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Tuesday 18 November Britain's leading conservative blog Today's top ConservativeHome features ToryDiary: Boris starts Oliver Letwin's savings list with attack on ID cards, national child register and public sector advertisements in The Guardian Michael Gove promises to tie UK exam standards to best international models The biggest beasts are in the Tory jungle Cllr Eveleigh Moore-Dutton on Local government: What gets a councillor out of bed in the morning? Seats and candidates: Robert Jenrick adopted for Newcastle-under-Lyme Tim Montgomerie on CentreRight: The Baby P tragedy is far from over AmericaInTheWorld: Obama promises end to torture and closure of Guantanomo Bay Today's newslinks David Cameron warns of £1,500 tax bombshell from Labour's borrowing "David Cameron predicted that soaring government borrowing would result in a £1,500 "tax bombshell" for average earners. In fiery Commons exchanges with the Conservative leader, Mr Brown acknowledged for the first time that the world could face the first period of falling prices since the Great Depression of the 1930s. That would risk a recessionary spiral in which people did not spend because they thought prices would fall further, and interest rates could not be cut to stimulate demand once they fell to zero." - Independent "Believing that the current crisis means you can go on an unfunded borrowing spree when you're already up to your ears in debt flies in the face of common sense." - David Cameron writing in The Guardian A better news day for George Osborne Yesterday ConHome argued that The Tide Is Turning George Osborne's Way. The newspapers seem to vindicate that judgment this morning... Leading the way is The Times' Peter Riddell who notes that "Mr Osborne has focused on the right issues". Rachel Sylvester in The Times says that George Osborne's real problem is that the Right is gunning for him: "Over Europe, gay marriage and grammar schools, they have flexed their muscles in vain - and they are now seizing on the downturn to demand unfunded tax cuts. It is nothing to do with the recession. These right-wing Tories do not want a fiscal stimulus of the sort advocated by Gordon Brown - they are ideologically committed to tax cuts to reduce the size of the State."  This is also the theory of The Times' Phil Collins. The leader-writers at The Independent reach similar conclusions: "It would be silly of the Tories to remove Mr Osborne, who has done so much to reform the party, not least because it would smack of panic. But now the shadow Chancellor and his leader face their biggest test since winning control of the party. They urgently need to articulate the purpose of the Conservative Party in an era of unprecedented economic turbulence and uncertainty." Steve Richard also warns against those inside and outside the Conservative Party who would underestimate George Osborne - Independent The Sun backs unfunded tax cuts "What Britain’s sickly economy needs is a real shot in the arm NOW. That means cutting either income tax, VAT, stamp duty or National Insurance contributions. There may be no money in the kitty — but the evidence is that they would pay for themselves as the economy bounced back. And unlike crippling stealth taxes, that boost would be swift and permanent . . . just when we need it most." - The Sun Says Tory pledge to help poor families with energy bills "Hard-up families could wipe hundreds of pounds off energy bills under new Tory proposals. A Conservative government would make it illegal to levy “unfair” charges on six million people with pre-pay meters, saving them up to £250 a year. Suppliers would be made to offer their cheapest rates — or “social tariffs” — to all vulnerable households, Shadow energy secretary Greg Clark said." - The Sun Dominic Grieve attacks Labour failure to control net immigration as it rises towards 200,000pa - Telegraph Boris Johnson pledges £15,000 for legal challenge to Heathrow expansion - Telegraph Iain Duncan Smith is right about marriage - Telegraph leader Why all politicians should study some science Dan Hannan MEP welcomes the news that Conservative MPs will be given a basic grounding in science.  Regular ConservativeHome readers will remember Dr Philip Lee's recent post, urging adoption of more Tory candidates with backgrounds in maths and science. Sixty Labour MPs have signed motions urging Brown to scrap his new levy on empty property - FT Airline pilots threaten to strike over ID cards - Independent Lord Bingham: US and UK acted as 'vigilantes' in Iraq invasion - Guardian LATER TODAY David Cameron is giving a speech on the economy this morning. ConservativeHome will be providing full coverage. Later today you can also read our 'Lessons for the US Republicans from Britain'...

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