on capital markets in Manila
Meta Connect developer conference begins, bringing together engineers, designers, and creatives to discuss virtual reality, with a keynote address by Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg
OECD Interim Economic Outlook Report
Australia: August consumer price index (CPI) inflation rate data
France: September INSEE consumer confidence survey
US: August new home sales figures
Results: Co-operative HY, De La Rue AGM trading update, DFS Furniture FY, Micron Technology Q4
Thursday
Shoib Khan, director of insurance supervision at the Bank of England’s Prudential Regulation Authority, speaks at the 29th Bank of America Financials CEO conference
Germany: GfK consumer climate survey
Japan: Bank of Japan publishes its monetary policy meeting minutes
UK: Financial Conduct Authority annual public meeting. Also, August capital issuance statistics
US: University of Michigan monthly consumer sentiment survey
World events
Finally, here is a rundown of other events and milestones this week.
Monday
Austria: International Atomic Energy Authority board meeting in Vienna
France: Paris Fashion Week begins, running until October 1
Tuesday
UK: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer addresses MPs and other delegates at the Labour party conference in Liverpool
US: UN General Debate opens in New York
Wednesday
Thursday
Germany: first plenary session of the Thuringian State Parliament following Alternative for Germany’s victory in the regions recent elections
Italy: G7 agriculture ministers’ meeting begins in Syracuse
Luxembourg: Pope Francis commences a four-day visit to the north European nation and its neighbour Belgium
US: World Bank/IFS/ODI Public Finance Conference begins in Washington
Friday
Japan: Liberal Democratic party holds a leadership vote, in effect deciding the new prime minister, after current premier Fumio Kishida said last month he would not seek re-election
UK: Scottish Conservatives due to announce the winner of their leadership ballot to replace Douglas Ross
Saturday
Sunday
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Germany’s Social Democrats were on course for a narrow victory in elections in the eastern state of Brandenburg, an unexpected reprieve for Olaf Scholz as he prepares to run for a second term as chancellor next year.
Projections by public broadcaster ARD put Scholz’s SPD on 31 per cent, slightly ahead of the far-right Alternative for Germany on 30 per cent.
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They suggest the SPD can continue to govern Brandenburg, a state which the party has ruled since German reunification in 1990 and which has long been seen as one of its national strongholds.
That will relieve the pressure on the chancellor, whose approval ratings have slumped in recent months and who has been named by pollsters as the least popular chancellor since reunification. A survey published last week found only 3 per cent of voters support his coalition of SPD, Greens and liberals.
Many in the SPD had privately suggested Scholz should set aside his ambitions of running for a second term in next year’s Bundestag election and improve the party’s fortunes by making way for a more popular politician, such as defence minister Boris Pistorius.
But with the SPD projected to win in Brandenburg, such critical voices may be silenced, at least temporarily.
The preliminary results show that the huge gamble undertaken by Brandenburg’s prime minister, Dietmar Woidke, appears to have paid off.
Woidke had threatened to resign if the AfD came first in Sunday’s election. The threat galvanised moderate voters of all persuasion, who rallied round their prime minister and secured him a narrow victory.
An exit poll by ARD found 75 per cent of SPD voters and 59 per cent of voters for the centre-right Christian Democratic Union said they were “not convinced by the party, but I’m voting for it to prevent a strong AfD”.
“It seems to be the case that it was the Social Democrats, as so often in history, that stopped the extremists on their path to power,” Woidke told supporters on Sunday.
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“Dietmar Woidke and the Brandenburg SPD have staged a furious catch-up race,” said Kevin Kühnert, the SPD’s national general secretary, noting that the party had been polling at below 20 per cent a few weeks ago but, according to exit polls, was now above 30 per cent.
Experts said one reason for Woidke’s success was his decision to eschew joint appearances with Scholz and to distance himself from the chancellor’s policies, in a clear attempt to prevent his local SPD being tainted by association with an unpopular Berlin coalition.
However, the SPD’s apparent success in Brandenburg is unlikely to translate into better approval ratings nationwide. The party — together with its coalition partners, the Greens and liberal Free Democrats — has been blamed by voters for high inflation, surging energy costs and a stagnating economy.
The outcome in Brandenburg was also encouraging for the anti-immigrant AfD, large parts of which, in the view of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, threaten the country’s democratic system.
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Three weeks ago it won elections in the eastern state of Thuringia, making it the first far-right party to secure victory in a regional poll in Germany’s postwar history. It also came second in neighbouring Saxony, just behind the centre-right Christian Democratic Union.
The party has profited from rising public concern about irregular immigration, especially in the wake of a terror attack in the western city of Solingen in August.
Woidke has headed a coalition of the SPD, CDU and Greens since 2019 and the ARD projections suggest the alliance can continue in power for a further term.
Sunday was also a good day for the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), a new left-wing populist party that was only formed in Brandenburg four months ago. ARD projections show the BSW, which like the AfD opposes military aid for Ukraine, won 12 per cent of the vote.
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