Does cross-party support for the Mali mission signal a new consensus on deploying troops overseas?

British regular soldiers will be on the ground in a new theatre for the first time since Iraq – and Labour are fully on board.

John Healey: Ministers have a democratic duty to explain the role of British combat troops in Mali

It should remain a basic principle that no Government commits British troops into a conflict zone before a full statement in the Commons.

Protecting British troops may be Johnson’s next clash with his ‘rule of law’ opponents

The post-war system of international law is constantly evolving – it is inevitable, and justified, for government attitudes and approaches to evolve in turn.

Daniel Hannan: Does the army really still need tanks? Or the navy aircraft carriers? Or the rest of us, the Trident system?

Let’s have a no-holds-barred strategic review which asks how we can best defend our interests given the vertiginous acceleration of military technology.

Allan Mallinson: What is the army for?

The Cabinet Office’s Review will ask complex questions about its purpose. But a straightforward one may be the place to start.

Tory MPs, Downing Street and the Treasury are poised to clash over plans to cut the army to 60,000. Who will win out?

One MP said this is more than enough for Islamists here, not nearly sufficient for Estonia and “for the Middle East, you’d want something in between”.

James Wild: The security, defence and foreign policy review is underway. We cannot afford to duck, delay or defer the big decisions.

In the private sector, constantly over-spending your allocated budget would not be dealt with by a bailout but by being shown the door.

Rob Sutton: Top Tories on Twitter. Case Study 2) Johnny Mercer

He entered Parliament as a man on a mission and is quite happy to ruffle some feathers along the way.

Benjamin Obese-Jecty: It’s time the Government did right by Commonwealth veterans

We should follow the American example and offer an cheap, easy, and automatic pathway to residency and citizenship for those who serve.

The Scapecock

The Health Secretary’s defence of his department’s pro-lockdown stance has made him a target for those who want it eased.

Ed Hall: The heroes of the struggle against the virus are Little Britons, not the Big State

The part of the country that is working well is the part that is not waiting for people in a risk-averse chain of centralised command to make a decision.

Roderick Crawford: To beat this virus, the NHS needs to learn from the British Army

This is not about NHS on the cheap; the Army has a long history of having to upscale rapidly, and should be used in these troublesome times.

Mark Francois: Johnson must keep his promises on Northern Ireland veterans – not sacrifice them to satisfy Sinn Fein

The Prime Minister pledged to defend those who defended us. I believe him.

Andrew Gimson’s Conference sketch: Wallace declares that he is not setting out to be a popular Defence Secretary

The Defence Secretary confirmed that he has scrapped the zero-tolerance approach to drug-taking in the armed forces, and commanding officers now have discretion.

Azeem Ibrahim: In praise of James Cleverly

Cleverly can undercut perceptions of the party as being just for the rich and those born with a silver spoon in their mouths.