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Monday 13th October 2008Britain's leading conservative blog Today's top ConservativeHome features ToryDiary: Brown's Britain behaved less responsibly than Bush's America, says George Osborne Lord Strathclyde on Platform: There is no prospect of 42 days passing the House of Lords today Cllr Brian Coleman on Local government: Removing road humps has saved lives and won votes Julia Manning on CentreRight: Is Gordon Brown losing his vision? PlayPolitical video: You don't have to be scared of a President Obama says McCain and David Davis on 42 days Weekend highlights from ConservativeHome.com ToryDiary: Tories consider psychometric testing to choose ministers Nick Wood on Platform: An early election is Gordon's only hope International: From Ottawa to Washington to Wellington, centre right parties are being squeezed by economic crisis Martin Parsons on CentreRight: The Government's "dangerously muddled" anti-extremism toolkit for schools Today's main news stories Economic crisis: What should the Tories do? "As the financial system returns to a subdued version of normal, there is bound to be an inquest... If the Tories are wise, they will play a full part in the UK end of the reassessment, avoiding shrill denunciations and expressing themselves with the seriousness which the situation demands. They must also ensure that false and damaging explanations do not take root. These problems were not created by short-selling and bonuses. Excessive benevolence is much more to blame than excessive greed." - Bruce Anderson in The Independent "For now, David Cameron wisely plays the role of the concerned but loyal opponent, doing little to rock the boat. Many of his advisers feel it is enough to sit back and wait for the recession to bite and deliver voters into the arms of the Opposition. But a party seeking to wrest the reins from an old and enfeebled regime cannot maintain this posture for long without risk." - Independent leader John Maples calls for more bank chiefs to fall on their swords "John Maples, a deputy chairman of the party, said the chairmen and chief executives of "half a dozen" British banks should do the "honourable thing"... "I just don't know how the banks have got away with no resignations and nobody being fired."" - The Herald French press greet Brown as "The Raised Magician" - Telegraph Brown has a 'good' crisis as world follows his lead - Independent "However much blame our former Chancellor wants to lay on America, the UK bank crisis was not inevitable. It hasn’t happened in Canada, Australia or Sweden because their banks were properly regulated." - Trevor Kavanagh in The Sun Tory plan to cut Network Rail's engineering work monopoly - Guardian Michael Gove attacks delays of payment of Education Maintenance Allowance to 16-18yos Under the EMA, 16- to 18-year-olds from the poorest backgrounds receive £30 a week to remain in school, sixth-form and college courses: "Michael Gove, shadow schools secretary, said: "Just a few months after Ed Balls's department delivered us the Sats fiasco, the payment of EMAs is similarly mired in chaos. Thousands of pupils have not received the money they're entitled to and it looks as if many are not having their applications processed correctly. We urgently need an independent inquiry to establish what has gone so badly wrong and how we can avoid the same situation next year." - Telegraph Brown moves heart of government to Number 12 Downing Street - The Sun Mandelson in line for £1m pay-out - BBC Iceland-struck local councils to meet Treasury to cover £800m deficit - Times 100,000 Polish workers say goodbye to Britain as jobs become harder to find - Daily Mail What is the greatest emotion of our age? "What is the defining emotion of our time? Fear, many might say, but I think rage may be closer to the mark. Reading and listening to reactions to the bad economic news the overwhelming sense is of anger looking for an outlet. On the roads I find drivers more assertive, aggressive and pugnacious than ever. In queues for morning coffee or on the Tube, the classic phlegmatic Brit has been replaced by a commuter primed to go off at any second. I hope I am wrong, but I sense deep currents driving emotions to new heights. A wave is swelling, and I fear to contemplate the damage when it makes landfall." - Michael Gove in The Times

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