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80% OF LABOURLIST READERS THINK MILIBAND'S PERFORMANCE IN 2011 WAS VERY POOR, POOR OR AVERAGE

Full results at LabourList.

STEPHEN LAWRENCE'S MURDER: GUILTY AT LAST

David Cameron's reaction: "In the nineteen years since his murder, Stephen Lawrence's family has fought tirelessly for justice. Today's verdict cannot ease the pain of losing a son. But, for Doreen and Neville Lawrence, I hope that it brings at least some comfort after their years of struggle."
Gary Dobson and David Norris convicted of murder of Stephen Lawrence in a landmark conviction after 18 years - Daily Mail
The Daily Mail claims victory for its long campaign and Labour's Tom Watson acknowledges it.
Metro's timeline of events.
Stephen Lawrence verdicts must establish new standards for all hate crimes - Herman Ouseley for The Guardian

GUN LAWS

Government has no plans to tighten gun laws following Horden shootings - Guardian
"David Cameron’s official spokesman says that the Government had no plans to revisit UK gun laws which were “amongst the toughest in the world” despite the quadruple shooting in Co Durham." - Times (£)
The Guardian datablog on gun ownership in your area.

LABOUR PROMISES TO GET TOUGH ON WELFARE

Liam Byrne's article is replete with generalities but short on specifics - George Eaton at the New Statesman
"The coalition's overall welfare agenda (some of it inherited from Labour, although you wouldn't guess by listening to Ed Miliband) has proven so popular that Byrne can merely cede to it rather than attack it." - Pete Hoskin at Coffee House
Brendan O'Neill at The Telegraph urges Liam Byrne to focus on the moral, community-crushing impact of welfare, not its fiscal costs.
Iain Duncan Smith: Labour finally admits it lost control of welfare spending

RENEWABLES POLICY

Climate Minister Greg Barker confirms appeal against high court ruling on halving of solar power subsidy - Guardian
Blair did NOT agree to green energy target ‘by mistake’ - John Rentoul performs his tireless-defend-Blair role at The Independent

FREE SCHOOLS

James O'Shaughnessy, the PM's former policy advisor, returns to Policy Exchange to continue work on free schools - Guido Fawkes
Tony Blair's former speechwriter, Peter Hyman, is about to recruit staff for his new free school - Guardian

THE BATTLE FOR LONDON

Fares become issue ahead of London Mayoral election - Evening Standard
"The Government says it is focused on growth: it must seriously consider the impact of transport costs on London's competitiveness. If people are deterred from coming here to work and invest, that is a cost to the whole economy. The sole comfort is that the increases could have been worse." - Evening Standard leader
"The decision by Livingstone to try to frame the contest as a kind of referendum on the general state of the economy reflects a realisation that a re-run of the personality-based prize fight of 2008 would almost certainly yield the same result." - Rafael Behr at the New Statesman
Earlier today Tim Montgomerie worried about complacency among Tory activists.

EUROPE

Cameron's veto was December's second biggest story (after the €uro crisis) - CorpComms
Wetherspoon introduces 'Veto Ale' to celebrate Cameron's patriotic act - ToryDiary

TODAY'S OPINIONATED BLOGS

John Redwood sets out his economic growth agenda: "Cut tax rates on earning and making profits, reward savers better, fix the banks, and get many more of the costly but less desirable regulations out of the way."
Richard Morris asks why Lib Dems are still down in the polls: "It is lack of trust. Betrayal. An inability to keep a promise. It is still tuition fees" - New Statesman
Pete Hoskin wonders if Lib Dems might seek an opportunity to cosy up to Labour in the talks on long term care - Coffee House
Despite the billions spent on aid, there is no proof that it leads to economic growth - Ruth Porter for The Telegraph

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