27/09/2014 BBC Weekend News

Another Conservative MP defects to UKIP.

Today I am leaving the Conservative Party.

Mark Reckless made the announcement at UKIP's annual conference -

it will trigger a by-election the party leader hopes they'll win.

He's shown he's given up on the leadership with

the Conservative Party, frankly not believing their sincerity.

He's thrown his lot in with us and we will do everything we can to

We'll be looking at what this means for UKIP - and the Conservatives.

British jets fly their first combat missions over Iraq since MPs backed

Plans to offer thousands of new homes at discounted prices to

first time buyers are unveiled by the prime minister.

And Europe increase their lead on day two of the Ryder Cup.

A second Conservative MP has defected to UKIP

Mark Reckless made the announcement at UKIP's conference in Doncaster.

His defection follows that of Douglas Carswell.

There'll now be a by-election in the Rochester and Strood constituency,

which Mr Reckless won at the last election with a majority of 10,000.

The chair of the local Conservatives there said he was "astonished and

Here's our Political Correspondent Ross Hawkins.

I would like you please to give a warm welcome to someone who is not a

member of our party. Nigel Farage had another nasty surprise for the

Conservatives. Today I'm leaving the Conservative Party. Once again a

Tory MP defecting to UKIP. It is a decision borne of belief that

Britain can be better. CHEERING. And of my knowledge of how

the Westminster parties hold us back but also in my belief in the fresh

start that UKIP offers. First one Tory defector, now

another. How many more could go and how much more damage could UKIP do

to the Conservatives? Only a month has passed since UKIP was cheering

its first defection this year. Then the Conservative backbencher Douglas

Carswell decided to resign as an MP, triggering a by-election. Now Mark

Reckless, who said he would not effect, is doing the same. I believe

we can get us out of the European Union, cut immigration, to all those

things I promised as a conservative but we would do but none of those

things have done. Mark Reckless will a tough job winning in the UKIP

colours in his old constituency. The battle will not be easy.

It will probably depend on who the Conservative candidate will be. I'm

sure there are some strong Conservative candidates out there

and this is a fairly conservative area. I'm very surprised. He is one

of the last people I thought would do such a thing as that.

He made a lot of new friends here and lost some elsewhere. One Tory

back bench called this treachery and duplicity. Conservatives will fear

there could be more of that to come. So UKIP have ended

their conference on a high - but this threatens to overshadow

the conservative conference. It was. You mentioned the

constituency, the chairman saying he felt disgusted by this. Mark

Reckless has set up a crucial by-election. The Conservatives

convince themselves they stalled some of this UKIP progress but if

Mark Reckless does triumph and plenty of Tory abuse will ask if

they are likely to survive in politics at the general election as

members of David Cameron's party or as members of Nigel Farage's.

British fighter jets have flown their first combat missions over

Iraq since Parliament voted to approve air strikes against

Two Tornado aircraft carrying laser guided missiles took off

from Cyprus, on an operation lasting several hours.

Our Defence Correspondent Jonathan Beale reports from RAF Akrotiri

For British pilots this is the March to war. RAF Tornado crews in Cyprus

have been ready and waiting for this moment. We were allowed to film

their final preparations for the first combat mission against Islamic

State in Iraq. Within hours of Westminster giving the green light,

laser-guided bombs and missiles have been loaded and armed onto some of

the six Tornado jets flying from Cyprus. Two of them now poised to

launch the first Turkish air strikes.

This is potentially the first combat mission for RAF tornadoes. The first

time they have been authorised to engage targets on the ground. The

start of what could be another long war.

As they took off there were no details about their mission. Nor any

guarantees that they would be firing their weapons or when they might

return. For the past six weeks they have only been flying reconnaissance

missions, often under cover of darkness. Is not the first time RAF

Tornado jets have been involved in combat over Iraq, but unlike the

first Gulf War one and 20 years ago, it is against an enemy that will be

harder to see on the ground. 30,000 fighters hiding in villages and

houses, mixing with the civilian population. It will be impossible to

kill each and every one of them. History has shown even if you do

attack them more will come in their place. You have to attack the idea,

the belief system. It requires people on the ground and politicians

to do this. Britain joins the fight was than a month after the US

launched its first air strikes. The Pentagon have already carried out

more than 200 in both Iraq and Syria. The role of Britain will be

more limited. The two tornadoes returned to base.

The MOD said intelligence was gathered. They will be flying more

combat missions it is a sign that the fight will not be easy or will

not be one only from the air. The motion that MPs voted

on yesterday, authorising military action in Iraq,

was very clear in excluding British But many think that ground troops

will be needed So where might those

troops come from? With written just the latest country

to join the US-led coalition, it is no surprise the militants reportedly

taking steps now to avoid coming under attack. And so US military

commanders are openly talking about the need for a ground offensive.

The ideal force, in fact the only truly effective force that will be

able to reject Islamic State from within its own population is one

comprised of Iraqis and Kurds and moderate Syrian opposition. But put

local soldiers and Kurdish fighters in Iraq and opposition forces in

Syria take on the jihadists of the Islamic State? It is estimated that

IAS as anything from 7000, 230,000 men as well as a significant amount

of heavy weapons. Iraq has more than 200,000 regular troops. Many trained

by the United States. But when facing the jihadists in June, the

Iraqi soldiers simply turned and fled. The Kurdish fighters or

Peshmerga also thought to number around 200,000. They have been more

effective in the fight against Islamic State and they are

increasingly well-equipped. Including 2000 armoured vehicles.

But in Syria the situation is much more complex. Many groups fighting

the Syrian government in the Civil War are jihadists. So the US-led

coalition is to focus on the moderate opposition groups are

initially training up to 5000 of their fighters. This is a multi-year

campaign. Is the Iraqi army going to be in a better place in the year? It

is the long-term perspective you have to take to understand why the

US feels there will eventually be a force on the ground. But the Iraqi

army is already had evidence of dollars and a decade of training

from the Americans. With little effect.

Our correspondent Paul Wood is in Suruc in Turkey on the border with

Syria - close to where the US and other allies have been carrying out

So Paul, how successful have they been?

We spent 24 hours just over the border in a town under siege by

Islamic State. All through the night and into the morning and heard the

sound of war planes flying overhead. There were several loud explosions

in the early hours which local people thought were multiple air

strikes on three different fronts. Punch lines that the Islamic State

is advancing along. And the Pentagon confirmed it hit an Islamic State

base and two armoured vehicles. That was welcomed by the Kurdish Syrian

forces but they say is not nearly enough. And as we left to cross back

into Turkey this afternoon we watched artillery falling on the

town. A number of people were killed and injured. If those air strikes to

succeed in halting and then pushing back Islamic State, there are

Kurdish forces just over the border capable of proving into those

positions. Further west in Syria are hundreds of armed groups, many

jihadis, many lining up for Islamic State. It is not at all clear that

the Americans have a partner on the ground.

The Conservatives, who as we heard are gathering in Birmingham

for their annual conference, are pledging to help first-time buyers

under the age of 40 to buy a home if the party wins the next election.

They say they'll build one-hundred thousand new homes and offer them at

From Birmingham, our political correspondent Ben Wright reports.

Housing is hot politics. And David Cameron made the Conservative

Party's latest pitch to would-be homeowners that this new development

in Didcot. -- hat. We want to build less expensive homes for our young

people who work hard to buy. That means exempting them from the usual

charges and regulation. It cannot be bought by foreigners or buy to let

landlords. The Prime Minister says if elected he would build 100,000

new homes in England at a 20% discount for first-time buyers. He

says that is possible because they would be built on Brownfield sites

or places used previously. And the new homes would be exempt from some

taxes, energy standards and the requirement by builders to provide

some social housing. This is to the scheme is meant to help. Like

thousands of young people Rachel is living in the spare rooms of her

partner's parents house, saving money and striving to buy a place of

their own. It is a good opportunity. I think there will be a lot of

competition which usually makes house prices rise. I just think as

well, I question if the government was to be re-elected, how quickly

they would be able to make that possible. Labour has said it would

build 200,000 new homes per year by 2020. The proposals today were

welcomed by the big home-builders but some question the quality of

homes to be built. Will be missed the energy efficiency standards into

all new homes and our people going to be acquiring a substandard

property which they will then have to sell on? New homes but these are

being built but for many years demand has far outstripped supply,

pushing up prices. Frustrated first-time buyers and their anxious

parents are a big slice of the electorate so political parties are

trying to outbid each other with their promises to build. The

Conservatives not a recovering economy may not enough to win the

election. The battle will be about what happens next.

Europe have extended their lead over the United States on the first day

of the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. Another dawn, another din. The

early-morning air crackling with European confidence. And at first it

seemed fully justified. Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson with a record 12

birdies in a win of almost ridiculous quality. Then came the

comeback. The US raised to the next two matches and a lead in the last.

Until the shot of the day as Europe's talisman Ian Poulter

delivered in quite spellbinding style. The eyes bulged, the fists

pumped. The fans loved it. His partner Rory McIlroy then showed his

world beating touched to secure an unlikely half point. It was still

America's morning. So Europe's players head into the afternoon with

a slender 1-point lead. They know pressure is mounting. Can they hold

their nerve? The early signs were encouraging. Victor Dubuisson,

largely unheralded before this week, rapidly making a name for himself.

Likewise Jamie Donaldson alongside Lee Westwood, taking the first point

of the afternoon. It was now the US feeling the heat. More of this and

they could have a mountain to climb. I can tell you they do now have a

mountain to climb because in the last few minutes Europe have won two

more matches and the score now Europe ten, the USA, six. Posts will

take a commanding lead into the final day. -- the hosts. After a

poor start the Premier League season points were as important as bragging

rights in the Merseyside derby. Liverpool and Everton looking to

break out of mid-table. But a draw helped neither. Liverpool and

Everton are close neighbours in more than one way but on Merseyside derby

day good neighbours do not become good friends. Just look at that. And

the man who conceded that foul, Gareth Barry, may well also have

conceded a penalty although not according to the referee. Just two

minutes later Liverpool had an even better opening. Adam Lallana like so

many others, foiled by Tim Howard. Not even the American could prevent

what happened soon afterwards. Steven Gerrard loves to score in the

Merseyside derby and did so once again. It should really be too for

the home side. Mario Balotelli sporting a spectacular new haircut

but not so spectacular finish. And that this was punished right at the

end and from an unexpected source. Phil Jagielka with a memorable derby

day goal. One -- one was at how it ended.