Teatime newslinks for Wednesday 7th December 2011

BORIS JOHNSON & OWEN PATERSON CALL FOR A REFERENDUM ON EUROPE

• Cameron's referendum double whammy: 1. Paterson lines up with IDS on Europe as senior backbenchers press Cameron at PMQs 2.Whack! Now Boris piles more referendum pressure on Cameron
• Top Tories break ranks with Cameron on €uro vote - Times (£)
• Northern Ireland Secretary, Owen Paterson tells Cameron that a referendum on the relationship with the EU is "inevitable" - Telegraph I Guardian
• Owen Paterson tells James Forsyth: “If there was a major fundamental change in our relationship, emerging from the creation of a new bloc which would be effectively a new country from which we were excluded, then I think inevitably there would be huge pressure for a referendum.” - Spectator
• Boris piles the pressure on Cameron as he calls for EU treaty changes - Daily Mail

Teatime newslinks for Tuesday 6th December 2011

BELL POTTINGER LOBBYING CONTROVERSY

• Bell Pottinger boss, Lord Bell, defends Cameron in lobbying row - Guardian
• Cameron forced to deny lobbying firm has influence on Government policy after executives are filmed boasting of access to PM - Daily Mail
• David Blackburn: "The spate of recent scandals affecting all parties confirms that lobbying, and the money that funds it, is dominant in day-to-day politics ... the monied lobbyists’ ascent has come at the expense of skint activists — that speaks of a dysfunctional system" - Spectator
• Kiran Stacey: 'Tim Collins lands another Tory government in it' - FT
• Caroline Crampton: New revelations have reignited the debate about the need for a statutory register of lobbyists - Total Politics
• Labour MP Jon Cryer will call for a lobbyist register - BBC

Teatime newslinks for Monday 5th December 2011

EUROZONE CRISIS

• France and Germany agree on a set of reforms to restore confidence in the €uro, putting Cameron on the spot - Times (£) I Independent
• France and Germany call for a "tougher treaty" - BBC
• Live blogs from the Guardian, Telegraph and the Times (£)
• James Kirkup: "In essence, the Merkozy message to Mr Cameron is this: whether you're with us or not, we're doing this" - Telegraph
• Tim Shipman: "Both Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy would like a new European treaty, agreed at the level of the 27. That means all countries in the EU. That means Britain will have a say.  Which means David Cameron has to make a decision that will define his premiership" - Daily Mail
• Ambrose Evans-Pritchard: 'Zilch again from Merkozy' - Telegraph
• David Blackburn: "The problem for Cameron is that some of his backbenchers say there should be a referendum. Bernard Jenkin was on the Daily Politics earlier, insisting that fiscal integration marks a new era in the history of the Eurozone, which he dubbed ‘Maastricht Plus" - Spectator
• James Kirkup: "Downing Street has now rejected the Iain Duncan Smith interpretation of David Cameron's obligations on a referendum under the European Union Act. The message from No 10: fiscal union in the eurozone does not need the approval of British voters. This seems unlikely to please Conservatives" - Telegraph
• Nick Wood: 'The eurozone crisis is having a 'chilling' effect on the UK economy - and on Cameron's hopes of re-election' - Daily Mail
• Andrew Lilico: 'Open Europe: How to safeguard the UK financial sector in a changing EU' - Telegraph

BOOSTING THE MEDICAL RESEARCH INDUSTRY

• NHS data could be shared with private companies, says Cameron - Huffington Post
• Cameron announces support for UK life sciences - RealBusiness
• Patients to be monitored in the home by remote control - Telegraph
• Willets: It's time to join up the research lab and the NHS ward - ToryDiary
• David Blackburn: "Britain’s future prosperity, we are frequently told, lies in scientific discovery, so it's odd that David Cameron has not given a major speech on it as prime minister until now" - Spectator
• Nick Pickles: 'The Government's NHS proposals do little to address privacy concerns' - Platform

OLYMPICS

• The cost for security at the Olympics has risen to £553 million due to the uncertain international situation. There will be 23,700 security staff, instead of the 10,000 planned - Daily Mail
• The budget for the Olympic ceremonies is to double to over £80 million - Telegraph

OTHER TORY & POLITICAL NEWS 

• As Dominic Raab is about to debate the extradition process, David Blackburn suggests that "Raab proves that new backbenchers need not just be silent ‘yes men’ waiting for promotion" - Spectator
• James Slack: 'Extradition debate is Cameron's chance to restore faith in our battered politics' - Daily Mail
• Neil O'Brien: 'How the Guardian destroyed the left's excuses for the riots' - Telegraph
• Ken Livingstone vows to cut London transport fares by 7% if elected mayor - Guardian
• Brian Paddick criticises Met's use of stop and search - Guardian
• Hague says Afghanistan has a "bright future" with or without the Taliban at the discussion table - ToryDiary
• Dan Hodges: 'Iran: Why we need a Start the War coalition' - Telegraph
• Peter McKay: 'The West is turning Iran into the new Iraq' - Daily Mail
• Cameron looks like he has a new best friend, as plasterer Dean Wallis just wraps his arm round him - Daily Mail
• Caption competition: What is Cameron saying? - Guardian

Teatime newslinks for Friday 2nd December 2011

CAMERON AND SARKOZY HOLD TALKS

• "The Paris talks came ahead of a crucial meeting of European leaders next week about the future shape of the EU. Mr Sarkozy has said a new treaty is needed to impose financial discipline on countries using the single currency." - BBC
• "Cameron joined Sarkozy for a working lunch at the Elysee Palace for around an hour before heading back to London. Afterwards he appeared resigned to the idea that EU treaties would have to change." - AFP
• Cameron interviewed by the BBC after his meeting with the French President said: "When you look at the crisis in the eurozone, the real need there is for the institutions of the eurozone to get behind the currency ... The second fundamental thing is real competitiveness throughout the eurozone... Neither of those things actually require treaty change but I am very clear if there is treaty change I will make sure that we further protect and enhance Britain’s interests. So we will see what happens next Friday but I am actually convinced that the bottom line for me is always what is in the interests of the UK and how can I promote and defend that." - PolHome (£)
• "David Cameron has forsaken the grand repatriation of powers, having concluded that this is not the moment for confrontation... he plans to ‘salami-slice’ concessions from the EU on the Working Time Directive and to protect the financial independence of the City. Above all, he plans to ensure that Britain is not affected by the Eurozone’s fiscal union — a point he made forcefully at the talks today." - The Spectator's David Blackburn