ToryDiary: Who are "the Squeezed Middle"? Simon Clark on Platform: The state should stop giving anti-smoking groups public money to lobby the Government ThinkTankCentral: Britain is ranked 13th in Legatum's annual prosperity inde Gazette: Michael Gove attends Graham Brady's Friends of Grammar Schools parliamentary reception Housing benefit cap "may change" "The Government is trying to avoid holding a vote on the most controversial changes to housing benefit in a generation. Changes to reduce the housing benefit bill by £2.5 billion will be made in secondary legislation, which does not require a Commons vote and risk the embarrassment of defeat. However some Lib Dems were last night planning to ambush this attempt to bypass the Commons, The Times has learnt." - The Times (£) > David T Breaker yesterday on CentreRight: We need house prices to go up 75% of incapacity claimaints are fit to work Fraudulent claims worth £135m uncovered by councils - BBC George Osborne declares economy back on track after GDP increase "Britain is in the midst of the sharpest post-recession rebound for 50 years, boosting hopes that the economy can weather the Government’s austerity programme." -The Times (£) "We are pulling out of this recession a touch faster than we climbed out of the one in the 1980s, the one that most closely resembles the current cycle." - Hamish McRae in The Independent "The fear – so carefully cultivated by the Labour opposition – of a double-dip recession has also receded. While it cannot be ruled out, it looks increasingly unlikely, which leaves Alan Johnson, the shadow chancellor, even more bereft of an alternative economic strategy." - Daily Telegraph editorial Surging economy brings new interest rate rise warning from Bank of England -Daily Mail Ken Clarke to scrap no win, no fee deals "No-win, no-fee deals are to be scrapped under a radical shake-up of the courts to stop ambulance-chasing lawyers from cashing in on frivolous cases. Justice Secretary Ken Clarke announced yesterday that he will scrap lucrative success fees which allow lawyers to double their bill at the expense of the person or organisation that loses the case... Mr Clarke told Radio 4’s Law in Action programme: ‘You should not have a situation where, regardless of however frivolous the claim is, the sensible thing for the defendant to do is to settle, get out, before the legal costs start running up’." - Daily Mail Philip Hammond unveils eight schemes to reduce motorway jams "The transport secretary picked out the schemes, which include improvements to parts of the most congested motorways, because they were “key drivers” of growth. “Each pound we spend on these schemes will generate on average £6 of benefits,” he told the House of Commons." -FT (£) Lansley announces £600m cancer drug fund "Patients in England will benefit from a £600m fund to improve access to cancer drugs over the next three years, the government has confirmed. The move is to address the UK's poor record of cancer treatment provision compared with the rest of Europe. Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said cancer patients were already getting extra treatments thanks to an interim fund of £50m which began in October." - BBC Liam Fox warns UK defence firms to offer 'better value for money' "Defence secretary Liam Fox warned industry that he would buy military equipment from foreign suppliers unless British groups offer ‘better value for money ’ in forthcoming negotiations. Peter Luff, the minister for defence equipment, is set to engage in discussions with industry chiefs, which will form the basis of a ‘defence industry blueprint’, Fox said." - Daily Mail "Junior Isas" to be launched in 2011 - The Times (£) EU makes a fresh grab for control of our budgets > Saturday's ToryDiary: Why David Cameron's unlikely to push hard next week to freeze or cut the EU budget Tim Montgomerie: Rebellious MPs are not the usual suspects "A quarter of Tory MPs (77) voted to relax the smoking ban, 37 voted against the government line on EU funding. On Monday 22 backbenchers supported an amendment calling for a reduction in the number of government ministers. It’s not just the usual suspects. Many of the most active rebels are new MPs. They cut their political teeth when Margaret Thatcher was in power and have entered public life because they want to carry forward her ideas on Europe, small government and crime." - The Times (£) > On Monday ConHome identified the most and least rebellious MPs Talks being held to avert November 5th fire strike "Talks aimed at averting a strike by London firefighters on Bonfire Night will be held on Wednesday, the Fire Brigades Union said. The union said its full negotiating team will attend the meeting with London Fire Brigade." - Press Association > Yesterday in Local Government: The truth about the London fire strike Lord Mandelson praises coalition on welfare, schools and Big Society... and issues stern warning to Ed Miliband Beating evasive Cameron is easy if you see the funny side, Miliband memo says "Ed Miliband has been advised to use “mocking humour” to disarm David Cameron at Prime Minister’s Questions, according to a briefing note prepared for the Labour leader. The memo counsels Mr Miliband to develop “cheer lines” to help to secure a slot on broadcast news bulletins. The “big prize”, though, is to make the Prime Minister appear “evasive” by asking him simple questions that he will struggle to answer, it says. The three-page document, a copy of which has been obtained by The Times, warns the Labour leader that Mr Cameron is likely to be patronising in response." - The Times (£) Britain "seen as more corrupt since MPs' expenses scandal" - The Guardian"The government may have to amend its plans for a cap on housing benefit payouts, the BBC has learned. The proposed cap could force people out of cities where rent is higher, some MPs and charities have argued. But Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said people living in areas that many working families could not afford should not expect to be subsidised. A Whitehall source said the Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, was listening to MPs' concerns." - BBC
"Three-quarters of people who applied for new benefits for the long-term sick failed tests to prove they were too ill to work. Out of about 840,000 who tried to obtain the £95-a-week Employment and Support Allowance, 640,000 were told they were fit for work, or withdrew their applications before they took the tests – suggesting they were ‘trying it on’." - Daily Mail"Britain's economy grew twice as fast as expected over the summer, providing a boost for George Osborne as he fights Labour warnings that the coalition is jeopardising growth with the the most drastic fiscal retrenchment in a generation. The chancellor yesterday welcomed a "double dose of good news" after GDP grew by 0.8% in the past three months, and the ratings agency Standard & Poor's confirmed Britain's AAA credit rating. Britain, which is now considered a safe haven, is to be taken off the agency's list of countries on "negative watch". - The Guardian
"Eight major schemes to reduce congestion on motorways, often through peak-time use of the hard shoulder, were among 16 transport projects announced by the transport secretary, Philip Hammond, yesterday." - The Guardian
"A move to drag Britain into ‘deeper economic and monetary union’ with the rest of the EU is being planned in Brussels, it emerged last night. European President Herman Van Rompuy intends to use a report on the economic crisis to press for sweeping reforms that will ‘strengthen economic governance in the EU’." - Daily Mail
"Lord Mandelson praised David Cameron’s vision of a ‘Big Society’ yesterday – as he warned new Labour leader Ed Miliband against abandoning the centre ground of politics. In a series of interventions the former Business Secretary went out of his way to praise the coalition for its tough action in tackling the deficit and wide-ranging programme of reforms. He said the Government’s welfare and education reforms – both of which have been criticised by Labour – were moving in the right direction. And he praised the coalition for tackli ng the deficit head on – a strategy Mr Miliband has called a ‘big gamble’." - Daily Mail
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
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