Britannia Radio

Today's top ConservativeHome features ToryDiary: Who's likely to go up, down, out and sideways in September's reshuffle? Government now plan to proceed with Dilnot cap on £35,000 care bills MPsETC: EXCLUSIVE: Lord Ashcroft poll finds Labour has 15% lead in Corby by-election Lord Ashcroft on Comment: Corby will vote Labour but still respect Tory toughness and debt strategy Nick Herbert MP on Comment: Ignore the criticisms of Police and Crime Commissioners - we are giving the people a voice Columnist Andrew Lilico: We shouldn't underestimate the electoral appeal of the Coalition not having made Britain worse Local Government: Library closures are overwhelmingly taking place under Labour councils The Deep End: If the Government is just going to print money, why can’t we have some? Today's newslinks Stop 'pussyfooting' and build London a new airport, Johnson tells Cameron "Boris Johnson mounted a wounding attack on David Cameron yesterday, accusing the Prime Minister of "pussyfooting around" and calling him "totally mad" for delaying a decision on building a new airport to serve the South-East of England. The London Mayor... suggested that Chancellor George Osborne was "up for" big construction projects, but was being thwarted by Whitehall's "institutional capture" of Mr Cameron." - Ind ependent "Unable to deliver the supplyside revolution demanded by Conservative MPs and unwilling to pursue the Keynesian expansionism favoured by Labour, Cameron and George Osborne have nothing resembling a strategy for growth." - George Eaton for the New Statesman > Yesterday on ToryDiary: Boris urges the government to "stop pussyfooting around" on infrastructure and growth We aren't nearly angry enough about Labour's failure to invest in our railways (airports, roads, energy capacity...) Tim Montgomerie: Boris stands out in a Britain not blessed with popular politicians "Britain is not blessed with popular politicians. The bickering leaders seem to be doing their level best to bring the whole idea of coalition government into disrepute. Despite the coalition’s problems, Ed Miliband is struggling to make headway. If voters are falling out of love with David Cameron, they are not falling in love with the Labour leader. Boris stands out at a time when ordinary politicians seem to lack answers to Britain’s economic problems." - Tim Montgomerie for the Times (£) David Willetts: A-level results day - the majority of students who want a university place will get one "Young people should ignore the cynics and the grumblers. They have achieved a significant landmark in their lives. The overwhelming majority of those who want a university place will get one, even if they haven't achieved the grades they hoped for. Others will find there are alternative education and training opportunities, including on the expanded apprenticeship programme. This Thursday is a stepping stone to the rest of their lives." - David Willetts MP for the Guardian Minister wants universities to expand to meet growing demand from students – and shrink where demand falls - Guardian Universities use 'bribes' to woo students - Independent Tougher marking halts A-level grade inflation as this year's results are released - Daily Mail "Scotland’s Education Minister is under growing pressure to loosen “deplorable” admission rules" - Daily Telegraph Coalition rethink over Dilnot's £35,000 old age care cap "David Cameron has pledged to end the heartache of tens of thousands of elderly people who are forced to sell their homes to fund long-term care. He has told Nick Clegg and senior Tories that he will implement recommendations that cap the amount individuals pay at £35,000 – with the taxpayer picking up any further bills. Senior Coalition sources say the Prime Minister will find the £1.7billion annual costs of the plan in the next public spending review." - Daily Mail Finally, an attempt to end the care betrayal - Daily Mail editorial Theresa May blocks Chinese visa plans over organised crime fears "Theresa May has warned Downing Street that relaxing checks on Chinese visitors would pose a threat to national security and bring Chinese criminals and asylum seekers to Britain. Her intervention comes after senior cabinet ministers, led by Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary, raised concerns that tourists are being put off coming to Britain by a difficult and expensive visa system." -Daily Telegraph Sue Cameron: Unhappy civil servants are feeling undermined by ministers’ drive for more political control "Francis Maude, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, has undermined them further. He wants ministers to have more say in the appointment of our traditionally impartial civil servants. He is also inviting outside bodies, like think tanks, to bid for the chance to advise ministers on how far our Civil Service can become more like those in New Zealand or America – countries which give politicians more power over Civil Service a ppointments. It is a massive vote of no confidence in Whitehall." Sue Cameron for the Daily Telegraph Lib Dems starting to question deficit reduction plan? "George Osborne is under mounting pressure to change course on his economic strategy and borrow more to pay for a short-term stimulus to take the UK out of recession. Liberal Democrats have, for the first time, begun to break ranks with the chancellor, calling for him to loosen his deficit reduction targets and fund immediate building and infrastructure projects. The Lib Dem calls threaten to undermine the main thread holding the coalition together as it is pulled apart on other policy areas, such as Lords reform and changing constituency boundaries." - < a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f602202e-e6c6-11e1-af33-00144feab49a.html#axzz23gpXb27M" target="_blank">FT (£) Banking reform debate hots up as party conference season approaches - Guardian Nanny state Lib Dems 1: Tax fizzy drinks to combat childhood obesity, suggest Lib Dems "Fizzy drinks could be taxed to help tackle the “obesity timebomb” among children, according to the Liberal Democrats. The plans to levy charges on drinks like Coke, Pepsi and others will be debated at the party’s annual conference and could become Government policy, party officials said." - Daily Telegraph Nanny state Lib Dems 2: Liberal Democrats call for 20mph speed limit in residential areas "Motoring groups have reacted with anger after Liberal Democrats put forward plans to cut speed limits from 30mph to 20mph in residential areas. The plan, which will be voted on at next month's Liberal Democrat conference, is designed to cut the number of deaths on the roads, amid suggestions that fatalities could fall by as much as 70 per cent." - Daily Telegraph Liberal Democrats propose major housebuilding programme -Guardian Ministers have name-dropped Google more than any other company- The Times (£) Labour to challenge Michael Gove's school playing fields rule change -Guardian Labour policy chief admits ‘my ideas won’t win votes’ - The Times (£) MPs to grill NHS watchdog over whistleblower's story - Independent Britain threatens to "storm" Ecuador's embassy if Julian Assange is granted asylum - Guardian "The question of how the WikiLeaks man gets to the airport and aboard a flight to South America is, we are told, “uncharted legal territory”. All right. Let’s chart it. The moment Mr Assange puts a Hush Puppy on the pavement of Hans Crescent he should feel a Metropolitan Police hand on his collar." - David Aaronovitch for the Times (£) Highlights from yesterday ToryDiary: Boris urges the government to "stop pussyfooting around" on infrastructure and growth More signs that we're now getting British workers for British jobs We aren't nearly angry enough about Labour's failure to invest in our railways (airports, roads, energy capacity...) David Cameron should reject a "devo-max" option in the Scottish referendum, and demand a simple in/out question More encouraging jobs news — as employment pushes back to its 2008 peak Columnist Andrew Lilico: That New Statesman exclusive - have the economists really turned on Osborne's strategy... or not? Dan Watkins on Comment: Today's employment figures show we are creating jobs for those struggling at the margins of the economy Local Government: Laura Trott WILL have her street party Jolly Fisherman of Skegness statue - are Network Rail to blame for the health and safety absurdity? WATCH: Iain Duncan Smith: The private sector is, "against the odds", and despite the recession, "still creating work"