ToryDiary: Lady Thatcher pays tribute to The Sun on its fortieth birthday
Also on ToryDiary: Voters agree that Labour has failed on poverty
Loanna Morrison on Platform: This "ghetto Tory" doesn't care about the social background of the politicians caricatured as "Tory toffs"
Nick Seaton on Local government: Stop closing good, small schools
Greg Hands MP on CentreRight: Lessons from the Czechoslovak Velvet Revolution, 20 years ago today
WATCH:
Tories 13% ahead in ICM poll - ToryDiary
Liz Truss wins her selection battle - BBC
Jonathan Isaby writing in The Times: "I am glad that Liz Truss’s status as Conservative candidate for South West Norfolk has been confirmed and trust that this draws a line under the matter..."
> Seats and candidates: Liz Truss survives deselection vote
Cameron attacks a very political Queen's Speech"The Queen’s Speech will be little more than a Labour press release on palace parchment. Don’t take my word for it. As The Times reported yesterday, a Cabinet minister has been boasting about the contents of the speech. What was said? That it was the most ambitious since Labour had come to power? That it was the most likely to help the poorest in our society? No. The boast was that this will be “the most political Queen’s Speech for 12 years”. Apparently, it’s all going to be about dividing lines between Gordon Brown and the Conservatives." - The Tory leader writing in The Times
"A man of substance" Andrew Pierce bigs up Jeremy Hunt in his Telegraph column.
"David Cameron should throw it out. By doing so he would show his commitment to getting Britain moving again. But no. Though he has voiced his disapproval of the tax he refuses to do anything about it in the foreseeable future. He feels it would be unfair, or seen as unfair, when public-sector workers are being asked to accept a pay freeze. This is the reverse of how the Conservative leader should be thinking. To get public finances right he must address the problems of the inflated public sector fearlessly and firmly. To get the economy moving he must encourage talent and enterprise." - Express comment
Grant Shapps attacks Labour's failed £115m Rent-to-Homebuy scheme
"Tory housing spokesman Grant Shapps, said: 'Despite burning through taxpayers' cash, it turns out the Government's latest incompetent scheme has failed to help even a single family buy a home.'" - Daily Mail
Tories warn Mancunians not to fork out for ID cards - Guardian
Examining public opinion and other sources of conflict, Max Hastings concludes that Europe is still a big and looming issue for the Conservatives - FT
Apprentice star Lord Sugar accuses Tories of 'bullying' BBC to sabotage his hit TV show - Mirror
Council tax has doubled in last decade - The Sun
Gordon Brown hopes UN-sponsored London conference could agree timetable for eventual withdrawal from Afghanistan - Guardian
"The Prime Minister suggested he would not be blown off course by the prevailing public mood against the conflict. 'Vigilance in defence of national security will never be sacrificed to expediency,' he said." - Daily Mail
Brown launches last-ditch attempt to save Tony Blair's bid for EU presidency - Daily Mail
Labour retreats from threat to top-slice the BBC licence fee - Times
Ed Balls, children’s secretary, has requested an inflation-busting £2.6bn budget - FT
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