ToryDiary: David Cameron planning "big cuts" in pay for ministers in a Tory Government
Rupert Matthews on Platform: When it comes to the seemingly innocuous matter of recycling, we are now living in a tyrannical state
- Lord Hanningfield: Devolve patient transport to the Town Hall
- Copeland Council calls in the inspectors
- Mass deselection of Labour Councillors in Enfield and Waltham Forest
Tim Montgomerie on CentreRight: Head of Politics within the BBC's Editorial Unit agrees that it is better to avoid giving the BNP any label
WATCH: Lord Mandelson "officially" rules out seeking a return to the Commons to become Labour leader
LISTEN:
Tim Montgomerie on CentreRight:
- Which is more influential - Newsnight or Today?
- There's not much for Hillary to do after Bill, Petraeus, Holbrooke, Mitchell, Odierno and other envoys have finished implementing Obama's foreign policy
Graeme Archer: "If #welovethenhs is the end of the debate, what, really, is the point of politics?"
Also: Alex Deane on the NHS debate
WATCH: America's Club for Growth uses anti-NHS ad in campaign again politician-run healthcare"David Cameron, the Conservative leader, has joined the campaign to defend the National Health Service, following protests in the United States at Barack Obama's healthcare reform plans. In an email to Conservative Party workers, details which were published on his blog, Mr Cameron said millions of people, including his own family, were grateful for care they had receive d from the NHS... Mr Cameron's intervention came after he rebnuked Daniel Hannan, the Conservative MEP, for endorsing American criticisms of the NHS. Mr Cameron said Mr Hannan was wrong in his criticism of the NHS. Andrew Lansley, the Conservative shadow health secretary, accused the MEP of presenting a “negative and partial” view of the NHS in his contribution to the US debate about health care." - Daily Telegraph
> Related ToryDiary posts:
- Andrew Lansley rebukes Dan Hannan for NHS remarks
- Dan Hannan under attack for criticising NHS during US visit (includes video of his appearance on Fox News)
Alan Duncan keeps shadow cabinet job but is rebuked by Cameron
"David Cameron faced calls to remove Alan Duncan as Shadow Leader of the Commons yesterday after Mr Duncan had complained that MPs were living on rations. The Conservative leader said that Mr Duncan had made a “bad mistake” after being secretly filmed making the comments, but indicated that he would keep his job — at least for now. MPs on both sides have questioned whether Mr Duncan should retain a position that involves him sitting on the Commons’ Estimates Committee that oversees the pay and conditions of MPs." - The Times
"Mr Cameron's attempt to draw a line under the affair was derailed by Tory grandee Sir Patrick Cormack. He complained that his £64,000 salary was not enough to allow him to make donations to charity... High-profile MP Nadine Dorries made things worse by blaming the media rather than politicians for the expenses scandal. She also claimed she recently assisted at a road accident but was too frightened to admit her identity as an MP, such was the public's anger." - Daily Mail
Alan Duncan is profiled in the Daily Telegraph
> Yesterday's ToryDiary: 65% of Tory members want Alan Duncan to resign
> WATCH David Cameron give his reaction to Alan Duncan's gaffe and subsequent apology
Anne Main wins fight against deselection
"Anne Main, the Tory MP, has fought off attempts to deselect her from standing for her St Albans constituency at the General Election in the row over her expenses... Speaking after the meeting, a smiling Mrs Main said: "I'm just absolutely delighted to have had the overwhelming support of the Association meeting tonight and I will continue to work on behalf of the people of St Albans. I'm truly grateful for all the messages of support that I've had coming in from people who aren't Association members but are the voters and representatives of St Albans so I'm just really delighted." - Daily Telegraph
> Last night in Seats and Candidates: Anne Main survives deselection attempt
Business is bombarding Tory frontbenchers with freebies
"Tories are being wooed with record numbers of freebies by companies seeking to gain influence with them. Members of the shadow Cabinet have accepted 35 ‘jollies’ to tennis, rugby, racing, balls and the opera from businesses since spring last year. Four senior Conservatives were entertained at Wimbledon, two went to rugby internationals at Twickenham and two to the Brit Awards, the Commons Register of Members’ Interests reveals. The extent of the wining and dining will raise questions about the proximity of some senior Tories to corporate lobbyists." - Daily Mail
Tebbit: Cameron may push traditional Tories to UKIP
"Lord Tebbit has warned David Cameron he risks pushing traditional Tory voters towards UKIP if he keeps trying to woo disenchanted Labour and Lib Dem supporters. The ex-Cabinet minister, 78, said yesterday the Tories may alienate core voters by trying to appeal to Brits who had backed Centre Left parties." - The Sun
Lansley: Government must reconsider swine flu strategy in schools
"More than 13 million Britons will be offered the first doses of a vaccine against swine flu this autumn, in a dramatic move which the government says will save lives... Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said he accepted the government's recommendations on priority access to the vaccine. However, he added: "It was unhelpful of the government to have suggested that the vaccine would be ready by the end of this month. It will now not be available in time to stop the virus spreading when schools return in the autumn so the government will need to reconsider its strategy in relation to schools." - The Guardian
Ruth Davidson to contest Glasgow North East by-election for the Conservatives
"The Conservatives have turned to a first-time contender who has been a party member for less than a year as a fresh voice candidate in Glasgow North East. The adoption of Ruth Davidson means that electors are being given a choice between two former BBC journalists as both she and SNP opponent David Kerr come from that background, while Labour candidate Willie Bain comes from a legal background." - The Herald
> Yesterday in Seats and Candidates: Scottish Tories choose ex-Sunday school teacher to fight clean and honest campaign in Glasgow North East
Sinn Fein fears Tory U-turn on justice cash
"It would be a “major act of criminality” if a future Tory Government reneged on a cash plan underpinning the transfer of police and justice powers to Stormont, Martin McGuinness has said. With David Cameron likely to lead the next British Government, the Deputy First Minister revealed he has discussed the issue with Shadow Secretary of State Owen Paterson, and voiced his concerns over the UUP — the Tories’ partner party — strategy on policing." - Belfast Telegraph
Simon Jenkins and Tony Travers: How David Cameron should devolve power to local councils
"He [David Cameron] should guarantee a minimum of public welfare out of central state coffers, whether for such nationalised services as health, transport or social benefits, or for such local ones as schools, police, social services and culture... But the Tories should leave local democracy free, as it is across most of Europe and North America, to decide how far such welfare should be topped up locally – and free to tax itself accordingly. It should be free to rebuild one more local school or hospital, free to recruit extra police, free to expand a playground, museum or park. He should end the central capping of local council taxes and business rates and the huge bureaucracy that goes with it." - Simon Jenkins and Tony Travers writing in The Guardian
FT: The ideas-free hole in UK politics
"George Osborne’s attempt to rebrand the Conservatives as the “progressive” party in British politics was always going to whip up gales of scorn from his former dinner companion Peter Mandelson, who accused the Tories of “cross-dressing”. New Labour would know something about that. What this summer spat identifies is not just a seasonal hole in the news agenda but the hole at the ideas-free heart of British politics." - FT editorial
Angela Merkel and Vera Lengsfeld get Jan Moir's vote
"A poster campaign featuring the generous cleavages of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her fellow Christian Democratic Union MP Vera Lengsfeld has been titillating all Berlin this week... Well, Frau Vera, you would certainly get my vote. Just for being witty, amusing and celebratory about being female in a way that is now unthinkable in this country of ours. Can you imagine a female politician even attempting anything similar here? One: they wouldn't have the gumption. Two: they wouldn't have the sense of humour. And three: they would be clapped in non-gender specific irons and banged up in prison on sex discrimination charges before the glue on the posters had dried." - Jan Moir in the Daily Mail
> Wednesday in International: CDU poster features busty Angela Merkel
Transatlantic split at prospect of Lockerbie bomber release - The Times
> Yesterday's ToryDiary: Scottish Conservatives insist that Libyan bomber should be at "death's door" before release
Labour minister and wife walk out of segregated Muslim wedding - Daily Telegraph
Former defence chief attacks Bob Ainsworth's lack of leadership - Daily Mail
Mandelson: Tories are 'frightened' I'll come back as an MP - Daily Telegraph
Gordon Brown finally ditches his suit for holiday boat trip - Daily Mail
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