Sunday 19th November 2006

1pm Seats and candidates update: Anne McIntosh adopted for Thirsk & Malton

BLOGS

ToryDiary: Brown will keep the pound and George Osborne wants to put the waiting back into wanting

'A farmer' on YourPlatform: Margaret Beckett's contribution to the countryside

TORIES WANT 80% ELECTED PEERS

"Labour has failed to win support for a smaller, partly-elected House of Lords, with the Conservatives preparing to block the Government's blueprint for reform.  Jack Straw, the Commons Leader, wants half of all peers to be elected. However, the Conservatives will insist on 80% elected members, to be called senators and to represent each major city." - Sunday Telegraph

GORDON BROWN IS FROM MARS - DAVID CAMERON IS FROM VENUS

In a penetrating article for The Observer, Andrew Rawnsley writes: "Who attracts the public will depend on whether voters like the idea of being ruled by a 'big clunking fist' or are repelled by it."

"During the Queen’s speech debate, Tony Blair mocked Cameron for being soft on crime and terror: “Hope’s not built on talking about ‘sunshine’”, he said, “any more than anti-social behaviour is combated by, quotes, ‘love’”. But talking about love and sunshine is exactly what the Cameron Tories want to be accused of.  They are fed up being the “nasty party”. David Cameron’s mission has been to moderate the Tory image, to make them seem like a party that cares as well as condemns; that is capable of understanding as well as meting out punishment. Labour is helping them make this essential change." - Iain Macwhirter on pugilism in politics, writing in The Sunday Herald

THE POLITICISATION OF TERROR

"Politicians rarely fail to disappoint. As the British public absorbs ever more compelling evidence of the deadly danger posed by Islamic terror groups in this country, we might hope that government and opposition would come together to shape the best policies to secure our protection. On the contrary, the terror issue has become entirely partisan." - Michael Portillo in The Sunday Times

Tory homeland security spokesman Patrick Mercer MP - writing in The Sunday Telegraph - outlines how the Government is failing Britain.

FRANCIS MAUDE'S TROUBLED JUBILEE TRUST

"Jubilee Investment Trust - which catapulted Maude, a director, into the tabloids after it was revealed it had invested in a porn star's DVD empire - is now set to wind up following almost four years of marked underperformance that has see it lose three quarters of its original capital." - CityWire

NEW SCOTTISH OPINION POLL

"Figures show Labour on 38% of first vote intentions, eight ahead of the SNP, with the LibDems on 14% and the Tories on 12%. The Greens and the SSP were both found to be on 3%." - Sunday Herald

THE BLAIR YEARS

"The raft of legislation outlined in the Queen's Speech marked the final milestone of the New Labour leader. But it is an era that ends as it started – mired in confusion and contradiction." - Matthew d'Ancona in The Sunday Telegraph

CHERIE IS AT IT AGAIN

"Cherie Blair was last night accused of cashing in on her husband's departure from No 10 with a final lucrative overseas lecture tour. The Prime Minister's wife has been marketed in the US and Canada as the "First Lady of Great Britain" for a list of engagements in June next year.  The tour, which coincides with what is expected to be Mr Blair's last full month in No 10, will net around £100,000 for the barrister and part-time judge. MPs last night condemned Cherie Blair for what they said amounted to a last-ditch attempt to trade on her husband's position." - Independent on Sunday

REID-BROWN PRISONS SPLIT

"A letter leaked to the Sunday Times suggests the Treasury is blocking Mr Reid's efforts because it is concerned about extra cost.  The letter suggests the Treasury is worried about the burden and cost of extra prison places.  Instead it is suggesting more use of electronic tagging and bail." - BBC

AND FINALLY...

Just noticed the above graph on Ed Vaizey's blog.

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