ToryDiary: If the BBC employed a few more Conservatives, it might occasionally run stories that examined the wastefulness and inefficiency of the bloated state
Tim Archer on Platform: Why we need electoral reform - and it's nothing to do with AV
Local Government:
- Tories win in one of Britain's poorest ward
- Right to buy is here to stay
- 23 more Councils join spending transparency revolution
"At school I wanted to be a cricketer – my friend David Masters made it, but I didn’t." Rehman Chisti MP answers ConservativeHome's Twenty Questions for the class of 2010.
Two new posts on CentreRight:
- Julia Manning's second letter from Zimbabwe - Mugabe, Morgan and Marange.
- Jill Kirby: The Revenue's power grab: what's yours is mine first.
Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary, reacted to the offer by the BBC Trust by saying he was "pleased" at the suggestion, and that the Government would be implementing it next year. But Mr Hunt retained the option of cutting the fee in 2012-2013, a decision that will be made as part of the next long-term licence fee settlement. The freezing of the licence fee is a blow to the BBC's management, which had been promised a 2 per cent increase next April by the previous Labour government with a smaller increase to come in the following year. - The Independent
Cable in revolt over immigration cap
“A lot of damage is being done to British industry,” the business secretary told the Financial Times on Thursday. He said companies were moving jobs overseas in response to punitive caps that left them unable to hire key staff. “I’ve got a file full of examples. This is not just people whingeing,” he said. The cap on non-EU workers was a manifesto pledge for David Cameron and proved popular with voters: it was reluctantly accepted by Lib Dems in the May coalition negotiations." - Financial Times
"Liam Fox will warn David Cameron that axing the next generation of fighter jets will leave Britain vulnerable in any future conflict with China. The Defence Secretary will highlight military concerns that failing to pay for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) stealth jets could compromise Britain’s defences against a threat from Beijing. It would also threaten a rift with the US, he will say, suggesting to the Pentagon that Britain was no longer serious about meeting possible future threat - The Times (£)
...As Menzies Campbell calls for the downgrading of TridentLiam Fox, defence secretary, bravely argues with Thatcherite zeal that Trident is a special case...There is a solution, but it is one that will require a lot of eating of words among those Tories for whom the mention of Trident induces a kind of priapic response. We must extend the life of the present system by modifying the principle of “continuous at sea deterrence” (CASD), the year-round deployment of at least one nuclear submarine - Financial Times (£)
"David Miliband...would like to persuade Nick Clegg to pull out of plans for a referendum on the alternative vote next May. Instead, Miliband wants the Liberal Democrat leader to consider his proposal of a joint referendum on the House of Commons voting system and an elected House of Lords on the same day – something Miliband has called a democracy day." - The Guardian
"Ed Miliband would seek as Labour leader to exploit divisions between Nick Clegg and backbench Liberal Democrat MPs, such as the party's former leader Sir Menzies Campbell, by offering to co-operate on issues such as university tuition fees.In an attempt to prise apart the coalition ahead of May's local and devolved elections, Miliband today makes a "direct offer" to work with Lib Dem MPs in areas where they disagree with the Tories." - The Guardian
Nick Clegg to Mumsnet mothers: "I am not a Tory" - The Guardian
Mrs Clegg launches ethical fashion range - The Independent
Simon Jenkins: Clegg is doomed..."He came to the rescue of Cameron in the latter's hour of need and enabled him to steer the economy out of Labour's morass. I have no doubt Cameron will show gratitude, offering honorary life membership of the Tory party, a safe seat and a comfy place on the Notting Hill sofa. For Clegg that might be enough. But as leader of the Liberal Democrats, he has booked a ticket to oblivion." -The Guardian
"So, if the Liberal Democrats can show in 2015 that they have increased popular power they have a story. The best place to do this is in education. In time, there will be credit to be taken for the free schools reforms. and the Liberal Democrats need to grab some of it. They need a brilliant junior minister in the department, helping out Michael Gove. Liberal Democrat policy used to be, in effect, faxed over by the NUT. Fortunately, the man who changed that is available for the job. Step out of the shadows, David Laws." - The Times
Another push for a Conservative-Liberal Democrat electoral pact...this time round, by David Hunt and Michael McManus"Cameron and Clegg are a formidable team – the same goes for their ministerial colleagues – and they would surely be an unstoppable combination on the campaign trail too. Clegg now has an historic opportunity to make the leap Davies dared not make all those years ago, demonstrating that this notion of a "realignment of the left" based on the Liberal party – or the Lib Dems – was one of the great blind alleys of British political history." -The Guardian
Crispin Blunt in prison fruit riots palaver
"Mr Blunt insisted menus must take account of 'seasonal variations and prisoners' preferences'. 'It is worth remembering that discontent about the quality of food, changes to menus and failure to deliver what was previously promised have been known to be the catalyst for serious disturbances,' he said. 'An undersize apple handed out at the servery will create issues of order and control, so we use suppliers that are sensitive to that need and that use their sourcing ability to maintain consistency from their supply base.' "- Daily Mail
Fury erupted last night after Crispin Blunt told prison bosses to avoid misshapen fruit, small portions, badly cooked food and even menu changes. He ordered prisons to deliver "nutritious" nosh so that "socially excluded" inmates - who include murderers and paedos - can improve their health. He went on: "Discontent about the quality of food, menu changes and failure to deliver what was promised have been known to be catalysts for serious disturbances." - The Sun
Boris requests Congestion Charge exemption for Popemobile - BBC
PM to bid a final farewell to his father"Prime Minister David Cameron is to attend the funeral of his father Ian, who died last week at the age of 77. Mr Cameron and his wife Samantha will join other family members to say their final farewells to the father he described as "an amazing man - a real life enhancer". His attendance at the private ceremony in Berkshire means Mr Cameron will miss Pope Benedict XVI's address to MPs in Parliament's Westminster Hall. He will meet the Pontiff for talks on Friday." - Press Association
David Gauke says £42 billion tax evasion and avoidance gap is "staggering"
"The cost of avoidance, evasion and other problems collecting tax rose by £4bn to £42bn in the year to 2008-09 after businesses fell behind paying value added tax during the recession. The Treasury condemned the scale of the tax “gap” – the difference between the tax collected and the tax that should be collected – which has become an increasingly contentious issue at a time of looming spending cuts." - Financial Times (£)
500,000 benefit scroungers will be made to seek work -Daily Express
Revenue floats plan to cut out employers and take tax directly - The Times
Chote approved by MPs as Office of Budget Responsibility Head - Reuters
MI5 Chief warns over Somalia threat - The Times (£)
Her Maj has tea as Pope sticks to Pop - The Sun
Mary Dejevsky: In defence of Benedict and his faith - The Independent
And finally...Prince Phillip asks Annabel Goldie : "Are you wearing tartan knickers?"
"Annabel Goldie...was among a group of dignitaries being presented to the pope at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Prince Philip rst met the Scottish Labour leader, Iain Gray, who is believed to have been sporting a special papal tartan tie. At this point, the prince was said to have turned to Goldie, who was standing nearby, and asked if she had a "pair of knickers made out of this?" Goldie retorted: "I couldn't possibly comment – and even if I did, I couldn't possibly exhibit them." - The Guardian
ToryDiary: A narrative for this government (Draft #4), by Charles Moore
Local Government: Folly of Thames Water's £3.6 billion Super Sewer
Parliament: Douglas Carswell wants the banks to stop treating your money as if it were theirs
on CentreRight: I want you to write to your MPs asking them for a report on progress in the repatriation of powers from Brussels
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