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world NEWSThursday 17 September
Labour leader Corbyn seeks to bring new tone to Parliament
GREGORY KATZ ed things done differently,” vate landlords and the As well as presenting a Save the Queen” at a
Associated Press Corbyn said in comments quality of mental health change in style, Corbyn memorial event honoring
LONDON (AP) — On his that precursed his ques- care offered Britons. is staunchly rejecting the World War II fighter pilots. In
first appearance at the tions. The 66-year-old left-winger government’s austerity the past, Corbyn has spo-
dispatch box, Jeremy Cor- ken of his desire to turn Brit-
byn, the new leader of Brit- The leader of Britain’s opposition Labour party Jeremy Corbyn speaks during Prime Minister’s ain into a republic.
ain’s Labour Party, made Questions in the House of Commons, London, Wednesday Sept. 16, 2015. The “prime minister’s Corbyn’s insistence that
good on his promise to in- questions” session will give many Britons their first extended look at the veteran left-winger who he stood in respectful si-
troduce a more measured became the Labour Party leader Saturday after a months-long campaign. lence didn’t cut it with a
tone to the usually raucous large swathe of Britain’s
“prime minister’s question (PA via AP) tabloid newspapers which
time.” accused him of insulting
Facing off against Conser- The questions also marked represents a sharp break prescription for the British 89-year-old Queen Eliza-
vative Prime Minister David a distinct change — for with Labour’s move to the economy, which he slams beth II.
Cameron on Wednesday, the first time ever they had center ground of British as unfair and counterpro- Corbyn sowed confusion
Corbyn asked a series of been “crowd-sourced” politics over the past three ductive. Wednesday when he re-
questions in a quiet and from the public. They in- decades — a strategy that His first few days as leader fused to say explicitly dur-
calm manner that invited cluded queries about the many credit for the party’s have not been smooth, ing a Sky TV interview that
a measured response, not chronic lack of affordable three straight election vic- most notably on Tuesday he would sing the anthem
a cutting one-line riposte. housing, the “extortionate” tories under Tony Blair from when he declined to sing at future events, saying
It certainly made a change rent charged by some pri- 1997. the national anthem “God only that he would partici-
for one of the most recog- pate fully.
nizable features of British A party spokesman sought
democracy, which has to douse that fire, saying
over the decades been that Corbyn had meant to
nothing more than a shout- say he would sing the an-
ing match between the them in future.
prime minister and the Corbyn also doesn’t dress
leader of the opposition. like most male politicians:
Corbyn’s first PMQs — as it’s He wore dark slacks and a
often referred to — comes tan sports coat and tie for
just four days after his re- PMQs, eschewing the blue
sounding victory in the business suit and brightly
Labour Party leadership colored tie that have be-
contest. Corbyn’s victory come the unofficial dress
owed much to his support code for many British politi-
among the party’s mem- cians gearing up for TV.
bership and in the unions Cameron congratulated
— not among the party’s Corbyn on winning his par-
lawmakers themselves. ty’s leadership contest and
“Many told me that they said he would be delighted
thought PMQs was too if their weekly encounter
theatrical, that Parliament in the House of Commons
was out of touch and too became a more serious fo-
theatrical and they want- rum for posing and answer-
ing questions.
Spurred by IS plans in Syria, France to strike soon But old habits die hard: A
question posed by a mem-
PARIS (AP) — The Islamic tified targets.” part because of fears of presence in Syria in recent ber of the Scottish Na-
State group is training ex- Britain has defended its strengthening Syrian Presi- months. “On Syrian terri- tional Party quickly turned
tremists in Syria to attack in drone strike on a car in the dent Bashar Assad. French tory, there are people be- into a familiar mudslinging
Europe, France’s defense Islamic State stronghold of opposition conservative ing trained whose mission match.
minister said Wednesday, Raqqa on Aug. 21, saying lawmakers argued in Par- is not to strike in Syria but And talk turned, perhaps
announcing that French the target was planning liament this week against to strike in Europe, and no- inevitably, to less weighty
airstrikes would begin with- imminent attacks in the expanding the airstrikes tably in France,” Le Drian matters when Cameron,
in weeks. U.K. Three IS fighters were to Syria, saying it wouldn’t told France-Inter radio. in response to questioning
Defense Minister Jean-Yves killed, including two Brit- change much on the France’s president has said about a tiger, said that a
Le Drian said French jets ish citizens. Previously Brit- ground. Le Drian said the growing concern about rhino in a wildlife park in
would start bombing “as ain, like France, had sent French position changed refugees also played a his constituency had been
soon as we have well-iden- bombers only to Iraq, in because of a growing IS role.q named after his daughter
Nancy.q
