Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 16 Dec 2012

1. OBAMA JOINS SCHOOL MASSACRE VIGIL

President Obama was heading to Newtown, Connecticut this afternoon to attend an interfaith vigil with families who lost children in the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. It has emerged that Nancy Lanza was “a big, big gun fan” and taught her son Adam how to shoot. She was the first casualty of his rampage on Friday.

Sandy Hook massacre: killer's mother was a 'big, big gun fan'

2. SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE MP 'HAD 11 YEAR AFFAIR'

A Tory MP who has campaigned for the sanctity of marriage, which he says can only be between “one man and one woman”, had an 11-year affair, claims The Sunday Mirror. Carol Shaw, who says she had the affair with MP Bob Blackman, says she decided to speak out after he entered the gay marriage debate earlier this month. “Bob is an absolute hypocrite," she said.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

3. DANNY BOYLE TURNS DOWN KNIGHTHOOD

Film director Danny Boyle has turned down a knighthood as he wants to remain "a man of the people". Boyle, the man behind the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, was recommended for the award by the government. However, he said that as the theme of his ceremony was equality, he could not accept.

4. LABOUR 12 POINTS AHEAD OF TORIES

Labour has taken a 12-point lead over the Conservatives in YouGov poll for The Sunday Times. The poll puts UKIP one point behind the third-placed Liberal Democrats. The survey also found that 56% of Britons support gay marriage, while one in two say prank calls, such as the one made to the Duchess of Cambridge's hospital, should not be allowed in the future.

5. CHELSEA LOSES CLUB WORLD CUP

Chelsea's interim manager Rafa Benitez had his dreams of winning the Club World Cup dashed today by a "limp" Blues performance and a committed display by the Brazilian club Corinthians. Chelsea went down 1-0 in Japan after Paolo Guerrero scored in the second half. It's the second time Corinthians have won the trophy and it's the second time Benitez has lost out in the comp to a South American club.

6. GAY REFORM 'DRIVES TORIES TO UKIP'

David Cameron's plan to legalise same-sex marriage is driving grassroots Tory supporters into the arms of UKIP, activists have told The Sunday Telegraph. The planned reform could also leave local parties short of activists to campaign for votes at the next general election. One described Cameron's plan as "barking mad".

7. SPOTY: WIGGINS AND ENNIS NECK AND NECK

Two Olympic heroes, cyclist Bradley Wiggins and heptathlete Jessica Ennis, are running neck and neck ahead of tonight’s BBC1 Sports Personality of the Year award, chosen by public vote. A YouGov poll for the Sunday Times found Wiggins has the most male supporters while Ennis has a majority among young people.

8. CLEGG TO SLAM 'FANTASY WORLD' TORIES

Nick Clegg is to accuse the right-wing of the Conservative Party of pushing for a "fantasy world" outside of the European Union, as the two coalition parties begin to distance themselves from one another ahead of the next general election. He will also say the Liberal Democrats have had to make "invidious choices" in the coalition.

9. NEW GROUP RECLAIMS MIGRATION DEBATE

A cross-party group campaigning for an "open and honest debate" about migration will be launched in January, amid fears that the issue has been hijacked by racist extremists. The Migration Matters Trust, which is backed by London mayor Boris Johnson, will aim to ensure ethnic minority communities take part in the migration debate.

10. REALITY CHECK FOR RODGERS

Liverpool lost 3-1 to Aston Villa at Anfield, making a mockery of manager Brendan Rodgers's midweek prediction that the Merseysiders could finish second in the Premier League. Rodgers's side dropped to 12th place following the defeat by a youthful Villa outfit who are now unbeaten in five games. Tottenham can move back into the top four if they beat Swansea City today.