A shambles

Hello from the FT newsroom. A British by-election campaign has turned toxic and unleashed chaos for the Labour party . Azhar Ali, originally the Labour candidate chosen to defend the Rochdale seat, was disowned by the party on Monday night after a recording was leaked in which he suggested Israel consciously allowed the October 7 attack to happen. With Keir Starmer already under pressure for his slow handling of the issue, a second election candidate has now also been suspended following alleged antisemitism .

It has not been a good week for Starmer. Has the Labour party really changed, as he claims it has? If not in all ways, then certainly it has in one: this week’s FT Magazine essay is a deep dive into the burgeoning romance between Starmer and big business .

(If you’re interested in British politics, do sign up to our award-winning Inside Politics newsletter, and get it free for 30 days).

My choices this week

1. The world is bracing itself for the possible re-election of Donald Trump to the US presidency. In preparation for this, our reporters revealed this week that Nato defence spending will hit a record amount — part of a three-plank “Trump containment strategy” .
2. The frequency of extreme weather and natural catastrophes is rising — as is the cost for homeowners of insuring against them. Is climate change making parts of the world uninsurable? We take a deep dive into an industry in crisis. (Free to read)
3. Thousands of model villages have sprung up across China over the past decade, with factories, businesses and lives constructed to build products for Alibaba. Now, Alibaba is wobbling, and the factories on Jack Ma Boulevard are selling to its rivals instead.
4. At least 85 journalists and media workers have been killed in Israel and Gaza since October 7. With the world now dependent on local journalists to report from Gaza as the conflict continues, these devastating losses will have a far-reaching impact, writes the FT’s editorial board .
5. “I need to continue to be strong in oil and gas,” TotalEnergies boss Patrick Pouyanné told the FT in an interview this week. While other energy giants, policymakers and activists race towards renewables, Pouyanné thinks they are being naive.?
6. What makes a literary city? From New York, Beirut and Lviv to India’s Kozhikode — the newest addition to Unesco’s Cities of Literature — these cities can emerge organically, or can be nudged into being. Nilanjana Roy reflects on what makes them unique. (Free to read)

Thanks for reading,

Roula

PS We have a special subscription offer for readers of Editor’s Digest. Sign up here for 40 per cent off a Standard annual subscription. This includes access to FT.com and our excellent newsletters including Asset Management, Disrupted Times and Working It.

Recommended newsletters for you

Sort Your Financial Life Out Learn how to make smarter money decisions and supercharge your personal finances with Claer Barrett. Sign up

World News Get a global overview of the business stories you need to know. Sign up