AmericaInTheWorld: The failure to protect the confidentiality of American diplomats' cables is an extraordinary act of incompetence
ToryDiary:
- Seven questions on growth for George Osborne and Vince Cable
- Three tests for a new All Party group on Islamophobia
On Comment today:
- Nadine Dorries MP: The state must stop withholding vital information from women considering an abortion
- Part II of Martin Parsons' series on combatingh radical Islam: Stopping the spread of sharia is central to countering radicalisation
Eamonn Butler on ThinkTankCentral notes that UK national debt won't be paid off until 2041 if we devote all post-2015 growth to repaying our borrowings
On Local government Mark Wallace targets the leader of Lambeth council and suggests the things he should cut before frightening people about their essential services.
Cameron will cut limit for terrorism suspects to be held before charge to 14 days — against the advice of senior lawyers - Telegraph
Alex Carlile recommends a three-tiered replacement to Control Orders - Telegraph
Ken Clarke may u-turn on promise to jail thugs
"Ministers will risk a public backlash by going back on a Tory election promise to jail knife thugs. Leaked papers reveal the criminals will escape with community punishment. The plan has been drawn up by Ken Clarke in the face of protests from Cabinet members. They fear that the Coalition – which has already said it will cut prisoner numbers by 3,000 – will be seen as ‘soft on crime’." - Daily Mail
"A spell in prison may not cure a knife criminal of violent tendencies, but at least it puts him under lock and key for a while, giving him a chance to reflect on the consequences of his actions and society a rest from his activities. This is not the first manifesto pledge broken by the Conservatives since they went into coalition. Their failure to abolish the Human Rights Act, which means we are unable to deport even the worst foreign criminals at the end of their sentences, is another egregious example. Both U-turns are said to have been to please the Liberal-Democrats – who prefer to portray criminals as victims of society rather than dangers to it." - Mail leader
Meanwhile from the Scottish press: "Prisoners will soon be able to enjoy more than 100 digital TV channels in their cells, including soft-core porn, because of European regulations."
Liam Fox u-turns on UK membership of European Defence Agency
"Liam Fox, defence secretary, has dropped his pre-election promise to pull Britain out of the European Defence Agency, the Brussels-based body that aims to co-ordinate military procurement across the EU. But Mr Fox has written to Lady Ashton, head of the agency, warning that Britain will block proposals for a 3.9 per cent rise in its budget next year, claiming it was “impossible to justify” at a time of austerity." - FT (£)
George Osborne blocks UK participation in permanent EU bailout mechanism
"Mr Osborne blocked attempts to make Britain take part in a permanent EU bailout scheme to be put in place when a temporary facility, agreed by his Labour predecessor Alistair Darling, expires in 2013." - Daily Mail
- Allister Heath: Irish bailout won't stop contagion - City AM
- "Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said the interest rate [5.8%] was ‘unaffordable’, adding: ‘The costs of this deal to ordinary people will be deep and will result in hugely damaging cuts to public services, social welfare and wages.’" - Metro
Bank of England Governor Mervyn King warned US Ambassador about George Osborne's lack of depth - Express
The Wikileaks also reveal that America was interested in Alan Duncan's relationship with William Hague - Telegraph
Boris Johnson hopes that tonight’s Panorama about Fifa will not prejudice our World Cup bid - Telegraph
Sun attacks Coalition's clampdown on cigarettes and drinking
"Mr Lansley is faced with a horrific report on 19 NHS hospital trusts with "alarmingly high" death rates, 30,500 patients with "avoidable blood clots" as well as other failings - like 150 "foreign objects" left in patients after operations. Yet what is he concentrating on? Micro-managing our lives this week with plans to cover fag packets in plain paper, banning low cost supermarket booze and urging hard-pressed firms to provide facilities for mums to store their breast milk. They are the sort of measures you would expect from big-government Old Labour." - Sun Says
> Over the weekend there were ToryDiaries on Lansley's overall health plan and on alcohol pricing.
Coalition in brief:
- Drink driving: Philip Hammond accused after drink drive ad budget cut from £3.4m to £0.55m - Independent
- Obesity: Health minister Simon Burns says people have 'responsibility to exercise' - Independent
- Welfare: Housing benefit reforms may be delayed by eight months - BBC - producing a welcome from Simon Hughes and other LibDems - Express
- Financial sector: Cable threatens banks with tax on bonuses - Independent
- Devolution: New Scottish powers 'not enough' say business chiefs and academics - Scotsman
One hundred Liberal Democrat candidates call on Clegg to oppose tuition fees - BBC
"Downing Street and Conservative ministers are demanding Liberal Democrat ministers back the plans to treble tuition fees in the Commons, but the idea is being opposed by the Lib Dem deputy leader, Simon Hughes. It is understood Hughes has been pressing for a collective abstention by Liberal Democrat MPs when they vote on the issue before Christmas." - Guardian
Melanie Phillips blasts David Cameron's Happiness Index
"Britain is groaning under monumental debts. Thousands of people are losing their jobs. Criminals are being let out of prison to continue attacking and burgling people. Immigration and the ‘human rights’ culture are out of control. Britain’s defences are now so ramshackle that it has mothballed the iconic HMS Ark Royal and is now having to share its aircraft carriers with the French. But don’t worry, everybody — the Prime Minister has his priorities straight. For he has now told us that he’s got a policy for manufacturing happiness and helping people deve lop ‘the good life’. HMS Ark Royal will be replaced, it seems, by General Wellbeing. Well, I’m sure we all feel a lot happier as a result." - Melanie Phillips in the Daily Mail
Liam Byrne defines squeezed middle as £16,000 to £50,000
"Labour... moved to define its principal target group, the "squeezed middle", by that saying such voters are people on an income of between £16,000 and £40,000-£50,000. The definition was given by Liam Byrne, charged with overseeing the party's policy process by Ed Miliband." - Guardian
Three Labour MPs defy Miliband on 50p tax
"Ed Miliband’s attempts to assert his authority over the Labour Party ran aground after three shadow ministers openly defied him on tax policy. Alan Johnson, the Shadow Chancellor, Douglas Alexander, the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, and Liam Byrne, the Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, suggested that they saw the 50 pence tax rate for the highest earners as a temporary measure." - Times (£)
- Alan Johnson has said his "priority" would be to cut taxes for low earners - BBC
Ed Miliband urged to disown MP who appeared to green light rioting
Left-winger John McDonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington and a member of the Socialist Campaign Group, told a rally in London: “We’re here to plan a programme of resistance. Inciting riots? Maybe.” - Express
Better Off Out?
"By leaving the European Union we could ditch the failed ideas of the 20th century and embrace the 21st with hope and confidence. We are a trading nation, ready to take our place in the competitive trading world. This should not faze us, it should enthuse us. We have the ingenuity, the people and, if we had our freedom, we would have success." - Nigel Farage MEP in The Express
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