I MORNING BRIEFING: WHY THIS EUROVISION MIGHT BE ITS MOST POLITICAL YET
Welcome to Tuesday’s Early Edition from i.
It is supposed to be a strictly “non-political event” but the highlights of its 68-year history tell a very different story. Fifty years ago, Portugal’s entry to the Eurovision song contest E Depois do Adeus became infamous – but not for its musical brilliance (it came last). Instead the song was used as a signal, when played on local radio, for an armed coup to begin against the country’s authoritarian government. Since then, Eurovision’s stage has been a hotbed of controversies and political statements, from calls to recognise genocide, to hidden messages on referendums and more obvious messages about the Russian leader. With war in Ukraine and in Gaza, this year’s contest will be heavily politically charged, no matter how strictly the contest’s rules are enforced. Israel’s participation in the competition has already been the focus of protests around Europe, with British demonstrators earlier this week waving placards saying ‘boycott Eurovision’. What can we expect? We’ll take a look, after the headlines.
Today’s news, and why it matters
Senior Tories have rubbished Rishi Sunak’s claims that Labour is on course for a hung parliament and urged him to change his campaign strategy. The Prime Minister has attracted criticism from Conservatives and pollsters alike following his claims that the local election results signalled Labour would fail to win enough seats to form a majority at the general election.
Students and staff at Oxford and Cambridge universities have set up pro-Palestinian camps on their campuses to protest against what they claim is the universities’ “complicity” in the Gaza war. The encampments were created in the early hours of Monday in front of the Pitts Rivers Museum in Oxford and outside King’s College in Cambridge.
Donald Trump is right to say European members of Nato should spend more on defence, David Lammy has suggested. The shadow Foreign Secretary said European countries should “heed the signal” coming from the Republican candidate that there should be greater financial burden sharing in Nato to stave off the threat of Russia.
The discovery of a genetic link that virtually guarantees a person will suffer Alzheimer’s disease has raised hopes that patients could be identified and treated at a much younger age. Scientists have linked the APOE4 gene variant to Alzheimer’s for decades but now they have found that anyone with two copies of it is at least 95 per cent certain to develop the disease.
Day-to-day spending on defence has been cut by nearly £10bn in real terms since the Conservatives came to power in 2010, new figures have revealed. Analysis of official data from the Treasury and Ministry of Defence shows there has been a 22 per cent reduction in resource spending of £9.4bn, from £41.9bn in 2010/11 to £32.5bn to the planned spend for this financial year.
Tensions around Eurovision – three things to know:
Anger over Gaza conflict: The conflict in the Palestinian enclave is on the cusp of entering another particularly brutal phase, with Israel maintaining that it will continue with an offensive in Rafah despite Hamas agreeing to a ceasefire deal. Meanwhile in Sweden, where Eurovision is being held, a pro-Palestinian march is being held to coincide with the second semi-final, where Israel’s Eden Golan will performing her song Hurricane. Her original track, “October Rain”, had caused controversy as the lyrics were thought to reference the Hamas attacks of October 7 and it was changed following the backlash. Last night the Swedish Police Authority said fans in Malmo should not be “worried”. A press officer for the Swedish police told the PA news agency: “The threat assessments are primarily for the security service, but we can state that Sweden as a country is on a four on a five-point terror threat level scale. We include this in our planning work with the security measures that we’re taking for the Eurovision Song Contest but it’s important note that there’s no direct threat to Eurovision.”
Pressure on UK’s contestant: Olly Alexander came under fire when he was announced as the Eurovision candidate after it emerged that he had signed a letter calling Israel an “apartheid regime” and condemning “Zionist propaganda” shortly after the 7 October attacks. The Israeli embassy said the singer’s “dehumanising language” made his participation in the contest a “cause for concern”. Pro-Palestinian groups have also urged the 33-year-old not to take part. Earlier this year a group circulated a letter signed by actors Indya Moore and Maxine Peake urging him to not take part. A protest outside the BBC last month also called for the BBC and the singer to boycott the event in solidarity with Palestinians. The 33-year-old Years & Years singer has more recently said he will avoid making political statements about the Israel-Gaza conflict. A source told i last month: “Olly has no intention of making any statements or posting anything on his socials regarding the current situation anytime soon. He just wants to focus on the contest itself.” Read more here. A BBC documentary out tonight will also show the singer talking about the reaction to his decision to take part.
The plight of Ukraine: While the primary source of tensions are likely to be over Israel, some artists may be hoping to bring attention to Ukraine, which has been battling Russia’s invasion for more than two years. Eurovision has also been accused of double standards in its treatment of Israel and Russia. The European Broadcasting Union, which produces the contest, banned Russia from competing just one day after it launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, saying that allowing a Russian entry would “bring the competition into disrepute”. But it has allowed Israel to go ahead. “The two are not comparative at all,” the EBU’s director general, Noel Curran, told CNN recently. “If we start across the board just deciding that we’re going to exclude people, on the basis of geopolitical situations or terrible things that might be happening in the world, then every year we’re just going to have groups of people calling for someone to be excluded.” While that debate may rage, Ukraine’s former Eurovision winner has said her country cannot afford to boycott the song contest. She told PA: “Some countries may refuse to participate, but we don’t. Especially we cannot afford to give up such a contest in time of war. There are many wars now in the world and, of course, it is not easy to constantly keep attention on yourself so that people do not get tired of our war. But that is our task, people who remain in Ukraine, people who are fighting, to be as loud and creative … this is the task of artists to find new ways of how to reveal and show their country.” For the full list of countries taking part and how to watch, click here.
Around the world
Ukrainian forces are eagerly anticipating the arrival of F-16 fighter jets to help them beat back Russia in its expected summer offensive as Moscow continues to make gains in the east. A coalition of Nato allies – Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway – have agreed to donate approximately 45 F-16s to the Ukrainian Air Force.
A fresh investigation into the Boeing 787 Dreamliner has been opened by US regulators after the company said some employees may not have inspected some planes properly. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it “is investigating whether Boeing completed the inspections and whether company employees may have falsified aircraft records”.
British tourists heading to Mexico were warned on Monday to be cautious after the brutal “execution-style” killing of three surfers was uncovered. Two Australians and an American had been shot in the head by thieves who wanted their truck’s tyres, prosecutors said.
An Australian woman accused of murdering and attempting to murder relatives with a lunch containing poisonous mushrooms has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against her. Erin Patterson, 49, is charged with three counts of murder and five of attempted murder.
The Met Gala has seen a string of stars walking the red carpet in garden-inspired garments. A-listers were invited to be imaginative with the dress code, The Garden of Time, inspired by a short story of the same name by JG Ballard.
Watch out for…
rail disruption on some of the busiest commuter routes in the country due to a fresh strike by drivers. Members of Aslef at operators including Southern, Southeastern and South Western Railway will walk out for the day.
Thoughts for the day
Israel’s political position is now weaker than before the Hamas attack. The attack on Rafah, when it occurs, will have huge consequences internationally, warns Patrick Cockburn.
If Labour wins and nothing changes, we risk losing Gen Z to the political fringes. I worry that the disillusionment could turn into something darker, says Tom Nicholson.
My message to Gen Z: pick up the phone (you’ll feel a lot less lonely). According to a report, 25 per cent of people aged between 18 and 34 have literally never answered their phone, writes Rebecca Reid.
Culture Break
14 podcasts to make you the most interesting person in any room. These mind-expanding shows will mean you’ll never have to resort to small talk again, writes Nick Hilton.
The Big Read
Tied to a tree and burned alive – horrors of a war far from Gaza and Ukraine. ‘If we got just 10 per cent of the air defences Ukraine gets, the regime would be gone in 12 months,’ says one activist.
Sport
‘Disgraceful’: West Ham fans react to Moyes treatment amid Lopetegui reports. West Ham are taking the coward’s way out by repeatedly courting managers before officially ending their relationship with Moyes, writes Michael Hincks.
Something to brighten your day
‘I quit twice in a year and earn £8k more’: why Gen Z love job hopping. Company loyalty and the idea of a job for life are a thing of the past for young workers who are rapidly moving from post to post in a bid to increase pay and supercharge progression, reports Radhika Sanghani