Jonathan Munday on Platform: The next Conservative Government must introduce a Great Repeal Act Star Chamber: End the Government Car Service WATCH: Sky News asks the question: are enough preparations being made to deal with swine flu? The Times characterises the new generation of Tories as "Greenhorns with no green credentials" "David Cameron will head a party dominated by MPs more socially conservative and less concerned with the environment than their leader, an analysis of Conservative parliamentary candidates suggests. Mr Cameron has told close colleagues that he believes he is on course to win 140 new Tory MPs after the next election, The Times has been told. While such a net gain would give Mr Cameron an overall majority of about 15, it could place him to the left of most of his parliamentary party, in which the majority will be new to the Commons." - The Times Profiles of some of the Tory MPs of tomorrow - The Times "The shadow Health secretary Andrew Lansley welcomed the Government's decision to increase the anti-viral stockpile and procure face masks for NHS staff. "We will need to explore further possible counter-measures including whether the Government will now provide anti-virals preventatively to all those who have come into contact with people who are infected; how the Government proposes to fill the gap caused by the delay in setting up the National Flu Line, which won't be ready until the autumn; and whether it will be the Government's intention to close schools for three weeks at a time if a case of pandemic flu is identified," he said." - The Independent "Tory bigwigs at war on military spending" "Tory plans to slash arms spending were in disarray yesterday after a revolt that could split the party. The Mirror has learned shadow defence secretary Liam Fox has emailed defence firms with a vow to fight George Osborne's bid to save £3 billion by cutting the A400M transport aircraft and another plane programme. Dr Fox told them he will fight any such cuts - a move which threatens to set the Tories at each others' throats." - The Mirror How the civil service is planning for a Tory Government "So far, Mr Cameron shows every sign of understanding the imperative of being prepared. At his direction, an unprecedented programme of training and planning has been underway for months, with the aim not just of turning opposition spokesmen into battle-ready ministers, but policy into legislation, and principles into fundamental changes to the very culture of government." - Benedict Brogan writing in the Daily Telegraph "In an interview with the Guardian to mark his first year in office, the Conservative mayor gave himself just "six and a half out of 10" for his mayoral performance to date. "If I think we are doing OK and I have a chance of being re-elected and people aren't too hacked off with me then yes, I would be absolutely crazy not to try for a second term. It's a wonderful job. It's almost certainly the last big job I will do in British politics." - The Guardian > Saturday's ToryDiary: Being Mayor is "almost certainly my last big job in British politics" Gordon Brown's struggles to maintain his authority after humiliating defeat on the Gurkhas "Gordon Brown was struggling to maintain his authority over Labour MPs last night after suffering a shock Commons defeat on restricting the right of former Gurkhas to settle in Britain. Twenty-seven Labour MPs voted against the Prime Minister and dozens abstained in favour of a Liberal Democrat motion that would give all Gurkhas who have served in the Armed Forces an equal right of residence... David Cameron said: “The basic presumption that people who fight for our country should have a right to come and live in our country has been set out very clearly. The Government has now got to come back with immediate proposals so that those Gurkhas who have been waiting so long for an answer can have that answer.” - The Times The 27 Labour rebels who helped defeat the Government - The Guardian > Yesterday's ToryDiary: Tories and Lib Dems defeat Government on settlement rights for Gurkhas MPs to vote on expenses reforms today... "Gordon Brown's plans to reform the system of MPs' expenses will go to a series of House of Commons votes later. His proposals include more transparency over second jobs and MPs' staff being employed by the Commons authorities. But Mr Brown's plan to abolish the controversial second homes allowance in favour of flat-rate attendance expenses was dropped amid widespread opposition. The votes are seen as a test of his authority after the government suffered a surprise Commons defeat on Wednesday." - BBC ...as some Labour members reportedly fear exposure as adulterers when expenses are published "Three Labour MPs are said to be terrified that the release of their expenses claims will expose them as adulterers and financial cheats. Four ministers are also understood to have warned party whips they might have to resign for abusing the system, when MPs' receipts are published before the summer recess in July." - Daily Mail Fraser Nelson: Accepting 50p tax was the trap into which David Cameron has walked "Mr Cameron walked into Gordon’s trap, which was not that the Tory leader would oppose the measure, but that he would accept it. The Prime Minister is bequeathing to a recession-struck nation the fourth-highest top tax rate on the planet, just for the devilish joy of watching a Conservative party too timid to state the simple truth: that high tax rates make everyone poorer. Economically, it is a poison pill. The tragedy is that so many of Britain’s entrepreneurs will not hang around long enough to see whether Cameron swallows it. They know that greed is still good — for everyone. But does the Conservative prime minister-in-waiting?" - Fraser Nelson writing in The Spectator "De Gaulle claimed to be driven by une certaine idée de la France. Thatcher had a certain idea of England—and it probably was England, not Britain, which was one of its problems. It was a picture of sturdy individuals with their freedoms protected by strong institutions. I remember when as a keen young ideologue I called it laissez faire and she corrected me—no, she said, a system of “ordered liberty.” Perhaps she just didn’t like French phrases." - David Willetts MP writing in Prospect Parallels are drawn between Gordon Brown and John Major losing the grip of power... "Gordon Brown’s premiership faces a lingering death as painful as that experienced by John Major in 1996-97 unless he gets a grip quickly. Long-serving MPs were drawing parallels last night between the two: the willingness of government backbenchers to defy their leader, a loss of prime ministerial authority and open fatalism about the party’s electoral prospects." - Peter Riddell writing in The Times "The Prime Minister has lost his way. He has lost his place in the script... We have been here before. In fact, we have been here twice in living memory. James Callaghan and John Major seemed similarly doomed, especially in retrospect, as they limped towards their conclusions – in Callaghan's case 30 years ago this Sunday. But Callaghan retained his dignity and not even Major cut so miserable a figure as Brown does now." - John Rentoul writing in The Independent ...as another commentator identifies "the longest assisted suicide in history"... "The death throes of the Labour Government that started with Gordon Brown's arrival in No10 and reached its terminal phase in last week's Budget, could be called the longest assisted suicide in history. Labour really is dying and Mr Brown could not have done the deed on his own." - Anatole Kaletsky writing in The Times ...and a former Sun editor declares his hatred for the Prime Minster "I can't remember when I last felt like this. It’s probably the best part of three decades ago. I detest this Government with my heart and soul and have literally begun to hate the Prime Minister. For a decade he pocketed our hard work. Slowly, secretly, but without hesitation he stuck up our taxes. All the time he took credit for the global boom, never once criticising the bankers, the private equity guys or the hedgies. " - Kelvin Mackenzie writing in The Sun David Cameron's mother-in-law speaks about the loss of Ivan - Daily Telegraph Alistair Darling hints that ID cards could be dropped - Daily Mail Hazel Blears warns that recession could spark riots and civil disorder - Daily Mail
Thursday 30th April 2009Britain's leading conservative blogToryDiary: David Davis concludes that he cannot justify a wholesale upgrade of Trident, as he weighs into the debate about public spending
Swine flu: Andrew Lansley welcomes stockpiling of anti-viral drugs and face masks
Boris gives himself six and a half out of ten after a year in office
David Willetts reflects on Thatcher and Thatcherism
Thursday, 30 April 2009
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