A hard rain falls on the British Tories

The best of POLITICO’s coverage selected by Deputy Editor-in-Chief Kate Day.
By KATE DAY
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Dear readers,
Thankfully, my week was a lot less dramatic than Jamil’s tale from the last edition — I managed to avoid both large dogs and London buses and get to the weekend in one piece. 
I did, though, collide with a large number of British Tories, who following an electoral drubbing in July were meeting at their annual party conference to choose their next leader. It was a fascinating glimpse into the political psyche and in particular what it’s like to be someone who used to be someone. 
The rain was biblical. For those of you who assume that the weather in Birmingham is always bad, take it from a local that this was worse. The snipers on the hotel roof were drenched even as the sun came up each morning. Even the policemen were sad.
Inside the hubbub, in drab hotel ballrooms and densely packed bars, conversations split sharply. Those still actively involved in Westminster politics as MPs, advisers or party grandees — buoyed by the new Labour government’s distinctly rocky start — relished the prospect of rebuilding the party. The gossip machine was in overdrive with hot takes and arrogant assessments galore.
Those who had lost their seats or advisers who had lost their boss could be found drinking long into the night, wondering what comes next. In fairness to them, there are a lot of “formers” now on the market, given the rate at which Britain has disposed of prime ministers over the last few years and because of the scale of their electoral defeat. Was it enough, they mused, to disappear off to some well-paid lobbying job? Would they still watch the news and know that they made things happen? Was anything as addictive as “playing the game”? 
The “snouts in the trough” critique of politicians — that they are only in it for the money — always seemed to me to fail to account for the adrenaline rush that comes with feeling like you can make things happen. While undoubtedly some will always eye the cash, the quest for some kind of external evidence that you matter strikes me as infinitely more seductive, as more than a few journalists can attest. A whole generation of British Tories, after 14 years in power, are slowly discovering what life after politics is like. 
We have some terrific reporting in the list this week — enjoy the juicy details and have a wonderful weekend.
Kate
The climate protesters who threw soup at a van Gogh painting. (And why they won’t stop.)
This was an insightful look at the people behind one of the most viral protests in recent memory, carried out by activists who are seeking to be unpopular. As British authorities are finding out, it’s not easy to deter someone who believes they’re defending the planet from catastrophe. Read the story. 
Civil war at the top of the European People’s Party 
This is a quintessential POLITICO story. Brussels Playbook revealed that Manfred Weber, the all-powerful chief of the European People’s Party who has consolidated power over the past five years after EU leaders spurned his candidacy for European Commission president, faces a rare challenge from another EPP power player, Thanasis Bakolas. The saga shone a spotlight on two figures who stay behind the scenes in Brussels, and revealed the power plays under way in Europe’s largest political family. Read the story. 
The EU’s most pointless job 
“I condemn in the strongest possible terms.” A devastating exercise in cataloging Josep Borrell’s own words to prove that his role as the EU’s “foreign minister” is worthless. Read the story. 
Europe has a real defense commissioner — just not one appointed by Ursula von der Leyen
This is a clever take showing that the man with real power in Europe’s defense sector is Armin Papperger, the CEO of German arms-maker Rheinmetall, and not Defense Commissioner-nominee Andrius Kubilius. Read the story. 
UK scraps Brexit’s ‘Not for EU’ food labels — for now
We reported that ministers have scrapped plans to roll out “Not for EU” food labels across Great Britain — at least for now. This has become a competitive story in recent months, but our team has dominated coverage in the U.K. press. We were first to report the industry’s concerns that the new Labour government was reviewing the plans and now the solution it has landed on. Read the story. 
EU will hit China with electric vehicle duties, but peace talks to go on
Another scoop from our trade team on the European Commission’s playbook on Chinese electric vehicles: Duties are definitely coming, but talks will go on to find a negotiated solution. Read the story. 
EU Confidential: From ‘Fortress Austria’ to ‘Fortress Europe’?
In this week’s episode of EU Confidential, we tackle the complex forces shaping Europe’s future — where political shifts, migration and escalating conflict in neighboring regions are all colliding. As tensions in the Middle East intensify, POLITICO’s Opinion Editor Jamie Dettmer reports from Tel Aviv, breaking down the situation on the ground and the prospect of an all-out war in the region. We then shift focus to Austria, where the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) secured a significant election victory on a “Fortress Austria” platform. What could this mean for Europe’s broader approach to migration? The episode also continues our “Berlaymont Who’s Who” miniseries, with Kathryn Carlson, our financial regulation reporter, introducing Magnus Brunner, Austria’s former finance minister, who could soon become the EU’s next commissioner for migration. Plus, our NATO correspondent Stuart Lau sits down for an exclusive interview with former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
Listen to the episode.

Westminster Insider: A boozy lunch with Sir Graham Brady
Host Jack Blanchard goes for a long lunch with Sir Graham Brady, the former chairman of the 1922 committee of backbench Conservative MPs — and the man who helped bring down multiple Tory prime ministers. Over a meal of rare roast beef and Argentine Malbec, Sir Graham picks through his 14 years at the helm of the 1922 committee, and his run-ins with the five different prime ministers who occupied Downing Street through his turbulent period in office. Sir Graham recalls the topics which really made David Cameron angry; Theresa May’s rage at being betrayed by her own MPs; Boris Johnson’s time-wasting tricks; and Liz Truss’ final words to him before she stepped out of No. 10 Downing Street to resign. And he reflects on an archaic Westminster system by which a Tory prime minister’s power ultimately relies upon the size of a pile of secret letters locked in a safe in the office of a backbench MP.
Listen to the episode.

Power Play: Trudeau’s fight for survival: Chrystia Freeland enters the fray
Taking on the presidency of the G7 next year, Canada should be in prime position to shape transatlantic relations alongside its dominant neighbor — regardless of who moves in to the White House. But does Justin Trudeau have what it takes to deliver? Host Anne McElvoy talks to the No. 2 in Trudeau’s government, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, about whether plummeting poll numbers and heavy by-election defeats suggest Canadians have lost faith in the long-serving premier. Trudeau’s opponents, led by Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, set the ball rolling this week with a motion of no-confidence in parliament. Later, Anne talks to Nick Taylor-Vaisey, author of POLITICO’s Ottawa Playbook, on Trudeau’s chances of survival in next year’s general election.
Listen to the episode.

Fake tan, papal candies and conservative umbrellas: The art of political merchandise. Read this week’s Declassified column.
Caption competition
“Olaf Scholz and friends celebrate a successful week by cutting one of Donald Trump’s ties.”
 Can you do better? Email [email protected] or on Twitter @pdallisonesque
Last week we gave you this photo:
 Thanks for all the entries. Here’s the best from our postbag — there’s no prize except for the gift of laughter, which I think we can all agree is far more valuable than cash or booze.
“Sir, the only cats we sell in Aldi Springfield are Kit-Kats,” by Tom Morgan.
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