Cameron and Miliband stand united against 'barbaric' IS

In a rare display of unity, David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband stood shoulder-to-shoulder at Prime Minister's Questions against the Islamic State (IS) and its threat to behead a British aid worker following the execution of two US hostages, first James Foley and now Steven Sotloff.

“A country like ours will not be cowed by these barbaric killers,” said the Prime Minister. “If they think we will weaken in the face of their threats, they are wrong.

“This House should send a united message that what has happened to the hostages and what may happen in the future is utterly barbaric. These people need to understand we will not waiver in our aim to defeat terrorism.”

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Ed Miliband saw no reason to disagree. “This is a pattern of murderous behaviour by Isil of the innocent,” said Miliband, employing an earlier name for the Sunni fanatics now widely known as IS. “I agree with what the Prime Minister says. Events like this should strengthen not weaken our resolve to defeat them and I can assure him our full support.”

The Prime Minister and the Labour leader are clearly anticipating a third horrific video being released - of the beheading of a British man, unnamed so far, who is understood to be a father in his 40. By teaming up now, they are seeking to avoid IS leaders thinking they can break political resolve in the West by causing a public outcry at their barbarity.

The two leaders also appear to be preparing public opinion for military action against IS.

Earlier, after a meeting of the Cobra chaired by Cameron, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said Britain would consider options for a possible rescue mission for the unnamed British hostage. He also made it clear that Britain is considering joining the US in air strikes against IS, a key issue to be discussed at the Nato conference tomorrow in Newport, Wales.

Nato is certain to put more pressure on Arab states and Turkey to do more to attack IS. Cameron said: “We should not see this as somehow a Western-led intervention.”

Today’s show of unity in the Commons between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition was remarkable: there was not enough room to put a cigarette paper between the views of the two men, who were heard in silence in contrast to the usual jeering at PMQs.

Indeed, Miliband appeared to give Cameron more support on this issue than deputy PM and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg. Clegg remains opposed to the return of control orders which could hold terrorists under house arrest and is believed to be opposed to reintroducing powers to relocate suspected terrorists from their communities to stop them spreading jihadi propaganda.

Miliband deftly asked a series of questions about Cameron's controversial plans for tackling the threat of terrorism at home in Britain, while avoiding any hint of opposing them. Labour had already called for tougher measures including strengthening T-pims (Terrorism Prevention and Surveillance Measures), which replaced control orders so that suspects can be removed from their communities.

Miliband's stand suggests two things: first, that the Labour leader, with the wind behind him as the May general election approaches, has no wish to upset public opinion by appearing wimpish on the terror threat; second, that Cameron could get some contentious legislation through parliament with Labour support against Lib Dem opposition, if necessary.

Cameron made it clear the battle against IS will "last for decades". In one striking comparison, he said: “It is not unlike the Cold War.”

However, the cross-party unity may still break down over Cameron's plan to stop British-born jihadis from returning to the UK by taking their passports away and making them stateless. David Anderson, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, has questioned the legality of such a move, as reported by the Mole yesterday. But Cameron told Miliband: “I do believe it is legally permissible.”

But Emily Thornbury, the shadow attorney-general, told the BBC’s Daily Politics show that Cameron was wrong and it was "not possible" to take passports off British-born citizens without breaking international law. “We are in a battle of ideologies. We should use the protection of the law. We should prosecute these people for treason...”

But the Mole has a feeling that more people will side with Daily Politics presenter Andrew Neil who said most of his audience would be be "less concerned with the niceties of international law and more concerned that people who have beheaded American and British citizens come here to do us harm. The niceties of international law are dripping roasts for lawyers like yourself but they don't keep us safe.”

As The Mole posited yesterday, if David Cameron really wants to smother this threat, he may have to think about introducing a British equivalent of Guantanamo Bay. A whole new can of worms.