**Wednesday Briefing: Trump Takes the Bait in a Debate That Could Shift the Presidential Race** Good morning. If you felt a sense of dread on June 28 when Joe Biden delivered a baffling debate performance, you might find yourself more optimistic today. Just hours ago, the only scheduled debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris concluded, and even Fox News declared Harris the winner. The mood among Democrats likely brightened further with the news that Taylor Swift endorsed Harris, humorously signing her post as “childless cat lady.” A CNN snap poll indicated that voters believed Harris won the debate by a significant margin of 63% to 37%, a gap reminiscent of Trump’s previous victory over Biden. A key factor in Harris’ success was her ability to provoke Trump into rants about less relevant topics, diverting attention from the issues that matter most to voters. In other news, Members of Parliament have voted to restrict the winter fuel allowance to only the poorest pensioners in England and Wales. Just one Labour MP, Jon Trickett, supported the opposition motion, while 52 others chose to abstain, exceeding earlier predictions. In the Conservative Party, Mel Stride has been eliminated from the race to succeed Rishi Sunak as leader after the second round of voting among MPs. Stride's departure marks the second loss in the ongoing leadership contest, which is set to conclude in early November. On the international front, Israeli airstrikes on the al-Mawasi “humanitarian zone” in the Gaza Strip have reportedly resulted in at least 19 fatalities and injured around 60 individuals, according to witnesses and medical officials in the area. In the UK steel industry, the Port Talbot steelworks is facing the prospect of 2,500 job cuts, with additional layoffs anticipated across the country. The government is preparing a taxpayer-backed rescue deal worth £500 million for the south Wales plant, owned by Tata Steel. Lastly, an inquest into the death of a man who took his own life shortly after appearing on The Jeremy Kyle Show found “insufficient evidence” to conclude that his participation in the program contributed to his death. Stay informed as these stories develop.