RAF launch sorties over Syria as Cameron secures Commons support
“Last night, David Cameron boasted Britain is ‘safer’ after the House of Commons backed his proposal to extend military action in Syria by 397 votes to 223 – a majority of 174. Some 66 of Labour MPs defied their pacifist leader Jeremy Corbyn to back the Tory government, after Mr Cameron warned Britain had to strike at the heart of ISIS or ‘wait for them to attack us’.” – Daily Mail
Conservatives:
- Cameron decides to start referring to ISIS as Daesh… – Daily Mail
- …and ministers follow suit – The Times (£)
- Premier struggles to find consensus – Financial Times
- Mathias moved to tears as she sets out support for strike – Daily Mail
- Lewis attacks Prime Minister’s ‘dodgy’ claim of 70,000 moderate fighters – Daily Mail
- Hague warns that we shouldn’t rule out ground war – Daily Mail
Labour:
- Field claims Corbyn could be replaced as Commons leader but remain head of party – The Independent
- Labour leader says civilian deaths are ‘almost inevitable’ – The Independent
- Creasy is threatened after voting for action – Daily Mail
- Pro-strikes MPs bullied by extremists, warn senior figures – The Independent
- CND activist who targeted Creasy is Corbyn acolyte – Daily Telegraph
- Anti-war activists send MPs pictures of dead children – The Times (£)
- Corbyn says bullying has no place in his party – The Independent
- How did your MP vote on air strikes? – Daily Mail
- Majority of Shadow Cabinet back their leader – The Independent
Benn:
- We must confront this evil, claims Benn – Daily Mail
- One of the truly great Commons speeches – The Sun
- Cheers as Shadow Foreign Secretary urges his party to confront ‘fascists’ – The Times (£)
- Video: Benn’s speech ‘one of the greats’ – Daily Telegraph
- He didn’t just look like Leader of the Opposition, but like the Prime Minister – Dan Hodges, Daily Telegraph
SNP:
Sketches:
- Hilary’s shock and awe campaign on his own party – John Crace’s sketch, The Guardian
- The mouse roared and was the hero of the hour – Quentin Letts, Daily Mail
- Benn riding high after the speech of his life – Patrick Kidd, The Times (£)
- MPs aren’t terrorist sympathisers, but they are whining cry-babies – Michael Deacon, Daily Telegraph
Tim Montgomerie: This vote will have reassured America
“The vote authorising British military action in Syria will have done much to assure Washington that the country of Winston Churchill can still summon up resolve to confront and defeat evils such as Islamic State… As the Wall Street Journal noted in a leading article yesterday, even when Britain’s military contribution is relatively small, the UK provides rhetorical power and intellectual heft to America’s foreign policy debate”. – The Times (£)
Comment:
- Vote is more relief than turning point – Richard Haass, Financial Times
- Commons emerges with credit from a day of bitter division – Rafael Behr, The Guardian
- Parliament’s playground spat on name-calling has let voters down – James Kirkup, Daily Telegraph
- Cameron’s ill-judged insult was unworthy of his office – Peter Oborne, Daily Mail
- It’s the Prime Minister who’s a terrorist appeaser – Simon Jenkins, The Guardian
- Corbyn’s allies want war between Labour MPs and the members – Tristram Hunt MP, Daily Telegraph
Editorial:
>Today:
>Yesterday:
Tusk plays tough on migrant benefits with ultimatum to Cameron
“David Cameron has been told he must ditch his flagship European Union renegotiation demand to curb migrant benefits if he is to get a deal before Christmas. The Prime Minister has asked officials in Brussels for a speedy agreement to be wrapped up at a summit in a fortnight’s time.” – Daily Mail
- EU chief tells Prime Minister to delay until February or ‘risk it all’ – The Sun
- Premier ‘will campaign to leave’ if EU don’t back down on migrant benefits – Daily Telegraph
- No treaty change before referendum, Prime Minister warned – The Times (£)
- Cameron faces ‘clear risk of failure’ in push for early deal – Daily Telegraph
- English votes to leave could be ‘offset’ by votes from the rest of the UK – The Guardian
Elsewhere in Europe:
- Another 500,000 refugees are heading to EU after secret deal with Turkey – The Sun
- EU plan to suspend Schengen free-travel zone for two years – Daily Mail
- Denmark’s referendum becomes clarion call for Eurosceptics – Financial Times
>Today: Profiles: Brussels, where the European Commission is a shadow of its former self
Gove’s proposals to replace Human Rights Act delayed until 2016
“Plans to scrap the Human Rights Act have been delayed for a second time, Michael Gove has revealed. The prime minister’s request for a consultation on whether the UK should set up a constitutional court to block EU laws has triggered a “complex” process, the Justice Secretary warned.” – Daily Telegraph
Osborne’s plans threatened by higher interest rate risk
“The warning, which will alarm families finally reaping the rewards of the economic recovery through rising wages, was another setback for George Osborne in the wake of last week’s Autumn Statement. The Chancellor has already been accused by the Institute for Fiscal Studies of taking a gamble with the economy by basing his plans on ‘lucky’ upgrades to the official forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility.” – Daily Mail
Police investigation into Clarke expanding
“At least 22 witnesses have given statements and police are learning more names all the time, said Ray Johnson, whose son Elliott, 21, committed suicide after complaining of bullying by Conservative election aide Mark Clarke, dubbed the Tatler Tory. Mr Johnson said police had been encouraging potential victims of Clarke – who denies bullying, sexually harassing and blackmailing young Tory activists – to make criminal allegations.” – Daily Mail
- Senior local Tories claim ‘drunk and chaotic’ Road Trip activists were ‘useless’ – The Times (£)
>Today: Isaac Duffy in Comment: Conservative Future should be shut down
Muslim voters give Labour a boost in Oldham
“Labour is poised to receive the overwhelming backing of Oldham’s Muslim voters today, which party chiefs believe will help them squeeze to a by-election victory. Senior Labour figures acknowledge that there has been a surge in support for Ukip among white voters in the constituency, but conversations with Muslim voters have boosted confidence within party ranks.” – The Times (£)
- Candidate accuses UKIP voters of being ‘rejects’… – The Sun
- …whilst report claims Labour are seen as party for ‘losers’ – The Sun
- Labour leader stays away from Oldham West – Daily Telegraph
- Corbyn is the greatest threat to Labour’s hold here – Robert Hardman, Daily Mail
Nigel Farage: UKIP can do to Labour in the North as the SNP did in Scotland
“Things change in politics, often more quickly than we believe possible. Just a few years ago, Labour had total dominance in Scotland. But that has now come to an abrupt end with the SNP almost wiping them out… today we can do what until recently would have been considered impossible – overturn Labour’s huge majority in Oldham. If we do, believe me, Labour dominoes in the north of England will begin to fall.” – Daily Telegraph
Sturgeon quizzed on suspended MPs
“McGarry, who has withdrawn from the SNP whip, “is absolutely adamant that she is not guilty of any wrongdoing” in connection with the cash missing from the accounts of Women for Independence, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon told journalists during a briefing at her Edinburgh residence. Sturgeon also confirmed that Michelle Thomson, who has resigned the SNP whip amid police investigations into her property business, remains suspended even though she was seen sitting with the SNP group at Westminster.” – The Guardian
News in Brief:
- Growth of non-EU students boosts university wealth – Daily Mail
- Border watch list system breaks down twice a week – The Times (£)
- Two suspects shot dead in US as ‘possible terrorist attack’ kills 14 – Daily Telegraph
- Swiss make more arrests in FIFA corruption scandal – Financial Times
- Doctors call for food portions to sink to 1950s levels to tackle obesity – Daily Mail
- Sharp rise in poorer students despite tuition fees – The Times (£)