I know it’s a minor point, but he very much did not say this “in London”. If he did, I wouldn’t have had to get up at 4.30am on Thursday.

More Labour deputy leadership news - Lucy Powell's campaign believes she's secured enough CLP nominations to make it to the members ballot. Bridget Phillipson had already secured her place earlier today with the support of three trade unions - Usdaw, Community and the NUM.

The Red Devils from earlier (after they circled Chequers for what seemed like an age)

Politico’s Emilio Casalicchio tries gamely to get Starmer and Trump’s attention

There’s a lot of waiting in this job

PM and Trump sign Tech Prosperity Deal in a tent out the back of Chequers, filled with some of the world’s richest people. Trump jokes: “Should I sign it, Howard? Scott? If the deal’s no good I’m blaming you.”

I believe that massive briefcase the officer at the front is carrying is the “nuclear football” - a device capable of ending the world.

Donald Trump arrives at Chequers (via helicopter, and then car for the final 200 yards or so)

Here we go then

Thought this was a @generalboles.bsky.social creation at first

The downside to inviting Trump in September rather than August is the White House pool reporters can put out vile slurs about our weather

Sky claiming Trump is the first world leader ever to be given two state visits to Britain, which is, erm, not right. Others to have had two state visits include Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, President Raymond Poincare of France and the Kaiser.

Labour's deputy leadership nominations have closed and, by my count, it's the expected Phillipson vs Powell contest (with Phillipson continuing to pick up nominations today despite sailing over the 80 required yesterday).

Labour deputy leadership update: Phillipson over the line with 116 nominations, Powell just three short with 77. Others well adrift - Bell Ribeiro-Addy on 15, Paula Barker on 14 and Emily Thornberry on 13.

Labour deputy leadership latest: Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Bridget Phillipson still the only formally declared candidates, but others still considering - Emily Thornberry, Lucy Powell, Paula Barker all currently said to be exploring a run.

Loads of unhinged stuff in this, but I think the worst is actually the Oliver Wyman CEO - "I have a magic bag that I can fit everything I could ever need in, including a pewter almond that keeps me 'grounded'"

To the Honourable Artillery Company, where Shabana Mahmood warns the UK could suspend visas for countries that do not agree to migrant returns deals and pledges to do “whatever it takes” to stop small boat crossings

Last game of the season, made my career high score with the bat, passed 1,000 runs for the club. If we ignore the result, a satisfactory end to the year.

Dying to know more about the 1853 Gothic-Utilitarian invasion of Oxfordshire

Sources: Pat McFadden will take over a new "super ministry" including the DWP and the skills bit of Education, with a "focus on growth". Unclear yet who will take over his Duchy of Lancaster role.

Budget on November 26, so only another 12 weeks of rampant speculation about tax rises to go.

Reform not backing down over paying the Taliban to take deportees - Tice tells me sometimes you have to do deals with people you might not want to go to the pub with, apparently. www.the-independent.com/news/uk/home...

Farage already rowing back a bit on yesterday's announcement - now insists he was "very clear" that they weren't talking about women and children. Recollections may vary.

Not sure about this Patton remake @roberthutton.co.uk @duncanweldon.bsky.social

Not sure about this Patton remake @roberthutton.co.uk @duncanweldon.bsky.social

Iberico pork chop with fondant potatoes, chimichurri and tenderstem - top Friday night in with @sianelvin.bsky.social

Labour's membership slide continues, while the party spent NINETY-FOUR MILLION POUNDS last year (and lost money, as did the Tories) www.the-independent.com/news/uk/home...

Please can we stop abbreviating “Palestine Action” to “PA”, it is professionally very confusing for me.

Today’s ground features this memorial tree as a very static 12th fielder

So, anyone got any advice on choosing a wedding photographer? No idea what I’m looking for

Is everyone else being served a lot of Singapore-related content on Instagram, or has the algorithm decided that I specifically might be interested in vaguely authoritarian East Asian city states?

Exc: The Cabinet Office is proposing to cut just over 100 jobs from UK Security Vetting, and around 30 from the teams supporting the emergency COBRA committee. PCS union not happy, warn it could compromise national security functions. www.the-independent.com/news/uk/home...

To Chevening, where David Lammy is hosting JD Vance at the start of his UK holiday. The pair have been fishing today - sources differ on whether they caught anything.

Mad story - Rupert Lowe calls out the coastguard because he thinks some people have crossed the Channel and wound up off Great Yarmouth. Turns out it's actually a rowing crew raising money for motor neurone disease.

On the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, I once again recommend reading John Hersey's account of the attack and its aftermath. One of the best pieces of journalism ever written, and available for free here www.newyorker.com/magazine/194...

Well that was a mad hour of cricket

It makes sense that cricket would have a particular problem with depression - I can’t think of too many other sports where failure is quite so precisely and publicly quantified observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

Enormous tension in the Spanish restaurant just a few moments ago

I had been enjoying @warmovietheatre.bsky.social, and then I saw this review and…oh…oh no…

Made short ribs for @sianelvin.bsky.social because today is technically our Saturday

Water, water everywhere today, and not just because it's still raining. Steve Reed's been out on the broadcast round with promises of reform for England's struggling water industry - but don't expect bills to come down any time soon. www.independent.co.uk/climate-chan...

Apropos the official special adviser list being published this afternoon - anyone want to suggest a collective noun for SpAds?

Absolutely cannot wait for Sir Keir to announce the British Dating Service, complete with AI Cilla Black

Some fairly sweeping electoral changes being announced today: - confirmation of votes at 16 (a Labour manifesto pledge) - move towards automated registration - bank cards to be accepted voter ID - campaign finance changes targeting 'shell companies' and unincorporated associations

Interested to know how YouGov decided which words needed asterisks, and which didn't. Was there polling?

Away from the Macron visit - Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee have published a report warning of a “significant” rise in the “physical threat” from Iran, mainly targeted at dissidents and Jewish or Israeli interests in the UK isc.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/u...

One of the most enjoyable things about Macron's state visit so far is that it's inspired everyone in Westminster to crack out their sub-GCSE French - can't move for "bonjour" and "ca va" round here.

As Macron prepares to address Parliament, talk in Westminster turns to the old story of the vast paintings of Trafalgar and Waterloo being covered up for a similar address by De Gaulle. Malheureusement, I have discovered newsreel footage showing the address took place in an entirely different room.

The lack of interest in investigating fraud is astounding - even Action Fraud can’t be bothered. When someone impersonated a solicitor and tried to steal all my money, AF told me no crime had been committed. Should I have sent them £1 so they’d technically stolen from me?

Remember a year ago when freebies for MPs were a big thing? Well, we've had a look at the gifts they've declared over the past year - and lobbyists body the CIPR has raised questions about what it means for faith in politics.