Cameron prepares for the biggest parliamentary rebellion since taking office over EU referendum vote
"David Cameron is bracing himself for the biggest rebellion since he took office, with possible frontbench resignations, when Tory MPs defy No 10 to vote in favour of a referendum on Britain's EU membership on Monday. As ministers and their aides lined up to tell the chief whip, Patrick McLoughlin, that Downing Street had badly mishandled the debate, No 10 sources indicated that Cameron has abandoned attempts to agree a compromise. Downing Street threw in the towel when George Eustice, the prime minister's former spokesman who was being lined up by the government to table a "helpful" amendment, de fied his former boss." - Guardian
- Norman Tebbit: Europe has broken leaders before - will Cameron share their fate? - Telegraph
- James Forsyth: Cameron unmoved by the Eustice amendment - Spectator
- Quentin Letts: Heavy whipping of MPs is as undesirable as it is of racehorses - Daily Mail
- Express Comment: We must have our say on the European Union - Express
- Sean Dilley: Cameron's self inflicted EU headache - Huffington Post
- George Kerevan: Cameron should allow vote on EU membership - Scotsman
- Daniel Hannan MEP unearths a petition launched by the Lib Dems for a referendum on EU membership from their website - Telegraph
Debate brought forward to Monday so Cameron and Hague can attend to "help persuade wavering MPs to back the Government" - Daily Mail
Several junior ministers threaten to quit over Cameron's attempts to stop MPs voting for EU referendum
"Stewart Jackson, an aide to Owen Paterson, the Northern Ireland Secretary, said yesterday that he was prepared to quit and back a referendum on Monday. Tory sources said four more parliamentary private secretaries were considering following him into the rebel camp. A Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) acts as an unpaid aide to a minister. Downing Street has made clear that every PPS will be expected to vote with the Conservatives on Monday and any who refuse will be sacked. In an effort to prevent more resignations, Mr Cameron is expected to hold a private meeting with PPSs before the vote, urgin g them to stay loyal.” - Telegraph
The risks Cameron took on Libya paid off, says Andrew Grice
"The critics he calls "the armchair generals" were sceptical about securing a UN resolution to allow intervention; they doubted a no-fly zone would topple the dictator and feared being sucked into an Iraq-style civil war. Working closely with France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, Mr Cameron proved the doubters wrong. Although the two leaders occasionally deployed sharp elbows against each other to ensure their spot in the limelight, the Anglo-French relationship has been strengthened. Closer defence links are quietly being forged. By calling Libya right, Mr Cameron invites a neat contrast with Tony Blair. The former Prime Min ister defends his decision to bring Colonel Gaddafi in from the cold and ensure he did not use weapons of mass destruction. But Blair allies admit they did not push him towards democracy and human rights." - Independent
- Peter Oborne: 'With Gaddafi gone, who will run the new Libya?' - Telegraph
- Max Hastings: 'A tyrant falls, but I fear what will come next' - Daily Mail
- Tom Peterkin: 'Cameron has to hope his foreign policy triumph doesn't turn into another Iraq' - Scotsman
Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski says Gaddafi's death was a matter of "great regret" as the secrets of his relationship with Tony Blair cannot be revealed
"Daniel Kawczynski, chairman of the all-party parliamentary Libya group, said the dictator’s death was a matter of “great regret” because it would make it harder to establish the facts about his regime. He said: “Now we are not going to find out the things that we need to know. We are not going to find the secrets he kept about his relations with Britain and Tony Blair.” - Telegraph
Tensions over the Government's growth strategy are building, frustrating Vince Cable
"Vince Cable, business secretary, believes that some other ministers have failed to grasp the gravity of the situation facing British companies and that they have not prioritised the need to cut red tape across the board. Mr Cable’s frustration is also shared by Downing St and by George Osborne, chancellor, who co-chairs the ministerial committee drawing up the government’s growth agenda ahead of the November 29 statement.” - FT (£)
- Clamour for drivers to be given a reprieve on petrol duty rises - The Times (£)
Theresa May as PM? Anushka Asthana puts forward her all female Cabinet - "there are enough candidates in the coalition to do all the jobs"
"If the rate at which women were rising in the political ranks were a genuine reflection of their talent, there would be far more than the measly five currently sitting at David Cameron’s top table. Don’t believe me? Think I’m saying that just because I want it to be true? Let me introduce you to a game we Westminster folk have started to play after hours. It’s called female fantasy Cabinet. My own choice of players combines the wisdom of colleagues such as Tim Montgomerie, of ConservativeHome, Matthew Parris and Ann Treneman. Let me begin by introducing you to the Prime Minister, Theres a May. In recognition of her gaffe-free first year, I’m appointing her Prime Minister in my fantasy female Cabinet" - Times (£)
Theresa May and Ken Clarke, sitting next to one another, row at PMQs over knife crime - Sun
Clarke warned that his plan for 'secret justice' will face rebellion in the House of Lords - Independent
Downing Street pressed to give more details of donors in Liam Fox report
"Downing Street faces growing pressure to definitively identify a company named in the report by the cabinet secretary, Gus O'Donnell, into Liam Fox's links with his best man, Adam Werritty. The former cabinet minister Peter Hain demanded that ministers clarify who is behind the company, IRG Ltd. The report's publication on Tuesday was intended to draw a line under the furore around Fox's links with Werritty, which led to Fox resigning as defence secretary. But the report, which named the six companies and individuals that funded Werritty's Pargav "slush fund", has raised more unanswered questions" - Guardian
A law to allow hereditary peerages to pass to women is ruled out by ministers - Telegraph
Cameron attacks the Welsh Government for damaging schools and under funding the NHS - Wales Online
Alex Salmond wants a referendum on Scottish independence to consider three options; independence, the status quo, and 'independence lite' - Independent
Martin Kettle: 'Salmond's opponents are now forced to reinvent themselves' after his bold move on devolution - Guardian
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