Wednesday, 8 September 2010

Today's other newslinks

Cameron,-Osborne-and-Hague "The Prime Minister, officially back at work for the first time since the birth of daughter Florence last month, told ministers there would be significant challenges ahead. He acknowledged that the tough work starts now as the coalition prepares to unveil exactly where it will wield the axe to help pay down the huge deficit." - Daily Mail

George Osborne warns EU chiefs off Britain's £5bn rebate

OsborneEU "Mr Osborne said the rebate remained fully justified and warned EU leaders there was no point in raising the issue during forthcoming negotiations on the EU budget. He said: "I have no doubt that there will be some others who will want to put it into the mix, but they'll be wasting their time because we are not going to give way on the abatement [rebate], and people had better know that at the beginning of the process, because they'll certainly discover it at the end."" - Daily Mail

Daily Mail urges Osborne to take charge of "dysfunctional" tax collection service

"The tax authorities are sitting on a staggering backlog of another 18million cases stretching back years where they believe they got their sums wrong - but haven't got around to working out the details yet. When they do manage to add up the numbers, millions more Britons will be asked to pay up. But, as an increasing array of financial experts and politicians are asking, why should law-abiding taxpayers have to pay these huge bills when they can't be blamed for the original errors? Chancellor George Osborne is the man responsible for raising taxes. It's time for him to take charge of the dysfunctional institution that collects them." - Daily Mail leader

HSBC chairman Stephen Green stands down to become Trade Minister

Screen shot 2010-09-08 at 06.57.57 "The lay-preaching chairman of HSBC, Britain’s biggest bank, announced plans to quit yesterday to join the Government as a trade minister. Stephen Green, 61, a former management consultant, has worked at the bank for 28 years — the past four as chairman, successfully steering it through the credit crisis. The Government said the role, which will be unpaid, will focus on developing international relations to boost British businesses abroad and drive exports. Mr Green will receive a peerage, taking his seat in the Lords next year." - Times (£)

"David Cameron says he is “messianic” about trade, so it came as an enormous comfort to the prime minister when he finally managed to persuade someone to be his trade minister – almost four months after taking office. The fact that it was Stephen Green, the highly respected HSBC chairman with impeccable contacts in the emerging markets, brought unbridled relief at Number 10: Mr Cameron said he was “delighted. I know he will make an invaluable contribution towards this crucial agenda, helping to drive strong economic growth in the UK.”" - FT (£)

> Statement from Downing Street on appointment
> Paul Goodman on ToryDiary yesterday: Appointing Stephen Green would be a mistake

Lib Dems condemn Barclays Bank's choice of new Chief Executive - Times (£)

David Cameron has written to Colonel Gaddafi over stalled probe into 1984 murder of PC Yvonne Fletcher - BBC

"The Prime Minister raised Libya’s unwillingness to allow British police officers to enter the country to quiz witnesses in a private letter to President Colonel Gaddafi in July. The letter was backed up with further lobbying from Foreign secretary William Hague in August." - Telegraph

Liam Fox urged to restore pension to army hero's widow

FOX-LIAM-C&N "THE widow of a hero sergeant has been told to live off a corporal's pension - to save the nation £20 a week. Dated MoD regulations allow Sgt Matty Telford's pension to be slashed because he served in the rank for less than a year." - The Sun

The Sun Says: "The MoD has long been a nest of gin-swilling bunglers who have squandered millions while ignoring the needs of our Forces. This time they have gone too far. The Sun trusts that tough Defence Secretary Liam Fox will put this injustice right."

Hague courted fresh criticism yesterday after he used the ­internet to speak of rumours about his sexuality being “nailed” - Express

Nailed Benedict Brogan on Telegraph blogs: "Mr Hague has got the story going all over again by boasting he has nailed “a big lie”. Why did he do it? Maybe someone is tweeting for him, but the result is he starts to look as if he is struggling under pressure. Mr Cameron should fear for his colleague’s state of mind."

Vince Cable prepares the way for cuts to science funding

CableVince470 "Business Secretary Vince Cable is expected to signal a squeeze on government funding for scientific research. He will urge universities to do "more for less" and say taxpayers should only back research that has a commercial use or was academically outstanding." - BBC

The Liberal Democrats have much to lose in next May's local elections

"The Lib Dems have plenty to lose – 2,337 seats to be precise, 112 more than Labour. Most of the seats up in 2011 will again be in "all-out" council elections where the stakes can be very high." - Guardian

In The Times (£) Alice Thomson argues that the Coalition is a disaster for the Liberal Democrats.

Two free school pioneers describe their hopes for the government's flagship education policy

"For all the critics of the free school policy, they have to admit that this policy will now give freedom to outstanding school leaders and teachers to set up new schools in socially deprived areas, with quality frameworks and strategies in place from the very outset. Our school will be in the city ward area of Bradford West, one of the most deprived areas of England. The attainment is low, and there are all sorts of social, cultural and economic issues. Free schools can target places like this, and create opportunities for children and young people so that they can have an excellent education whatever their background." - Sajid Hussain in The Guardian

"Sure Start – Labour’s flagship programme for increasing the life chances of children – must be protected from the spending cuts to come, Frank Field, the government’s poverty tsar, has warned." - FT (£)

Labour MPs to decide if they will continue to elect shadow cabinet

"The new Labour leader could be given new power to appoint a shadow cabinet in reforms Labour MPs will vote on tomorrow. In a vote that veteran parliamentarians fear will be swayed by new MPs who, according to one, "do not understand the importance of constraining the power of patronage", MPs will decide whether to end the practice of electing members of the shadow cabinet once a new leader is in place on 25 September." - Guardian

Diane Abbott: Tony Blair should stop trying to run the Labour party from ‘beyond the grave’ - Metro

Union boss Brendan Barber warns of poll tax revolt against public spending cuts

"Britons could revolt against the Coalition’s public spending cuts in the same way that many refused to pay the poll tax in the late 1980s, the leader of the country's unions has warned." - Telegraph

And finally...

"David Cameron cracks a joke about Wayne Rooney scoring as he collects a gong at an awards ceremony. He told the audience last night: "I have been at home with baby Florence watching the football and I'm pleased to say Rooney has scored on the pitch, in the opponent's goal, for his own team." - The Sun

> GQ Men of the Year

Posted by Britannia Radio at 18:01