ToryDiary: It's time to end the Tory war on multiculturalism (reprise) Columnist Bruce Anderson: There must be an easier way of appeasing Clegg's vanity than destroying the Upper House Also on Comment: Gary Streeter MP - Christians are disadvantaged when the rights of others trump theirs WATCH: Should the 50p rate go? Cameron growth plan snubbed as EU summit opens... "EU bureaucrats came under fire from the Prime Minister last night for failing to back British plans to boost European economic growth. An angry David Cameron said his proposals to solve Europe’s crippling debt crisis, backed by 11 countries including Sweden, Spain and the Netherlands, had been ignored. He had written to the European Council with plans to cut red tape, boosting the private sector and a timetable for action over the debt. But his ideas were snubbed in favour of rival proposals from France and Germany." - Daily Express > Yesterday: MPsETC - Conservative backbenchers slate Fiscal Union treaty and urge Greek exit from the €uro ...But he has put adoption reform at the front of the queue for the Queen's Speech "Changes to adoption rules will take a prominent place in the Queen’s Speech as the Government announces measures to cut the time children spend in council care. David Cameron has given the issue priority in a legislative agenda that will be unveiled on May 9 for a session of Parliament that will be dominated by House of Lords reform. Yesterday, ministers offered concessions on legal aid as they tried to clear the decks and prevent the current marathon session from over-running." - The Times (£) Cameron "probably" rode retired police horse loaned to Rebekah Brooks - Daily Express Salmond accused of leaking independence referendum date to Rupert Murdoch Argy-bargy 1) Argentina backtracks on Falklands flight ban - Financial Times (£) Argy-bargy 2) It is totally crazy for Britain to give aid to Argentina - Daily Express Theresa May considers judicial review over News of the World links to suspects in axe murder case "Theresa May could launch a judicial inquiry into the unsolved axe murder of a private investigator 25 years ago after claims that the News of the World ‘intimidated’ detectives overseeing the case. Five inquiries failed to find Daniel Morgan’s murderer after he was killed in a Sydenham pub car park in 1987 amid claims he was preparing to expose police corruption." - Daily Mail Expenses news 1) Labour MP Adrian Bailey claims £2.25 for "tea and cake"- Daily Mail Expenses news 2) Justine Greening claims 10p for bus fare (but it was on behalf of an intern) - The Sun An army of teenage volunteers "can mend our broken society" Defence news 1) Philip Hammond in Tashkent during visit to four central Asian states - The Independent Defence news 2) Navy aircraft carrier plans hit by further delays - Daily Telegraph Lansley: Attacks on the health bill are "partisan" "Andrew Lansley has blamed opposition to his NHS reforms on “politicisation” among the professional royal colleges and said that changes during its parliamentary passage had produced a “much better bill”. The health secretary indicated that the traditionally non-partisan royal colleges had been drawn into a “political operation” led by the Labour party, trade unions and the British Medical Association." - Financial Times (£) > Yesterday: WATCH - Andrew Lansley: NHS Bill is "better as a result of the Coalition coming together to shape it" Even the special lawyers concerned oppose secret courts - Daily Mail Whitehall is fighting back against elected Mayors, Heseltine claims That 50p tax rate campaign: Osborne is behind it, claim senior LibDems Osborne accused of egging on 50p rebels: He's 'whipping up' tax rate opponents say LibDems That 50p tax rate campaign: Osborne will ignore it, says the Financial Times "George Osborne is to defy calls for the removal of the 50p upper rate on income tax and will instead instigate a clampdown on wealthy homeowners in an attempt to demonstrate that the rich cannot avoid Britain’s austerity programme. The chancellor will target people who avoid paying stamp duty when buying a home and is considering a more extensive tax raid on wealthy owners of central London homes." - Financial Times (£) That 50p tax rate: Osborne should axe it, writes Fraser Nelson > Yesterday: Why reform of House of Lords is a botch "This proposal is a muddle. The mixture of appointed and elected representatives means that the source of its legitimacy – competence or election – would be confused. Furthermore, it would be a less competent revising chamber, since it would consist overwhelmingly of political placemen and placewomen, rather than those of exceptional eminence. Finally, its legitimacy would rival that of the House of Commons, making its right merely to slow legislation anomalous. Over time, the reformed house would surely claim an equal status to that of the House of Commons." - Martin Woolf, Financial Times (£) > Yesterday: Multiculturalism 1) If Conservatives cannot woo black and Asian voters, they may never win majorities again Multiculturalism 2) Stormy by-election expected in ethnically mixed Bradford West after Marsha Singh retirement announcement - The Times (£) Immigration news 1) Secret EU deal forces Britain to take in 12,000 Indian workers despite soaring unemployment - Daily Mail Immigration news 2) Vow to slash immigration will be derailed by a migration "bounce" - The Sun Peter Bone: Gay marriage is completely nuts - The Independent Eric Joyce accused of affair with intern schoolgirl, 17- Daily Express Andrew Breitbart, in memoriam - David Frum Is Samantha Cameron too thin? Panic at the Daily Mail And finally…Bicycling Monarchy: The Queen gives Boris a steer "The monarch maintained, however, his tradition of bons mots. Speaking to Boris Johnson, the Queen said: “At least I didn’t have to come down here today on one of your bikes.” Taken aback, the Mayor of London said of the bicycle sharing scheme: “Oh, gosh, don’t you like my bikes?” She replied: “Oh, yes, I think they’re lovely. In fact, I notice the bike racks are often empty.” - Daily Telegraph Comment: Local Government: Noon ConHomeUSA newslinks: Romney wins Wyoming, and eyes turn to close Ohio contest WATCH: David Cameron: We must look after and commemorate those who fall in the line of dutyLord Norton on Comment: How to reform the Lords - cap its numbers and make it more independent
"Alex Salmond’s links to Rupert Murdoch were under scrutiny yesterday when the First Minister was accused of being behind the leak of the independence referendum date to the media tycoon’s new Sunday newspaper. The day after Mr Salmond met with Mr Murdoch at the First Minister’s Bute House residence, his relationship with the News International boss was criticised at First Minister’s Questions." - Scotsman
"Children in Britain are increasingly failing to mix with those from different backgrounds, the Government has warned. Young people no longer socialise with peers from other social and ethnic groups, leading to a ‘fragmented’ society, Cabinet Office minister Nick Hurd said. His words come as the Government unveils ambitious plans for a national volunteering scheme which it hopes will restore traditional values among the younger generation." - Daily Mail
"A 'huge battle' is taking place between government ministers over how much extra power should be granted to directly elected mayors, Lord Heseltine has said. Heseltine, the chairman of the Regional Growth Fund and an informal adviser to David Cameron, indicated he was choosing his words with care and could not disclose too much, but said: "Central government is not enormously inclined to giving away power. There is a huge battle going on." - The Guardian
"Senior Liberal Democrats accused the Chancellor of ‘whipping up’ opposition to the 50p tax rate yesterday as business leaders warned it is causing ‘real economic damage’. The row erupted after George Osborne was accused of encouraging 500 businessmen to sign a letter calling for the abolition of the top rate. LibDems said there was no prospect of ditching the 50p rate unless the Tories replace it with a mansion tax." - Daily Mail"A Treasury study currently underway still has too little data to draw any proper conclusions, but anecdotal evidence is flooding in. London is full of leaving parties for people heading to Dubai or Asia. A recent survey of millionaires by Skandia, a financial consultancy, found that just over half say they may emigrate. Of those thinking of leaving, high tax was the biggest factor. For a Government that collects £14 billion in tax from 14,000 millionaires, this is something of a concern." - Fraser Nelson, Daily Telegraph
- Bagehot, The Economist (£)Nigel Evans MP says that high car insurance is forcing young people out of the jobs market - Daily Express
David Ruffley MP: The 50p tax rate is bad for Britain. Scrap it
Friday, 2 March 2012
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