Top story: PM lives to fight another day
Hello, I’m Warren Murray getting on with the job of delivering you Thursday’s news.
Theresa May is still prime minister and will be in Brussels today trying to find a way to repay those who voted to keep her in place. After winning a confidence vote of Tory MPs by 200 votes to 117, the PM has said she will seek a “legally binding” commitment from the EU for the Irish backstop to be temporary. EU leaders say the deal is not open for renegotiation but have indicated they are willing to lay down assurances that they don’t want to get stuck with the backstop either.
Last night, to help secure a winning majority among Tory MPs, May pledged to see Brexit through but not to lead the party into the next general election due in 2022. The result cements her against challenge from within the party for a year. But she could still face a Labour-led attempt to hold a vote of no confidence in the Commons, bring down the government and force an early poll. The challenge, though unsuccessful, also leaves her ability to lead the party compromise.
Tory Brexiters argue the 117 votes cast against May show her deal is deeply unpopular on her own side of the House of Commons. The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, said: “Tonight’s vote makes no difference to the lives of our people,” urging the prime minister to “bring her dismal deal back to the House of Commons next week so parliament can take back control”. Dan Sabbagh writes that those calling for a “people’s vote” want Labour to conclude that it cannot force a general election and should move on to campaigning for another referendum instead – an idea Corbyn does not favour.
May also still has to win round the DUP, whose votes keep her in government. The Northern Ireland unionists object that the Irish border backstop, if it came into force, would compromise Northern Ireland’s place within the UK. Martin Kettle reflects on an attempted Tory coup that turned out to be “more mouth than trousers”.
Turkey train crash – In breaking news this morning, four people have died in the Turkish capital, Ankara, when one train crashed into another and then hit a pedestrian overpass. Dozens more were reportedly injured. The accident happened at Marsandiz train station, about five miles from Ankara’s main station.
Cohen jailed for three years – The lawyer who once said he would “take a bullet” for Donald Trump has directly implicated the president in criminal conduct. Michael Cohen, the president’s former personal legal fixer, has been sentenced to 26 months’ jail over election-eve payments to the adult-film performer Stormy Daniels and the former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Both say they had affairs with the now-president. Cohen broke down in tears after pleading guilty to making the payments in 2016 violation of campaign finance laws, and lying to Congress about efforts to build a Trump tower in Moscow. “I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen that I deeply admired,” Cohen said. “I know now, in fact, there is little to be admired.” Cohen has been cooperating with the Trump-Russia inquiry headed by Robert Mueller, who has been steadily “flipping” the president’s once loyal troops.
Strasbourg hunt continues – French security forces have been joined by their German counterparts in the hunt for the gunman who killed three people and injured 13 others in an attack on Strasbourg’s Christmas market. The suspect is Strasbourg-born Chérif Chekatt, 29, described as a hardened criminal who was radicalised in prison and is listed as a national security threat. Witnesses said he shouted “Allahu Akbar” as he shot into the crowds and slashed at passersby with a knife. Police checkpoints have been thrown up at four border crossings between France and Germany. Police arrested and detained four people – understood to be Chekatt’s mother, father and brothers – after raiding addresses linked to him. One of the victims has been named as Thai tourist Anupong Suebsamarn, 45, who was travelling with his wife. There are calls for France’s gilets jaunes to shut down their protests following the attack.
Glimmer of climate hope – The EU and scores of other countries have pledged at talks in Poland to toughen their existing commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with the aim of keeping global warming within 1.5C. Campaigners praised the decision by the “High Ambition Coalition” made up of the EU and four other developed countries including Canada and New Zealand, as well as developing nations. The talks have been distracted by US, Russian and Saudi moves to downgrade scientific advice. “We’re running out of time,” said António Guterres, the UN secretary general. “To waste this opportunity would compromise our last best chance to stop runaway climate change. It would not only be immoral, it would be suicidal.” Our editorial says the biggest problem is Donald Trump, an intractable denialist at a time when more than 80% of Americans, including most Republicans, believe climate change is happening.
Antarctica deaths – Two technicians have been killed in an apparent accident at a US research station in Antarctica. They had been working on a fire-suppression system inside a building at McMurdo station when a helicopter pilot saw what looked like smoke coming out, landed and found them unconscious. Efforts to revive them failed. The National Science Foundation, the US government agency that runs the station, said the deaths were being investigated and there were no suspicious circumstances.
Betting ads are off – The gambling industry will submit to a voluntary ban on betting adverts during sport programmes from next summer, amid mounting pressure to protect children from excessive exposure to gambling. It will be a “whistle-to-whistle” ban on adverts beginning five minutes before pre-watershed live sport events and ending five minutes after. Horse and greyhound racing, seen as gambling-driven sports, are excluded. Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, who has previously called for a ban on gambling companies sponsoring football shirts, said: “The next step will have to be addressing the gambling adverts that children and vulnerable problem gamblers see online.”
Today in Focus podcast: Theresa May – a crisis of confidence
After a frenzied day of infighting among Conservative MPs, Theresa May remains prime minister, having survived a vote of confidence in her leadership.
But how damaging has the episode been for her party? Anushka Asthana hears from the Guardian’s Jessica Elgot and Conservative MPs Ben Bradley, Nicky Morgan and Sarah Wollaston. Plus: Natalie Nougayrède on a make-or-break week for Emmanuel Macron.
Lunchtime read: Cutting back on the booze
“My name is Adrian, and I am a moderating drinker.” The BBC presenter Adrian Chiles came to face to face with his own alcohol issues, and the mental gymnastics involved in not calling yourself an alcoholic, while making a documentary called Drinkers Like Me.
“Now I drink a lot less, but talk about it all the time … Everyone seems to have a story about alcohol, about how much they drink or used to drink or how much their families drank or whatever. The biggest revelation to me: just how many drinks I have had in my life that I didn’t really want. Drinking for the sake of drinking. It’s madness. Because, let’s be honest, it is only the first one that has any real impact anyway. The rest is just habit.”
Sport
José Mourinho aimed another shot at his players, revealing his growing frustration as he insisted he had learned “nothing” and was not surprised by Manchester United’s Champions League defeat at Valencia that was an opportunity lost to go through as group winners. It was a different story back in Manchester, where City sealed top spot after a Leroy Sané double gave Pep Guardiola’s side a 2-1 comeback win against Hoffenheim. As Team Sky’s sponsorship enters its final season one thing is certain: unless Sir Dave Brailsford announces a replacement backer this side of June, the vultures will circle ever closer to the ground.
Anastasia Dobromyslova, the Ellesmere Port-based Russian darts player and one of two women who have qualified for the PDC event at Alexandra Palace, says that her gender has made her fight for her position in the game. Geordan Murphy is hoping Manu Tuilagi’s passion for Leicester will keep the England centre at Welford Road next season. And Eleven Sports, the self-styled “Netflix of Sports” controlled by the Leeds United owner, Andrea Radrizzani, could be facing closure in the UK and Ireland after failing to attract enough subscribers.
Business
The pound has largely held on to gains after Theresa May’s reprieve. Sterling held steady at $1.262 in overnight trade. It had bounced off a 20-month low of $1.2477 during the previous session, ending 1.1% higher on the day in the aftermath of the vote. Against the euro, it’s sitting on €1.110 at time of writing.
The papers
Front pages are all about May’s survival in the confidence vote. Two papers have come out in support of the PM, with the Express featuring a picture of a smiling May and the headline: “Now just let her get on with it”. The Mail is of the same mind: “Now let her get on with the job!”
Others are less sympathetic. “Time to call it a May”, says the Sun, never one to miss the chance to put a pun in a headline, however laboured. The Mirror has “It’s lame duck for Christmas”, saying May’s “goose is cooked”. The Telegraph says “A vote to Remain, but when will she Leave?” The FT has “May survives Brexiter challenge but margin fails to quash revolt”, the i says yesterday was a “Stay of execution” for May, the Times declares “May scrapes home” and the Guardian has “Tory coup fails. But scale of rebellion damages May”. You can see the front pages here.
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