Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn leaves his house in North London
(PA)
Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer faces anger in his party over his decision not to return the whip to his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn – with 28 MPs, almost one in seven of the parliamentary party, signing a letter demanding the former leader’s reinstatement.
Sir Keir has been caught between the wishes of Mr Corbyn’s supporters in the parliamentary party and those opposed to the decision by Labour’s NEC to reinstate the Islington North MP as a member. Describing the former leader’s treatment as “persecution” Len McCluskey, whose Unite union is Labour’s biggest financial donor, told Starmer to “pull back from the brink”.
Meanwhile Boris Johnson is set to plunge £16.5bn into the ministry of defence while pledging to create an agency dedicated to artificial intelligence, and a “space command” capable of launching the UK’s first rocket by 2022.
Marking the funding as an end to “the era of retreat”, Mr Johnson is set to lay out a four-year financial deal for the Ministry of Defence to develop cutting-edge capabilities in the future battlefields of cyber and space.
To infinity and beyond
The PM’s proposed military spend is a big departure from Downing Street – and not just because Mr Johnson wants to see the nation launch its own space rocket by 2022.
The chancellor Rishi Sunak had wanted government departments to be limited to one-year spending commitments – however the billions pledged for the MoD will see a four year commitment to fund the forces.
It also constitutes a significantly higher figure than defence secretary Ben Wallace was expected to get after years of complaints from the department over funding and significant cuts made during Philip Hammond’s time in Number 11.
The PM’s announcement (slated for 11:50 but if recent media briefings are anything to go by expect it to be a little later) will see four central policies unveiled – the development of a cyber-warfare agency, an AI agency to develop autonomous weapons systems, investment in military research and development and, of course, the space force.
Vincent Wood19 November 2020 08:15
Military spend and a day for the men – what to look out for
Here is our political editor Andrew Woodcock on what to look out for today:
Highlight of the day in Westminster is a statement from Boris Johnson on military spending which will decisively end a struggle between the Treasury and the Ministry of Defence in defence secretary Ben Wallace’s favour. Later in the Commons, that doughty defender of the rights of beleaguered men, Shipley MP Philip Davies, will make his annual attempt to wind up feminists with a debate on International Men’s Day which he has secured with fellow Tory Ben Bradley.
Vincent Wood19 November 2020 08:04
Vaccine hope as study finds promising response ion over 60s
And the day begins with a bit of good news for the PM when it comes to the government’s coronavirus response – the Oxford/Astra Zeneca vaccine which has been heavily talked up by Mr Johnson is offering promising results in the over-60s.
More on the Oxford jab below:
Vincent Wood19 November 2020 08:00
Boris Johnson to offer up £16.5bn to MoD
Boris Johnson, who has spent the week listing spending commitments in a bid to move the conversation away from the turmoil in Number 10 left by aide Dominic Cummings, is set to offer up £16.5bn to the MoD.
Vincent Wood19 November 2020 07:53
Labour to erupt into civil war
Good morning – here is our top story today:
The Labour Party risks falling into a mess of infighting yet again, with 28 MPs demand Sir Keir Starmer reinstate the whip to former leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Vincent Wood19 November 2020 07:50
