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Thursday 18th December Today's top ConservativeHome features ToryDiary: Time to make the police democratically accountable? Caroline Righton on Local government: Does the Newquay Airport fiasco mean Cornwall is the worst LibDem Council in the country? Robert Halfon on CentreRight: 900 days in captivity and not one Red Cross parcel Jonathan Isaby on CentreRight: Should the Church of England be disestablished? WATCH: William Hague and Harriet Harman spar at yesterday's PMQs Today's newslinks Dentists overcharging patients up to £109 million a year, claim Tories "Not only have millions been left without a dentist, but now we learn that those who do have one are often being charged more money than they should be. The blame here lies with Labour's botched dental contract, which incentives dentists to increase the number of charges to patients and has led to such drastic cuts in the number of people being able to find an NHS dentist." - Andrew Lansley quoted in The Daily Telegraph Demands for Iraq War inquiry as Brown says troops will be out by July "Politicians from across the political divide will today demand an inquiry into the cost, causes and conduct of Britain's operations in Iraq as Gordon Brown returns home after announcing the final withdrawal of troops from the country by July. Opposition parties believe Mr Brown may allow the long-delayed inquiry to begin next summer but that it will not report until after the next general election, which could be as late as June 2010. Mr Brown will make a statement on Iraq to Parliament today." - Independent Troubles for Labour as CWU considers splitting from the party... "Labour faces losing a big union backer as the rebellion against Lord Mandelson’s plans to sell part of the Royal Mail gathers force. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) will ask its 250,000 members to approve a formal split from the party if the Business Secretary presses ahead." - Times ...a ministerial aide quits... "Jim McGovern said he had quit as parliamentary private secretary to business minister Pat McFadden in protest at the government’s plans for the Royal Mail announced on Tuesday." - FT ...Labour MEPs defy Government on 48-hour working week... "Twelve of the 19 Labour MEPs backed Mr Cercas' proposals to ban British workers from voluntarily choosing to work more than 48 hours a week after 2011, whatever their personal or professional circumstances... Pat McFadden, the Business Minister, discussed the defeat with employment ministers in Brussels, and insisted the UK will not accept the MEPs' decision." - Telegraph ...and Labour dissent over Heathrow expansion increases "Forty Labour MPs have backed calls to put plans for Heathrow's third runway to a Commons vote. In total 80 MPs have signed a motion from Labour MP Martin Salter asking the government not to proceed with the controversial plans." - BBC Peter Riddell: Labour infighting has begun - Times Secret plans revealed for second Gatwick runway "A new runway could be built at Gatwick rather than Heathrow or Stansted under plans secretly being developed by companies bidding to buy Britain’s second largest airport. The Times has learnt that BAA has sent bidders a confidential memorandum with a section entitled “Gatwick builds a second runway”.  - Times Is Gordon Brown frightened of elections? "Despite being at or near the top of his profession for two decades, the PM has no track record in fronting election campaigns. There are so few images of his public electioneering because he has done very little of it. Curiously, amid the speculation about the possibility of the PM going to the country as early as February (the 26th is the date the Tories have circled with blue pencil as a possibility), there has been virtually no consideration of a rather important question: will Prime Minister Brown be any good in a general election campaign?" - Iain Martin writing in The Daily Telegraph Questions over the attendance of Independent Conservative MP Andrew Pelling at a Labour fundraiser "Croydon MP Andrew Pelling feared he might be kicked out of the local Conservative group after members raised concerns about him attending a Labour fundraiser. Mr Pelling went to a fundraising dinner for Councillor Gerry Ryan at the Croydon Hilton on November 14 where former Mayor Ken Livingstone was a guest speaker." -  Croydon Guardian NIck Clegg's first anniversary as Lib Dem leader "He has told friends he has found the job of leader more difficult than he imagined when he took it a year ago. There is thinly disguised frustration at the jibes a leader must face and the daily struggle to be heard, particularly through a media dominated by the battle between the two major parties. He has found that being a young, telegenic, articulate performer is not enough to drive home his ambition of breaking the two-party system. Private polling for the party in the summer summarised the problem. Those voters who knew who he was regarded him as honest and sincere, but many had no opinion of him and said he had little prospect of being able to implement his ideas." - The Independent Peers claimed £18.4 million in expenses last year "Members of the House of Lords received more than £18million in tax-free expenses last year, the latest official figures reveal. Peers pocketed more than £4million just for turning up and another £6million to cover overnight stays in London. Many automatically claimed the maximum possible almost every time they visited Parliament – nearly £320 a day – which works out at £47,360 a year based on the 148 sitting days." - Daily Mail Boris moots scrapping of congestion charge... - Daily Mail ...and unveils £3 billion rescue package for London - The London Paper Tories urge Brown to respond to Equitable Life inquiry - FT New Conservative candidate in Watford "confident" of victory - Watford Observer Jaguar in discussions with Government for a state bailout - Daily Mail Sir Freddie Viggers announced as new Black Rod - BBC Agony aunts to advise Ed Balls - Express Sarah Brown speaks of "pain" of parents' marriage break-up - Daily Telegraph And finally...  The explosive risk of Christmas crackers "A woman of 22 was banned from buying a box of Christmas crackers — because shop staff feared she was too young under the 1875 Explosives Act. Art student Heather Welsh was stunned when she was told the crackers were classed as explosives as they contained a tiny amount of gunpowder." - The Sun Please use this thread to highlight other interesting news and commentary and visit PoliticsHome.com for breaking political news and views throughout the day.

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