Labour on brink of civil war as Starmer faces backlash over Corbyn ‘persecution’

Latest updates and essential advice from The Independent [View in browser]( [Alternate text] Daily briefing November 19, 2020 Today’s essential news from the source you trust This morning’s headlines Labour [stands on the brink of civil war]( after a defiant response from the party’s left wing to leader Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to block Jeremy Corbyn from sitting as a Labour MP. Sir Keir said his predecessor had “undermined” efforts to restore confidence in the party’s ability to tackle antisemitism following a damning report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission last month. Some 28 MPs - almost one in seven of the parliamentary party - signed a letter demanding the former leader’s reinstatement, while the leader of the Unite union, Len McCluskey, denounced the withholding of the Labour whip as “vindictive and vengeful”. Describing Mr Corbyn’s treatment as “persecution”, Mr McCluskey, whose union is Labour’s biggest financial donor, told Starmer to “pull back from the brink”. The Oxford coronavirus vaccine shows [a promising immune response in people over 60](, boosting hopes that it will be able to help protect those in the most vulnerable age brackets. Researchers described the phase two findings as “encouraging” and results from the crucial late stage trial are expected within weeks. The development follows promising results in phase three trials from three other candidates, with Pfizer-BioNTech, Sputnik and Moderna all raising hopes of a successful vaccine on the horizon. Boris Johnson is to [unveil a military spending spree]( that the government says will increase Britain’s investment in defence to its highest level since the Cold War. The £16.5bn in funding comes on top of the Conservative manifesto commitment to increase military spending by 0.5 per cent in real terms for each year of the parliament. Downing Street claims the expenditure will contribute to about 10,000 jobs a year and will cement the UK’s position as the largest defence spender in Europe and the second largest in Nato after the US. “I have taken this decision in the teeth of the pandemic because the defence of the realm must come first,” the prime minister said. “The international situation is more perilous and more intensely competitive than at any time since the Cold War and Britain must be true to our history and stand alongside our allies. To achieve this we need to upgrade our capabilities across the board.” . We need your support The Independent employs over 100 journalists around the world to bring you news you can trust. Please consider showing your support with a contribution. [Contribute]( . Top stories [Coronavirus news you missed overnight]( [Prince William welcomes inquiry to ‘establish truth’ about BBC’s Diana interview]( [Hospitals ‘risking lives’ with dangerous staff-to-patient ratio]( . Uncertain times, unrivalled clarity, unlimited access Enjoy 50% off Independent Premium for 12 months with this limited-time offer [Find out more]( . More news - [Trump pushes for Wisconsin recounts as Georgia election official receives death threats]( - [Nissan warns UK factory ‘not sustainable’ without Brexit deal]( - [A guide to the Booker Prize shortlist, from Douglas Stuart to Avni Doshi]( . News you can trust The Independent has a 100% NewsGuard trust rating [NewsGuard] [Find out more]( . If you can spare two minutes we’d love to hear your [feedback]( on our newsletters [Alternate text] Join the conversation or follow us [Twitter]( [Facebook]( Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's News email. Add us to your safe list of senders. If you do not want to receive The Independent News email and Breaking News alerts, please [unsubscribe](list_name=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP). If you no longer wish to receive any newsletters or promotional emails from The Independent, you can unsubscribe [here](. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5HF. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345. Read our [privacy notice]( and [cookie policy](.