ConservativeHome's pre-Tory Conference survey is now awaiting your responses. In addition to the regular questions about Cabinet ministers' performance special questions cover... ToryDiary: The new ConservativeHome survey Mark Wallace on Local government: Why is Buckinghamshire County Council giving staff a heterosexuality quiz? Also on Local government: John Guthrie chosen to stand for Mayor of Bedford WATCH: "Ed Miliband has offered his brother, David, the post of shadow chancellor, in a move which could set up a bruising early dispute at the top of the party over Labour’s approach to tackling the deficit. David Miliband has insisted that Labour should stick to its original policy of halving the deficit in four years, a position that will be repeated on Monday by Alistair Darling in a farewell speech as shadow chancellor." - FT (£) "We must win the argument that the speed and severity of the coalition's cuts are both unfair and unnecessary, and will put the recovery at risk. We must make the case for an alternative plan that puts jobs and growth first. That is the credible way to reduce the deficit and get the economy moving again. It is a tough argument to make, but the most vital one to win. We must lead public opinion and not be driven by focus-group polling." - Ed Balls in The Guardian Harman cool on plan to halve deficit - FT (£) "I note that Ed Miliband has emerged blatantly from the bowels of the trade unions, and that it was thanks to union chiefs that he edged a millimetre ahead of the elder Miliband. I note that he and other senior Labour figures are now pledging to support strike action – no matter how unreasonable, no matter how much damage it may do to the interests of the general public or the British economy – in the hope of scoring political points against the Coalition Government." - Boris Johnson in The Telegraph "Mr Miliband is Labour leader because four big unions, predominantly composed of public sector workers, organised strenuously for him and because, in the process, they put enough pressure on a few undecided MPs to carry the day. Labour will undoubtedly unite behind Mr Miliband now, as they should. But the new leader must make clear that he will give no special favours to the unions, must pledge to look again at Labour's unsatisfactory electoral college system, and must refuse to give a general endorsement to industrial disputes fought over public services in response to spending cuts, which Mr Miliband has acknowledged are to some extent inescapable. If Labour is to become again a party of government it has to be the party for public sector workers without being the party of them." - Guardian leader Michael White wonders if accepting that peerage cost Baron Prescott - The Guardian 10% of Labour ballot papers were spoilt - Express > On LeftWatch yesterday we learnt that unions twisted/ broke rules on not attaching candidate propaganda to ballot papers "The new Leader of the Opposition has the advantage that he is the only opposition leader. He no longer has to compete with the Lib Dems in criticising the Tories. That means that protest votes will naturally come his way. It also means that he can afford not to be strident. Miliband is intelligent enough to understand that a moderate, sane Labour leader who sympathises with the embattled middle classes will be a serious threat to the Tories." - Mary Ann Sieghart in The Independent "The silliest thing written in reaction to Ed Miliband’s victory was one columnist’s declaration that “on Saturday, David Cameron won the next general election”. While it’s true that the Conservative leadership was delighted at the more left-wing Miliband’s victory, it is not foolish enough to underestimate him. A man who had the courage to take on his party’s Blairite establishment and his older brother, the early frontrunner, is not going to be a walkover." - Tim Montgomerie in The Times (£) Ed Miliband 'too busy' to marry pregnant girlfriend - Telegraph But, argues The Independent's Andy McSmith, Miliband's unmarried status is unlikely to bother voters "The current bands are largely based on housing values collected in 1991. Consider how ludicrous it would be if income tax rates were set according to the pay one received two decades ago. And the average wage has not been through the sort of booms and busts familiar in the housing market." - Guardian leader BBC to broadcast Ashcroft tax allegations - Independent Liberal Democrat MP 'bought gifts for vulnerable female constituent' - Metro 1.75m jobless have been on benefits for five years - Daily Mail And finally... Ed Balls wins somethingLeftWatch: Ed Miliband is losing vital battle of first impressions
Stewart Jackson MP on Platform: Our Housing Policies are bold but are they enough?
Theupdated LeftWatch banner includes Red Ed, Red Ken, a sinking piggy bank and Caroline Lucas
Ed Miliband needs to lose the ‘Red Ed’ tag fast - The Mole on The First Post
"Former deputy PM Lord Prescott has failed in his bid to become Labour Party Treasurer. The peer conceded defeat in a message on the micro-blogging website Twitter - and congratulated trade union official Diana Holland on her victory... The peer lost despite a high profile campaign over the summer - he won most votes from party members but was beaten by Ms Holland's strong support from trade unions which left him with 31% of the total, compared with her 69%." - BBC
"The opposition hates the City and wants to tax everything that moves; Cable agrees; the Tories are too scared to resist. The public, which has not been exposed to a proper defence of capitalism for years, wants to lash out. It is therefore becoming increasingly difficult to remain optimistic about Britain’s long-term future. I hope I’m wrong, but I fear for the UK’s jobs and prosperity." - City AM leader
"Ed Balls and Andy Burnham helped Labour to an amazing comeback victory yesterday - at football. A team of MPs, plus a few ringers, took on a side made up of political journalists. The hacks took a 2-0 lead in the traditional curtain-raiser for the Labour conference before eventually losing 5-3." - The Sun
Monday, 27 September 2010
The end-September survey
Today's top ConHome links
Today's Labour Conference-dominated newslinks
The David Miliband and the budget deficit questions
Boris Johnson and Ed Miliband went to primary school together... but the Mayor is unimpressed with his schoolmate's union links
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