Sopel on Sunday: clips of the day

Jon Sopel

Here's my selection of the best bits of video from today's political broadcasting.

Air Chief Marshall Sir Jock Stirrup on Andrew Marr

Has this week seen a 'tipping point' on attitudes to the war in Afghanistan? Some people certainly think so, and with that political debate heating up and Remembrance Sunday, minds have been focused. I've spent most of the week at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.

I've been speaking to troops on the ground, getting a sense of what they want from their political leaders. Of course, that means I haven't had a chance to see all of this week's clips personally, but my producers have given me the gist.

One thing I've heard, from troops out here and before left, is frustration at the lack of clarity of what they are in Afghanistan to do. Sir Jock Stirrup, the Chief of the Defence Staff, interviewed by Andrew Marr this morning, attempted to counter that. He dealt with the argument that we should withdraw and battle al Qaeda from here. You can't defend on the goal line, he said, and he acknowledged frustration in London about the delays in Washington on sending more US troops.

But he also gave this stark statement of reality about British interests in Afghanistan.

Stirrup discusses British national interest

General Jim Dutton on the Politics Show

On Friday, I interviewed the most senior British commander serving in Afghanistan, Jim Dutton. Public opinion seems to be hardening against the war - see the results of a poll commissioned for the Politics Show here . I asked General Dutton if he and others had failed to explain the policy (and you can see the full interview here ).

Dutton discusses public opinion on Afghanistan

Bob Ainsworth on Sky News with Adam Boulton

The Defence Secretary, Bob Ainsworth, was on Sunday Live on Sky News. He acknowledged that public confidence has been dented.

Bob Ainsworth discusses dented public confidence

He also spoke to me, and I asked him about one of the key issues in deciding how we proceed in Afghanistan: what will the Americans do.

Bob Ainsworth discusses American strategy

Sapper Matthew Weston on Andrew Marr

Another thing the troops here do want to know is that if they are injured, they will be taken proper care of. We've heard of lot of terrible stories recently, so a relief to hear from at least one injured serviceman, and his mother, who could not fault the care they received.

Sapper Matthew Weston on care for troops

William Hague on Andrew Marr

Finally, the story which is the antithesis of everything else we're been hearing today. Since the Kelly report on MPs' expenses last week, there have been rumours that Sir Ian Kennedy, charged with turning the recommendations into new rules, might re-open the whole question. William Hague had some advice for him: don't.

William Hague discusses MPs' expenses