Wednesday 12 May 2010

Today's other newslinks
David Cameron becomes Prime Minister

DC PM front pages
"David Cameron has become Prime Minister after agreeing a deal with the Liberal Democrats to lead Britain’s first coalition government since the Second World War. Mr Cameron, 43, becomes the youngest premier since Lord Liverpool almost 200 years ago, and the first Conservative in No 10 since John Major departed 13 years ago. He promised there would be “hard and difficult work” ahead and said his administration would focus on “rebuilding family, rebuilding community, above all, rebuilding responsibility in our country” - Daily Telegraph

Full text of David Cameron's speech on the steps of Downing Street - Daily Telegraph

> Yesterday's ToryDiary: David Cameron is Britain's new Prime Minister

How five days of tortuous talks finally yielded a coalition government - Andy McSmith in The Independent

Daniel Finkelstein: Cameron’s daring will change politics for ever

FINKELSTEIN DANIEL "This is a defining moment in British political history. Something has to be. Like Robert Peel’s decision to repeal the Corn Laws, and split the Conservative Party for a generation, or Stanley Baldwin’s gentle manoeuvring to install the first Labour Government in 1924 and thus dish the Liberals, David Cameron’s generous offer to the Liberal Democrats has changed British politics for ever. Whether it succeeds or not." - Daniel Finkelstein in The Times

Simon Jenkins: David Cameron faces toughest hand of cards ever dealt a new prime minister

"Cameron faces the toughest hand of cards ever dealt a new prime minister but he has orchestrated the game brilliantly so far. The first peacetime coalition since the 1930s has emerged fully formed from the electoral wreckage of the last four days. It at least hints at a political realignment on the centre-right, similar to that seen in English local government for the past five years (largely unnoticed at Westminster). Without it, Cameron clearly felt he could not undertake the engineering of a massive restructuring of public finances. He may be famously unflappable. He may have a sense of humour, a capacity to listen and social assurance, but he faces the labours of Hercules. He has passed the first test." - Simon Jenkins in The Guardian

Steve Richards: Novelty won't sustain this alliance

Steve Richards "At first, novelty will keep the show on the road. The new-look arrangement will get a soaring honeymoon in the polls. The Conservative-supporting newspapers will scream with joy now that Labour is ejected... Nonetheless, ideas and values still matter in politics. Novelty cannot sustain a government for ever." - Steve Richards in The Independent

Max Hastings: This coalition is the least bad option

"This coalition will not be the 'strong and stable' government which the economic crisis calls for. It is not the Tory government which the English people overwhelmingly voted for. But it is the least bad one we are going to get, after our disastrously muddled election result." - Max Hastings in the Daily Mail

David Cameron and Nick Clegg's marriage of convenience will end in divorce - Kevin Maguire in The Mirror

The political infighting won't be over until we have another election - Simon Heffer in the Daily Telegraph

Sterling rises as Cameron becomes prime minister - Reuters

David Cameron appoints civil servant as No 10 spokesman

"David Cameron's decision to appoint a senior civil servant with experience of government as his Downing Street spokesman marks a determination to move away from an era of spin – at least in his official office." - The Guardian

World leaders congratulate new PM Cameron - Reuters

Lib Dems overwhelmingly backed coalition deal

LIBERAL-DEMOCRATS "Nick Clegg was granted overwhelming approval from his party last night to embark upon a “new type of politics” and take them into government. The leader, whose appointment as Deputy Prime Minister had been approved by the Queen earlier, secured near-unanimous approval for the coalition with the Conservatives from his parliamentary party and its federal executive at a late-night meeting." - The Times

Rumbling dissent on backbenches mars Lib Dem breakthrough

"Some senior Liberal Democrats on the left of the party said they would never accept Government posts and would struggle to support the coalition." - The Independent

A coalition with the Tories comes with huge risks for Clegg - Andrew Grice in The Independent

Brown left behind the keys... but no money

Gordon Brown at second leaders debate "With wife Sarah at his side, Gordon Brown finally did the decent thing and handed over the keys to power... But while Mr Brown is gone, the old bruiser has made sure he won't be forgotten. Many believe he has seeded our economy with anti-Tory landmines and poisoned the Westminster well for years to come." - Trevor Kavanagh in The Sun

Gordon Brown's resignation speech in full - Sky News

Yesterday's LeftWatch: Brown quits as PM open thread

Labour rage at schemers who tried to fix pact with Lib Dems

"Lord Mandelson and Alastair Campbell were facing a furious Labour backlash last night after trying to bounce the party into a 'suicide pact' with the Liberal Democrats. The disgraced former spin doctors - dubbed the 'unelected and the unelectable' - were blamed for damaging the party by attempting to stitch up a deal to stay in power despite Labour overwhelmingly losing the election. The two men, who remain in close contact with Tony Blair, are said to have press-ganged a weakened Gordon Brown into offering his head on a plate to Nick Clegg." - Daily Mail

"Hopes of a progressive Lib-Lab alliance were a bit like asking Manchester United and Manchester City fans to bury historic differences for the sake of their city" - Michael White in The Guardian