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Friday 31 October 2008 Britain's leading conservative blog Today's top ConservativeHome features ToryDiary: Ten predictions about economic policy and UK politics John Hayes MP on Platform: We must use this economic crisis to engineer a moral capitalism Seats and candidates: Even at this late stage could we introduce help for low income candidates? Local government: Should council meetings be webcast? and Latest by-election results Peter Whittle on CentreRight: 'I'm now so old, my pussy is haunted' WATCH: George Osborne warns of Labour's 'borrowing without limit' and Alistair Darling says Bank of England has wide enough remit to support fight against recession Conservatives lead by 9% - Yesterday evening's ToryDiary Today's newslinks Tax cutting Labour? "Alistair Darling has hinted the Government may borrow more money for surprise tax cuts as Britain faces a deep recession. The Chancellor insisted now was the time to help people, not 'take money out of their pockets'.  Borrowing to fund tax cuts would be condemned as deeply reckless by Opposition MPs and economists.  But many Labour MPs believe they would put the Tories in the politically nightmarish position of having to oppose measures to help hard-pressed families." - Daily Mail 'Responsible' Conservatives? George Osborne is to attack Gordon Brown for "borrowing without limit" to deal with the economic downturn - BBC "George Osborne, the shadow chancellor, will on Friday pave the way for tax rises under a Conservative government while warning against a “tax con” short-term cut by Gordon Brown. The Tories are concerned that the prime minister is using the recession to prepare a toxic financial legacy for an incoming David Cameron premiership after a June 2010 election." - FT And Norman Lamont agrees: "Before the Government adopts full-blown Keynesian policies, it should examine their effect on Japan after the bursting of its “property bubble”. Between 1991 and 1998, Japan spent 100 trillion yen on new railway lines and other public works. Little good did it do. Its economy stagnated. Since 1991, Japan’s government debt as a proportion of GDP rose from 64 per cent of GDP in 1991 to 171 per cent this year. Japan is in a debt trap it can’t escape." - Telegraph "Two thirds of those questioned said they expect their personal financial situation to worsen over the next 12 months. Such intense economic pessimism should be fatal to an incumbent government, yet the Tories still appear inhibited by the fear of being accused of talking down the economy. It is time they snapped out of it." - Telegraph leader Speaker Martin protects George Osborne from hostile questions - Times Andrew Lansley: 17,000 patients missing out on cancer treatment "The Government is not hitting targets on the number of radiotherapy treatments carried out each year, according to data released under the Freedom of Information Act. It means 17,000 cancer patients who should receive radiotherapy as part of their treatment are not getting it, the Conservatives said." - Telegraph EU defence integration by stealth will damage NATO - Liam Fox in The Telegraph Conservatives will not privatise Channel 4 - WARC Labour are getting excited at prospect of President Obama - John Kampfner in The Telegraph Martin Bright won't rejoin Labour until it distances itself from billionaires - New Statesman MSP plans bill to legalise assisted suicide - Guardian Our main sites

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