This morning’s broadcast headlines are led by the news that Prime Minister David Cameron will appear in the House of Commons today to set out his case for extending UK air strikes against ISIL into Syria.
Also running prominently in the bulletins is the audio recording which has been released by the Turkish military, which it says demonstrates that warnings were issued to a Russian warplane before it was shot down on the Syrian border. The surviving Russian pilot has denied claims the jet had violated Turkish airspace and that warnings had been given. Today’s papers are unanimous in their front pages, all splashing on the Chancellor’s Spending Review.
Syria
Articles in the Daily Telegraph and the Financial Times report that David Cameron will today make the case for UK military intervention in Syria. The pieces report that the Prime Minister will set out a seven-point response to the Commons foreign affairs committee, including reassurances that air strikes in Syria are unlikely to lead to civilian casualties, in an effort to allay concerns over extending military action. The pieces add that the MOD has been briefing members of the shadow cabinet that Britain's Brimstone missiles are so precise that they "eliminate" the risk of civilian deaths.
Both the Guardian and the Times carry articles which say that the Church of England has effectively backed military intervention in Syria to establish safe routes for refugees. Pieces report that the general synod voted yesterday in favour of a motion that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said committed the church to supporting the use of armed force. Archbishop Welby added that armed action was “almost inevitable” and that the forces driving people to be refugees needed to be confronted. And a large article in the Financial Times says that while Western leaders have pledged to destroy ISIL, expanded air strikes against its bases in Syria and Iraq are unlikely to dislodge the militants. The piece adds that policymakers are now looking at other options, including – potentially – boots on the ground.
Spending Review
The Daily Telegraph reports that Britain’s intelligence agencies will get hundreds of millions on pounds more funding to tackle terrorists, as the Government vowed to destroy ISIL as part of yesterday’s Spending Review. The piece quotes Chancellor George Osborne as saying resources will be used to provide “new equipment to our war-fighting military”, as well as new capabilities for our special forces. The article references David Cameron’s opinion editorial from earlier in the week, in which he said that Britain has some of the finest Armed Forces and security services in the world, and the Government will ensure they stay that way. The Daily Mail, in a roundup of the winners and losers from the Review, says that “big guns in the Defence industry” were firing on all cylinders yesterday, as they emerged as one of the main winners. The piece adds that shares in companies in the sector “raced ahead” as Mr Osborne announced the Defence budget would rise from £34 billion to £40 billion by 2020; the Daily Express also reports the budget increase.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:
National Security is the top priority for this government. This Spending Review will enable us to invest in the cutting edge equipment our world-class Armed Forces need to keep Britain safe at home and abroad. We will increase our 10-year Equipment Programme by £12 Billion and continue to meet the NATO 2% GDP target for the rest of this decade. This means more ships, more planes, more troops ready to act, better equipment for Special Forces and more money for cyber.
Alexander Blackman
The Daily Mail carries an article which claims that David Cameron last night signalled his support for a potential appeal by jailed former Royal Marine, Sergeant Alexander Blackman, who is serving a prison sentence after being convicted of killing a Taliban insurgent. The article adds that lawyers for Blackman are drawing up an application to petition the Criminal Cases Review Commission to send the case back to the Court of Appeal, and reports that Mr Cameron said the case showed 'exactly why the CCRC exists - to look at where there is or may have been a miscarriage of justice'.
An MOD spokesperson said:
The Ministry of Defence followed and supported the legal process throughout this case. This involved a full criminal investigation and a court martial where witnesses were called by both the independent Service Prosecution Authority and defence counsel. We respect the authority and decision of the court and would, of course, co-operate fully with any future legal process.
