The screws turn on Feldman as calls for resignation mount “David Cameron was last night under intense pressure to sack his close friend Lord Feldman over the ‘Tatler Tory’ sex, bullying and blackmail scandal. The Tory Party chairman faced demands for answers to a string of damning questions over his handling of complaints against senior […]
Feldman under pressure as Shapps resigns “The Tory party chairman Lord Feldman, David Cameron’s closest political ally, was facing pressure to quit last night after Grant Shapps resigned as a minister over the death of a young Conservative activist. The family of Elliott Johnson, who committed suicide in September after being bullied by senior Conservatives, […]
Pressure mounts on Corbyn but his allies are fighting back “Senior Labour figures and MPs have sought legal advice on how to unseat Jeremy Corbyn in the hope of building support for a plot against him. After the worst fortnight for Labour under the hard-left leader, rebels, including some of the party’s most prominent MPs, […]
Labour leadership goes to war on Syria “After a fraught meeting with the shadow cabinet, Mr Corbyn announced the Prime Minister had failed to make a ‘convincing case’ that military action would improve rather than damage national security. It puts him on a collision course with his own MPs, with shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn […]
The Autumn Statement: has Osborne abandoned austerity? “George Osborne brought an early end to austerity yesterday – using a surprise £27billion windfall to go on a spending spree. Despite weeks of warnings of savage cuts, the Chancellor ditched plans to slash the £30billion tax credits bill. He will now even breach his self-imposed cap on […]
Autumn Statement 1) Osborne intends to retreat on tax credits ‘George Osborne is set to offer big concessions on tax credits after his original plan for £4.4 billion in cuts was blocked by the House of Lords. The chancellor is expected to reduce losses for families from £1,300 to about £300 in a bid to appease more […]
Osborne finds an extra £3.8 billion for the NHS… George Osborne will hand the NHS in England an urgent £3.8 billion increase in funding to help it contend with the pressures caused by staff shortages, an ageing population and growing health demands. The financial injection will form part of the chancellor’s spending review due on […]
Spending Review 1) Cameron puts terror at heart of defence overhaul “David Cameron will vow to place the fight against Islamic State-style terrorism at the heart of Britain’s £178 billion defence overhaul today, amid firm signs that parliament is ready to sanction airstrikes against the militants in Syria. In a move that could allow the […]
Syria 1) Cameron aims to bomb ISIS within a fortnight ‘David Cameron will launch a final offensive to win backing for airstrikes against Isis in Syria this week with the first bombing raids pencilled in for the next fortnight. The prime minister will privately warn MPs that the UK should start behaving like “Churchill not Chamberlain” […]
Cameron to make fresh push for Syria strikes… “World powers united in a pledge to combat IS last night — paving the way for UK bombing raids in Syria. The UN Security Council voted unanimously for a resolution tabled by France. It vowed to take “all necessary measures” to tackle the terrorists in the wake […]
ISIS 1) Leaked document warns that police cuts could harm the UK’s ability to counter a terror attack “Police cuts expected to be announced in next week’s Spending Review may ‘reduce very significantly’ the UK’s ability to respond to a Paris-style attack, Home Secretary Theresa May has been warned. … The advisory comes in a […]
ISIS 1) Support rises for bombing in Syria – and for a ground war, too ‘Six out of ten Britons want the RAF to bomb Islamic State following the Paris massacres, a Daily Mail poll reveals today. Extraordinarily, half the population would back sending ground troops into Syria. Ministers are increasingly confident of winning a […]
Paris aftermath 1) Cameron seeks Commons vote on bombing ISIS in Syria by Christmas ‘David Cameron said that the “snake’s head” of Isis needed to be removed in its Syrian stronghold as it emerged yesterday that Britain would enhance its ability to bomb targets with three additional fast jet squadrons. The prime minister vowed to set out a […]
Cameron announces extra spending to fight ISIS “David Cameron announced on Monday night £2 billion of extra military spending aimed at tackling Isis, with investment in special forces, drones and fighter aircraft able to carry out ground attacks. Mr Cameron also announced a big shift in the aid budget, with half of Britain’s £12 billion […]
Cameron pledges ‘step change’ in British terror response… “British border security was escalated last night amid fears jihadis might stow away in vehicles crossing the Channel or enter the UK by boat to launch deadly attacks… Unveiling the biggest investment in the security services since 7/7, the Prime Minister today pledges to recruit almost 2,000 […]