‘Britain will today commit to a war lasting up to three years against ‘medieval’ Islamist fanatics spreading horror in Iraq. In an emergency sitting of Parliament, MPs are expected overwhelmingly to back military action for what is already being called the Third Gulf War. Air strikes are expected to start within hours of the 5pm vote.’ – Daily Mail
Editorials:
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: The Commons must ask some hard questions tomorrow about bombing Iraq
‘Bethany Haines, 17, whose father, David, was murdered on camera three weeks ago, said the terrorists of Islamic State (Isis) “needed to be stopped”. She backed airstrikes and troops on the ground if “that’s what it takes”.’ – The Times (£)
‘Police in east London launched an anti-terror swoop yesterday on the extremist preacher Anjem Choudary and his supporters. Mr Choudary, 47, was one of nine people arrested in early morning raids by officers from the Metropolitan police’s counterterrorism command.’ – The Times (£)
‘Ukip will today pile pressure on George Osborne to ease the tax burden on millions who have been sucked into the higher 40p rate of income tax. The Eurosceptic party is proposing a new 35p rate to be levied on earnings between £42,000 and £55,000, arguing many middle-class families on such incomes are being unfairly squeezed. It will also float the idea of a ‘turnover tax’ – a minimum percentage of companies’ annual turnover that has to be paid to the Treasury.’ – Daily Mail
>Yesterday: Rohan Banerjee on Comment: The insider’s guide to Thanet politics
‘David Cameron has vowed to place his plans for “English votes for English laws” at the heart of the general election in a move designed to embarrass Ed Miliband. The prime minister said that the Labour leader was making a “great mistake” by not signing up to the principle that the English should be given the same powers over their own affairs as those to be handed to the Scottish.’ – The Times (£)
>Today:
>Yesterday:
‘Labour’s £1.2billion-a-year mansion tax haul could be virtually wiped out by plunging stamp duty, inheritance tax and running costs, experts warned last night. Many prospective buyers desperate to avoid a new annual one per cent tax on properties worth more than £2million would lower their offers, research suggests.’ – Daily Mail
>Yesterday:
‘Affluent young workers will be guaranteed low rents in thousands of new properties, allowing them to save for a deposit on their first home, the government will announce today. Under a new “rent to buy” scheme, first-time buyers will be offered fixed rents at 20 per cent below market rates, guaranteed for seven years. They will then be given first refusal on buying the home.’ – The Times (£)
‘The Read On. Get On. campaign is so important. It sets a historic goal – to eliminate illiteracy – and asks teachers, politicians and parents to work together to achieve it. That goal is at the heart of our plan for education. It’s crucial to ensuring every child leaves school prepared for life in modern Britain. Our plan is already working. Compared to 2009, 81,000 more 11-year-olds are now reaching the expected standards.’ – Nicky Morgan, The Sun (£)
‘A whistleblower says her career was destroyed by NHS managers after warning about how vulnerable patients were coming to severe harm. Dr Hayley Dare, 42, a psychologist,even claims to have received a poison-pen letter from one of her bosses saying her children would suffer if she lost her job which also threatened: ‘You cannot win, you cannot beat us’.’ – Daily Mail
‘MPs are set to haul Britain’s top police officer and prosecutor to the Commons over the investigation into missing teenager Alice Gross. Scotland Yard chief Bernard Hogan Howe and the Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders will be questioned amid growing anger over foreign criminals living freely in Britain.’ – Daily Mail