ConservativeHome: Sunday 18th May 2008

10.15pm ToryDiary: Nick Clegg ready to back minority Tory government from day one

8.30pm ToryDiary: Embryology Bill is wrong to devalue fatherhood

1.30pm CentreRight selections:

11am Seats and candidates: A day trip to Crewe (updated throughout the day)

ToryDiary: Triple whammy poll blow for Brown

Seats and candidates: Some Labour literature from Crewe focusing on the 10p tax issue

Matt Sinclair on Platform reflects on One Year at The TaxPayers' Alliance. He notes how beneficiaries of state handouts are more grateful than the taxpayers who are hurt by incremental increases in spending... unless taxpayers become more organised.

Two videos from PlayPolitical's Goofs and gaffes selection: Ann Widdecombe giggles as Telegraph TV's Guy Ruddle struggles to pronounce Daniel Finkelstein and A younger Bill O'Reilly 'loses it'

Iain Martin previews a Cameron-Osborne speech on delivering better value for money for the taxpayer - Sunday Telegraph

"Mr Cameron has a big speech tomorrow on controlling public spending and cutting waste. He needs to convince voters that he can improve public services through better use of taxpayers’ money while projecting a vision of smaller government and lower taxes. It is the only route to longer-term prosperity for Britain." - Sunday Times leader

Boris in the news

Boris in blitz on City Hall junkets to raise money for fight against crime - Mail on Sunday

Boris writes for the News of the World about fighting knife and other street crimes.

MEPs fly to holiday paradises at our expense - News of the World

Andrew Rawnsley is latest to attack Labour's Crewe campaign

"The Labour campaign is worse. It is, in fact, a disgrace. What was once regarded as the cleverest electioneering operation in the democratic world has descended into a crude parody of the silliest and nastiest aspects of political campaigning. Labour activists dressed in toppers and tails stalk the Tory candidate to attack him as a 'toff' because his family built up a successful chain of shoe repairers. It's not Edward Timpson who is made to look like the nob by these puerile games." - Observer

"The astonishing manner in which Labour is conducting its campaign is entirely consistent with the way in which Mr Brown sees the national struggle with Mr Cameron and what he calls the “public school bullies”. The PM insists that the general election will not be a referendum on the Government but a choice between two competing parties and what they stand for. Well, in Crewe, we are being given a dispiriting taste of how the governing party intends to attack the Tories." - Matthew d'Ancona in The Sunday Telegraph

Could any leader withstand the press in full herd-like pursuit? - John Rentoul in the Independent on Sunday

Labour had planned early Scottish vote on independence

"Wendy Alexander's demand for an early referendum on Scottish independence two weeks ago holed a secret plan being drafted by UK Labour chiefs to trigger a vote on the matter as early as this winter, Scotland on Sunday can reveal."

Animal-human hybrids are morally right says Brown

"Gordon Brown today mounts a passionate and personal defence of scientific research using animal-human hybrid embryos as an 'inherently moral endeavour' that could save millions of lives." - Observer

Anti-abortionists hijacked embryology Bill, says Dawn Primarolo - Sunday Telegraph

"Seven government ministers, including Ruth Kelly, the transport secretary, and Des Browne, the defence secretary — both Roman Catholics — are expected to join about 200 MPs backing a lower time limit on abortions for non-medical reasons." - Sunday Times

Thousands of British women have had four or more abortions, including dozens who have undergone six by the age of 30 - Sunday Telegraph

Dominic Lawson interviews Frank Field - Independent on Sunday

Oona King set for £70,000 job at 10 Downing Street - Mail on Sunday

Nick Clegg arrives in Afghanistan to warn of consequences of failure - Sky

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