It is a big 48 hours for big jobs in politics.

Last night British Conservative prime minister Rishi Sunak clashed with Labour Party leader Keir Starmer over the Westminster gambling scandal in their last head-to-head debate before next week’s general election.

By Friday next week, one of them – and (soz for this) you’d have to bet on Starmer – will be the next occupant of 10 Downing Street.

In Brussels, barring a late surprise, Ursula von der Leyen is expected to get the backing of European Council leaders (Taoiseach Simon Harris included) to get a second term as European Commission president during a two-day summit starting today.

Mr Harris will also be armed with the name of the Government’s commission nominee – former finance minister Michael McGrath – as Ireland pushes for one of the good jobs – ie an economic portfolio – in the Berlaymont building.

Jack Power tees up the horse-trading in his Europe letter.

And on the other side of the pond, US president Joe Biden will face off against former president Donald Trump in a debate between an octogenarian and an almost-octogenarian.

Sparks flew during their first debate in 2020 when Biden responded to constant interruptions from Trump with an exasperated: “Will you shut up man?”.

The debate starts at 1am Irish time. Expect full coverage afterwards on irishtimes.com and no doubt a chat about how it all went on the Inside Politics wrap of the week podcast on Friday.

In the meantime Niall O’Dowd and Daniel Geary give their verdict on who is ahead in the US presidential campaign here.

But never mind all that – back home Fianna Fáil’s Jack Chambers (33) became the youngest Minister for Finance since Michael Collins.

In her column Miriam Lord writes about “Chambers of Commerce” makes his entrance as McGrath departs.

Fianna Fáil junior ministers and backbenchers are expected to be finally put out of their misery today as to who will replace Chambers in the ‘super-junior’ role at Cabinet and the other resulting vacancy amongst the ranks of Ministers of State.

And if all that was not enough excitement, the first hustings in the Green Party leadership contest between Roderic O’Gorman and Pippa Hackett takes place in Dublin this evening. The Irish Times will be there.

All in all, a feast of politics to gorge on over the next two days.

Best Reads

In today’s lead story, Connor Gallagher and Jennifer Bray report that Defence Forces management hopes to be able to expel soldier Cathal Crotty by early next week, following his conviction for beating a woman unconscious in Limerick in 2022.

Aer Lingus is to meet pilots today, reviving hopes of a breakthrough in the pay dispute that has forced the airline to cancel 270 flights, hitting tens of thousands of passengers. Barry O’Halloran has the story.

Elsewhere on the front page, it has emerged that newly qualified teachers will be entitled to a €2,000 incentive payment next summer if they take up a full-time teaching role for the coming school year as part of a fresh effort to boost the supply of classroom professionals. Our Education Editor Carl O’Brien reports.

Playbook

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin takes Parliamentary Questions in the Dáil from 9am.

Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan is next up for PQs at 10.30am.

Leaders’ Questions is at noon.

Government Business from 2.04pm is statements on statutory home care.

TDs have an opportunity to raise Topical Issues from 4.31pm.

The mammoth 700-page plus Planning and Development Bill 2023 is due to be debated at Second Stage in the Seanad from 3.45pm.

The Seanad Public Consultation Committee will hear from leaders and representatives of political parties and Oireachtas groups on the future of local democracy from 9am.

The Road Safety Authority is before the Public Accounts Committee from 9.30am.

The full Dáil, Seanad and Committee schedules can be found here, here and here.

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