News diary 13 – 19 November: Murdoch’s last day at work, Rwanda scheme ruling

A look ahead at the key events leading the news agenda next week, from the team at Foresight News.

Rupert Murdoch. Picture: Reuters:/Stefan Wermuth

A look ahead at the key events leading the news agenda next week, from the team at Foresight News.

Leading the week

Wednesday (15 November) could be the final step in the long-running legal saga of the Rwanda scheme as the Supreme Court issues its judgment in the Home Office’s challenge to the ruling which blocked the government’s flagship immigration policy.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s future reportedly hangs in the balance, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak already under pressure to sack her over controversial comments regarding the police and pro-Palestinian protesters.

Should the Supreme Court uphold the Court of Appeal’s decision, Braverman is expected to call for the UK to leave the European Convention on Human Rights, putting her at odds with centrist MPs once again. If the Supreme Court rules in the Government’s favour, the first flight to Kigali could leave as early as 24 February, though the ruling may still be subject to a challenge at the European Court of Human Rights – no doubt pouring fuel on the fire for those who want leaving the ECHR at the centre of the Conservative Party’s election campaign next year.

The Labour Party row over its stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict will continue into next week when the Commons is expected to vote on an SNP amendment to the King’s Speech on Wednesday (15 November) calling on the government to join international pleas for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the siege on Gaza.

Labour leader Keir Starmer, who has advocated for a “humanitarian pause” rather than a full ceasefire, faces the prospect of MPs voting against the party line and highlighting the growing divide between the leadership and a significant chunk of its membership, though the announcement on Thursday that Israel will begin daily military pauses may quell some of the disagreement.

Public dissent in the Conservative Party has largely been kept to a minimum so far, though Rishi Sunak may use his speech to the Lord Mayor’s Banquet on Monday (13 November) to gently remind his MPs of the need for unity in a vote which could still expose fault lines on both sides of the House.

Those hoping for boldness in the government’s agenda for the coming Parliamentary session were disappointed on Tuesday, so the clamouring for red meat for the Tory masses will only grow louder as we get closer to the Autumn Statement.

Jeremy Hunt’s preparations will be informed by a final pair of major economic indicators in the form of labour market statistics on Tuesday (14 November) and CPI data on Wednesday (15 November). The Chancellor received a reminder at the start of this week of the need to remain stoic in the face of backbenchers’ demands for tax cuts and his deputy John Glen maintained the messaging in an interview with The House magazine, suggesting that even better jobs numbers and a first fall in inflation for two months won’t influence the Treasury’s planning now.

Looking abroad

US President Joe Biden heads to California next week to host a meeting of APEC leaders, though the real focus of the trip will be his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping slated for Wednesday (15 November).

The encounter will be their first since they met on the margins on the G20 summit in Indonesia last November, but officials are already downplaying expectations of major developments amid strained relations between the superpowers.

While much remains unknown about the format of the summit and whether a press conference might follow, Xi is expected to deliver a speech later on Wednesday at an event hosted by the National Committee on US-China Relations and the US-China Business Council. The main APEC meeting then begins on Thursday (16 November), while several leaders in town for the summit – including Biden and Xi – will join as X’s Elon Musk and Alphabet’s Sundar Pichai address the APEC CEO summit taking place Wednesday and Thursday.

Friday (17 November) sees the start of the annual Middle East-focused IISS Manama Dialogue, this year opening with a keynote from Bahrain’s Crown Prince Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

The conflict in Gaza and heightened regional tensions are set to dominate this year’s gathering, and significant interest is expected in a session on Saturday (18 November) on the US Commitment to the Middle East, likely featuring an intervention from a senior Biden administration official, followed by a timely session on war, diplomacy and de-escalation.

Sunday (19 November) sees the runoff in Argentina’s presidential election between economy minister Sergio Massa and firebrand libertarian lawmaker Javier Milei.

Milei, who has described himself as an anarcho-capitalist, shocked many when he won the open primary in the summer but garnered fewer votes than Massa in the first round last month. Milei is now backed by his former rival Patricia Bullrich, who placed third in October, as well as by her former boss Mauricio Macri, though it remains unclear whether their endorsements will reassure voters nervous about his extreme economic policies, or whether it will tarnish his ‘outsider’ brand. Much may hinge on the candidates’ performances in the final debate ahead of the vote, scheduled for this Sunday (12 November).

Also look out for…

November 13

Michelle Donelan speech on AI in Washington
Commons continues King’s Speech debate on the NHS
Sir Bobby Charlton’s funeral
‘IS Beatle’ sentenced for terror offences
Church of England General Synod
EU foreign ministers meet in Brussels with Middle East, Ukraine on agenda
Donald Trump Jr testifies in Trump fraud case
Joe Biden meets Joko Widodo at the White House

November 14

Parole hearing for Jon Venables
Commons continues King’s Speech debate on economic growth
James Cleverly at committee session on FCDO work
Liz Truss-backed Growth Commission publishes budget proposals
McDonalds UK CEO at committee session on workplace culture
London premiere of Kevin Spacey film Control
March for Israel takes place DC
Liberian presidential runoff
King Charles turns 75

November 15

Rupert Murdoch steps down from News Corp
Greta Thunberg in court over London protest
Olivia Pratt Korbel killer appears at the Court of Appeal
Grant Shapps at Defence Committee session
Mark Harper at Transport committee session

November 16

Sir Mark Rowley in conversation at the IfG
Spanish parliament expected to vote on PSOE-led government
Andrew Tate court hearing in Romania
Islamic terrorist who plotted to shoot Christian in Hyde Park sentenced
Man sentenced for stalking Gavin Williamson
Madagascar presidential election
Crown final series airs (part one)

November 17

BBC Children in Need
England v Malta EURO 2024 qualifier
US government funding expires
Regional protests likely over Israel-Hamas war
Halifax International Security Forum
Kurt Cobain’s ‘Skystang I’ guitar auctioned

November 18

US Government federal shutdown may begin
Just Stop Oil holds People vs Oil protest
Donald Trump holds event in Iowa
Las Vegas Grand Prix

November 19

I’m a Celebrity…. Get Me Out Of Here series begins
Muslim Council of Britain leadership Conference
Billboard Music Awards
Pacific Games begin in the Solomon Islands

Statistics, reports and results

November 13

Resolution Foundation publishes Intergenerational Audit
OPEC Monthly Oil Markets report
Rightmove House Price Index
Chartered Association of Business Schools annual member survey
Results from: Porsche SE, British Land

November 14

US Consumer Price Index
US-China Economic and Security Review Commission annual report
EU and euro area flash GDP
Universal Credit statistics
State-funded schools and academies inspections and outcomes
IEA Monthly Oil Market Report
BRC Retail Jobs Report
Oceana report on ‘Unleashing the Power of Reuse’
Results from: RWE, Vodafone Group, Toshiba Corporation, Imperial Tobacco Group plc, Babcock International Group, Home Depot, Land Securities Group

November 15

NAO report on resilience to flood risk
Lancet report on health and cliamte change
UK House Price Index
Private housing rental prices statistics
China monthly press conference on economic data
Monthly NOAA global climate report
Results from: SSE, Cisco Systems, Fuller Smith & Turner plc, Tencent Holdings Limited, Tata Motors, Experian Group

November 16

International Cryosphere Climate Initiative report on 2°C warming
Annual stats on offences involving weapons
Knife crime statistics
Criminal justice system quarterly statistics
ONS statistics on children looked after by local authorities in England
IIF Global Debt Monitor
Results from: Royal Mail Group, Burberry, Walmart, Macy’s Inc, United Utilities, Gap Stores, Siemens

November 17