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Monday 27th July 2009Britain's leading conservative blog Today's top ConservativeHome features ToryDiary: If Cameron does not change course his government will face opposition on TWO fronts Shoestring manifesto (1): Let us transform appreciation of Britain and its history Theresa May MP on Platform: Norwich North proves that people don't listen to parties they consider to be nasty, and reward those who remain positive and honest Local government: Livingstone's pernicious "equality" agenda is still in place at City Hall Seats and candidates: Diary of a PPC: Hornsey and Wood Green's Richard Merrin begins working with Haringey's first Conservative councillor for seven years WATCH: Sarah Palin formally steps down as Alaska's Governor Highlights from the weekend Tim Montgomerie on CentreRight: No mention of God during Salisbury Cathedral tour WATCH: Cameron tells Andrew Marr that ministers and politicians must personally share the pain of cutting the size of government LISTEN: Peter Hitchens receives rapturous applause for defending grammar schools on Radio 4's Any Questions? Seats and candidates: Two Tory MPs say women are less interested in dirty tricks and backstabbing but "dull men" are preferred by party leaders International on the bizarre poster campaign of the Conservative Party's Czech allies: Vote for the beach party? Today's other newslinks Richer voters face triple whammy from Conservatives "With total public borrowing set to reach £1 trillion, the Tories would cut tax credits for households earning more than £50,000 and bring in road tolls on newly-built roads, he said. Scrapping the 50p tax rate for high earners, proposed by Labour, would not be a priority, and it would be several years before the party could consider cutting inheritance tax, Cameron said." - City AM No Tory tax cuts until 2015 - The Sun Getting clarity from Cameron is like "pulling teeth" - Lord Salisbury talking to Ben Brogan in The Daily Telegraph David Davis attacks Tory suggestion that Google could handle NHS patients' data  "Google is the last company I would trust with data belonging to me. In the words of human rights watchdog Privacy International, Google has “a history of ignoring privacy concerns. Every corporate announcement has some new practice involving surveillance”. It gave Google the lowest possible assessment rating: “hostile to privacy”. It was the only company of the 20 assessed to get this rating." - David Davis in The Times > David Davis appears to be flexing his muscles again: Yesterday he questioned Tory policy on the NHS and international development.  A month ago he attacked David Cameron on grammar schools.  Previously he questioned the policy to upgrade Trident. Cameron and Osborne to merge Downing Street offices "The Conservative leader and Shadow Chancellor are expected to operate from adjoining offices in No 10 and No 11 Downing Street and both would work closely with a Cabinet Secretary with enhanced powers, The Times has learnt. Closer relations with the Treasury and Downing Street would be encouraged in an attempt to avoid the damaging stand-off that occurred between Gordon Brown and Tony Blair during Labour’s first two terms." - Times Institute of Government says Number 10, the Treasury and the Cabinet Office need stronger powers over Whitehall - FT > ConservativeHome broke this story at the end of last month. How the Tories fell in love with Holby City Woman - Daily Mail | Yesterday's ToryDiary Channel 4 chooses stand up comic to play David Cameron and his Bullingdon Club days - Independent > Last week's ToryDiary: Channel 4 plans autumn docu-drama on David Cameron's Bullingdon Club days Conservative MEPs' Polish leader defends himself against renewed attacks "Michal Kaminski, the Polish leader of the Conservatives' new bloc in the European Parliament, has insisted he is a "lifetime" friend of the Jewish community after he was accused of trying to block an apology for a wartime massacre." - Telegraph Like the Pharaohs, we’re getting buried by our own possessions - Boris Johnson in The Daily Telegraph If I were a sitting MP, I'd be scared - Michael Brown in The Independent argues that anti-incumbency sentiment is still strong David Cameron chooses to holiday in France and Greece "Cameron told his shadow team to take a break and recharge their batteries, ready for the election fray. After his trip to Brittany – the French equivalent of Cornwall where the Camerons went last year – he and his family will return to their constituency home in Witney Oxfordshire. But he plans a second foreign break, this time to Greece, at the end of August." - Guardian Alistair Darling "extremely concerned" that banks may be charging firms too much for loans - BBC MPs call for radical overhaul of rail franchises - Guardian