ToryDiary: The Tories will force BBC to publish top stars' pay as part of bid to squeeze better value out of licence fee
WIll Burstow on Platform: The TV debates will place too much power in the hands of whoever becomes Prime Minister after the election
On Local government:
- Wigan Council spends £27,000 on new "reserve car" for Mayor
- Cheltenham Council's £2.1 milllion bill for sickness dispute
- Amber Valley, Hertsmere and Broxbourne all freeze Council Tax
- Four out of 11 councils in Surrey to freeze Council Tax
WATCH:
- Liam Fox: "The Ministry of Defence's record of waste is staggering, as £2.5 billion has been spent on external consultants, but it could not find £20 million to train the Territorial Army."
- Douglas Carswell implies Tory colleague was talking out his 'in/out of EU' referendum bill
ToryDiary: Winston Churchill dies from cancer, aged 69
12.45pm Interviews: Paul Goodman interviews Theresa Villiers
Tory lead 5% in YouGov/Sun daily tracker - Yesterday evening's ToryDiary
"[The IPPR] has cast doubt on the effectiveness of “pupil premium” proposals outlined by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, which are central to both parties’ education policies in the run-up to the general election. The pupil premium is an extra amount of money given directly to each state school for every pupil from a disadvantaged background whom they admit. Its advocates argue that it would improve the results of the poorest children." - FT
> Yesterday's ToryDiary: Michael Gove promises to restore confidence in 'A' levels, increase the freedom of Academies and reduce the inspection burden on top-performing schools
"The debates will be strictly controlled as broadcasters meet the rigid demands of balance between the three leaders. The audiences will also be carefully selected. I can guarantee now that if one questioner gives Brown a hard time another will give Cameron an equally tough ride. Scope for spontaneity will be limited. The BBC, never knowingly under-managed when preparing for set piece events, will have an army of executives involved for their allocated debate on the economy, overstaffing that can lead to stifling caution or the other extreme, a shrill, but contrived populism. The leaders risk being over-rehearsed too as they seek to please, and above all, not to make a mistake. The level of preparation and control might fuel voters' cynicism rather than address it." - Steve Richards in The Independent
ICM will pick an audience of 200 for each election debate - FT
> Tim Montgomerie on why election debates are bad for British democracy and a gift to the Tories' electoral opponents
Ken Clarke laughed as he spoke of a Tory leadership whose members were young enough to be his children - Guardian
"What conclusion should Conservatives come to? That the party failed to get a strong mandate (or any mandate) because it was too Notting Hill? Or because it was not Notting Hill enough? To judge from conversations I have had in recent days with Tory MPs of all shades, most of whom were feeling decidedly flat, any attempt to push the second of those lines would lead to civil war. Factionalism is only just below the surface. Unity is being maintained because of the imminence of the test. Anything less than a full-throated victory that enables a solid five-year mandate is going to cause serious problems internally, never mind in trying to govern Britain." - Simon Heffer in The Telegraph
"Whatever Chancellor Alistair Darling might wish to do left to his own devices, his Pre-Budget Report in December was a disastrous cop-out, which simply ignored the scale of the problem. Mr Clarke is right to warn that unless an incoming government has credible plans for controlling the deficit, not only will sterling fall, but interest rates are bound to rise, making mortgages more expensive and putting the recovery at risk." - Daily Mail leader
"Jim Murphy, the Scottish Secretary, himself a Catholic, made a speech intended to lure back the lost sheep and was promptly smacked down by Cardinal O'Brien, leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland. The Cardinal has also told Iain Gray, Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament, that when the Pope visits next year, he hopes His Holiness will "really give you hell for what you have done to our country over 10 years, demeaning family and married life"." - Alan Massie in The Telegraph
It's a bit rich for Labour to feign moral outrage about Lord Ashcroft... they've been pocketing millions from foreign tycoons for years - Stephen Glover in the Daily Mail
Ian Paisley to stand down as MP - BBC
More than half of young people eligible to vote are not registered to do so - BBC
Nigel Farage was yesterday fined £2,700 for launching a prolonged personal attack on Europe's new President Herman Van Rompuy - Daily Mail
"The cynicism about politics is so pervasive that it embraces almost all political activity. Use a statistic? It’s a lie. Cry on television about your dead child? It’s an election gimmick. Attack your opponents’ policy? You would say that, wouldn’t you. And this cynicism extends to the media and our coverage. So not only politics, but news about politics, is seen as a fiction inside an untruth wrapped in a piece of spin." - Daniel Finkelstein in The Times
Posts
