Summary

  • George Osborne delivers Autumn Statement and Spending Review

  • The chancellor says he has abandoned planned cuts to tax credits

  • Police budgets also escape cuts with economy boosted by £27bn windfall

  • Labour says working families will still lose out

  • Autumn Statement sets out state of UK economy and signals tax and welfare plans

  • Spending Review set out details of plans to cut government spending over next few years

  1. Cameron and Hollande conclude briefingpublished at 09:00

    David Cameron and Francois Hollande

    It was a short press conference but Mr Cameron made his intentions pretty clear with regard to Syria. He will make his case to MPs later this week and, although it is not yet clear when a vote will be held, he firmly believes military action against so-called Islamic State in Syria is justified, stressing the "world was coming together" to fight to the organisation. 

  2. Cameron and Hollande talk over breakfastpublished at 08:58 Greenwich Mean Time 23 November 2015

    Press Association political correspondent tweets...

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  3. PM to unveil Syria plan this weekpublished at 08:53

    David Cameron says he will present a "comprehensive" plan of action regarding Syria to Parliament later this week. While it will be up to MPs to decide, he says he is of the "firm" belief that the UK should join the military coalition fighting so-called Islamic State in Syria and such action is justified. He concludes by telling the French President "nous sommes solidaires avec vous". 

  4. PM on UK-France intelligence sharingpublished at 08:50

    The PM says the UK and France are deepening their co-operation on intelligence-sharing. More broadly, he says the European Union's external border needs to be strengthened and there needs to be an immediate agreement on sharing passenger records, saying that the lack of progress on this within the EU (compared with travel info shared with countries outside the EU) has been "ridiculous". 

  5. Cameron praises resilience of French peoplepublished at 08:47

    David Cameron is now speaking, praising the "courage, determination and resilience" shown by the Parisian people. He also commends the "swift and decisive" action taken by the French authorities, particularly the police. The UK will do "all in its power" to help France defeat so-called Islamic State, which he describes as a "evil death cult". 

  6. Hollande: Up to UK to decide on Syriapublished at 08:45

    Mr Hollande talks about the fact that the UK and France are already part of a coalition fighting Islamic State in Iraq. He says it is up to the UK to decide whether it commits to joining international efforts in Syria but he says France will intensify its airstrikes in Syria with further "strong" action - with the aim of destroying the so-called Islamic State and to allow a political solution in that country. 

  7. David Cameron and President Hollande press conferencepublished at 08:42

    Cameron and Hollande

    Francois Hollande and David Cameron are now holding a press conference in Paris. The French president opens by expressing thanks to the UK for the solidarity they have shown since the Paris attacks and says the talks were based around sharing counter-terror intelligence and co-ordinating defence capabilities. 

  8. 'Climate change is biggest challenge for politics'published at 08:40

    Today Programme
    BBC Radio 4

    Earlier, Ed Miliband, former Labour leader, spoke on the need for more action to tackle climate change. He says this is an issue he cares passionately about and could now speak freely about.

    He calls climate change "the biggest challenge to politics" because politics is "short-term".

    "If we don't act we'll actually end up with higher energy bills" says Mr Miliband. He says the current government has an uncertain policy at the moment. 

  9. UK will train and equip moderate Syrian forcespublished at 08:30

    BBC assistant political editor tweets...

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post 2

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post 2
    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post 3

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post 3
  10. Labour backing for Syria action 'conceivable'published at 08:27

    Today Programme
    BBC Radio 4

    The BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg says it is now "conceivable" that Labour could support RAF airstrikes in Syria as part of a comprehensive plan to try and bring peace to the country. She tells MPs that Labour are "not in that place" quite yet and the prospect will be "troublesome" for many of its MPs but the government clearly believes it has momentum behind military intervention following the passing of Friday's UN resolution. David Cameron, she adds, will need the support of many Labour MPs as a minority of Conservatives will not support him when the vote happens. 

  11. Miliband: 'Of course' Corbyn is suitable to be PMpublished at 08:28 Greenwich Mean Time 23 November 2015

    BBC Radio 4's Today presenter tweets...

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  12. 'More money to spent on UK defence'published at 08:20

    Today Programme
    BBC Radio 4

    More money will be spent on UK defence, says Michael Fallon defence secretary. He says the aim is "re-configuring the army" and enabling them "to take on new threats that face us". The budget will increase every year this parliament. 

    He says £12 billion more will be spent on equipment, saying the "defence budget was in a mess" but says that is "sorted out" now.

    He says "threats have multiplied" within the last five years, mentioning the rise of so called Islamic State, cyber threats and the Russian annexation of Crimea. 

  13. 'Syria vote won't happen next week'published at 08:14

    BBC Breakfast

    There will not be a vote on bombing Syria next week, Michael Fallon tells BBC Breakfast. 

    The defence secretary says: "When we've got sufficient support in Parliament then we'll press the button and hold that vote." 

    David Cameron is seeking to build support for the UK to extend its bombing against IS targets into Syria, rather than being restricted to Iraq as at present.

    Mr Cameron will present his case to Parliament on Thursday.

  14. Osborne 'under pressure on tax credits'published at 08:11

    George Osborne

    George Osborne is refusing to be drawn on how he will claw back the £4.3bn cost of postponing tax credit cuts in Wednesday's Spending Review.

    Labour claims the chancellor is planning cuts to Universal Credit, which is set to replace six working age benefits by 2020.

    He is thought to have scrapped a plan to cut work incentives after Iain Duncan Smith threatened to resign.

    But Labour claims he is likely to find another way of cutting the benefit.

    Read more

  15. PM holding talks with French presidentpublished at 08:08

    David Cameron and President Hollande outside the Bataclan theatre in ParisImage source, PA

    David Cameron is holding talks in Paris with French President Francois Hollande on co-operation in the fight against so-called Islamic State.

    France is pushing for a stronger international coalition against IS.

    The meeting is likely to help inform any new attempt by the prime minister to persuade Parliament to support RAF air strikes in Syria.

    The meeting comes after IS claimed to have carried out the attacks on Paris, which left 130 people dead.

    Read more

  16. UK to create rapid 'strike brigades'published at 08:04

    SoldierImage source, Getty Images

    Two 5,000-strong "strike brigades" that can be rapidly deployed are to be created by 2025 to help the UK respond to "diverse" threats, the PM is to say.

    David Cameron will give details of an additional £12bn of equipment spending, as he outlines the Strategic Defence and Security Review in the Commons.

    The extra spending will include a new fleet of maritime patrol aircraft.

    He will say the priority is to tackle state-based threats and terrorism, including so-called Islamic State.

    Read more

  17. Good morningpublished at 08:00

    Hello and welcome to our rolling coverage of political developments at the start of a busy week. The future shape of the UK's armed forces is the main issue this morning, while David Cameron is in Paris for talks with the French president and the Labour debate over whether to back air strikes in Syria continues .