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Tuesday 23rd June 2009Britain's leading conservative blog Today's top ConservativeHome features ToryDiary: We must now hope that John Bercow will succeed Andrew Morrison on Platform: The case for more devolved powers for Scotland and England The Local government blog highlights a very useful summary of the Conservative party's strength in local government and Worthing Council have threatened a pensioner with a £75 for pinning up notices on trees about a missing cat. International: Sarkozy says Burkha is not welcome in France Seats and candidates: Will Sir Alan Haselhurst and Sir George Young be the next Tory MPs to stand down? Parliament: David Cameron's congratulatory marks to the new Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow WATCH: Glum faces on Tory benches as John Bercow is dragged to Speaker's Chair on the back of Labour and Liberal Democrat votes Today's newslinks New Speaker is Tory hated by his party, tainted by expenses furore... and facing plot to unseat him - Daily Mail "There he stood in the big green chair, puffed up like an amphibian that had scoffed too many volauvents. 'My first thought at this time,' he said from Parliament's bully pulpit, 'is, as you will understand, of...'  He was going to mention his wife but at this point a female voice from the Tory benches shouted: 'Your wages.'" - Quentin Letts in the Daily Mail "Angry Tories last night refused to congratulate new House of Commons Speaker John Bercow - after branding him a turncoat. Conservatives folded their arms in disgust after their colleague won. One backbencher shouted: "Not in my name."" - The Sun "In their standing ovation – including most on the Tory benches – MPs showed every sign last night of wishing him to succeed. Certainly no other candidate has fought harder for the job or thought longer about how to do it." - Telegraph "Bercow told MPs he was the "clean break" candidate able to draw a line under the expenses scandal that forced his predecessor, Michael Martin, out of office. "I want to implement an agenda for reform, for renewal, for revitalisation and for the reassertion of the core values of this great institution in the context of the 21st century," he said in his appeal for votes." - Guardian > Jonathan Isaby on CentreRight: Speaker Bercow's detractors must judge him on how he performs in his new role Metro/Harris poll puts the Conservatives on course for a Commons majority of 62 "When the 15 per cent of undecided voters, or those who definitely will not vote, are removed, this puts the Tories on 35 per cent, Labour 20 per cent, the Lib Dems 16 per cent and other parties 29 per cent." - Metro New Tory grouping of MEPs faces media flak "The two main allies are the Polish Law and Justice Party, which has banned gay rights' marches, and the Czech Civic Democrats (ODS), the party of the Czech President Vaclav Klaus, who has described climate change as a "myth" and the former prime minister Mirek Topolanek, who was photographed naked at a party hosted by the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi." - Independent The Independent's cartoonist paints David Cameron making Hitler salute. ...But The Telegraph leader writers congratulate David Cameron for keeping his promise to leave the EPP ...And the Daily Mail notes that other UK parties have awkward allies: "The Tories hit back, saying that Labour and the Liberal Democrats are themselves in political groupings with ex-communists, Nazi admirers, 9/11 conspiracy theorists, homophobes and militant feminists who want to ban marriage." > Yesterday's ToryDiary: Seven observations on successfully leaving the EPP One of Boris Johnson's mayoral deputies resigned yesterday over his misuse of a corporate credit card - Independent Chairman of the Iraq Inquiry has said it is "essential" as much as possible is held in public - BBC Even if the Iraq Inquiry is held in public, the implacable critics of the war will still cry whitewash - David Aaronovitch in The Times 50p tax 'unfair, complex and damaging' to economy says Centre for Policy Studies - Telegraph One highlight from yesterday Andrew Lilico on CentreRight shows that Labour’s Budget plans cuts of £40bn more even than is so far being discussed