Sunday 25th February 2007

Early evening ToryDiary update: Tories must be positive about 'Son of Star Wars'

Lunchtime ToryDiary update: Portillo is wrong about faith and politics

10.30am ToryDiary update: Social justice depends upon supporting fatherhood and marriage

BLOGS

ToryDiary: "Deer stalker Dave can fell two stags with one shot" and "Hi, Margaret? Hi, it's Gordon"

SWIRE PINS OLYMPIC COSTS ON BROWN

"Gordon Brown should be forced to make a Commons statement explaining the "gross incompetence" which has sent the London Olympics budget soaring, the Tories are demanding.  The cost of staging the games could rise to nearly four times the figure set out in the original bid.  Hugo Swire, the shadow culture secretary, also called on the Government to "open up the books" and allow his party to participate in a bipartisan approach in running the Olympics from now on.  The call came after it emerged yesterday that the cost of staging the 2012 Games could rise to nearly four times the figure set out in the original bid." - The Sunday Telegraph

COUPLING BROWN WITH BLAIR

"The great question that looms over Labour like a toxic cloud is one I heard posed by a close ally of Mr Blair last week: "Is this just the end of the Blair era, or the end of the Blair-Brown era?" Together as MPs for 23 years, the duumvirate at Labour's helm for 13, angry co-pilots of the nation for 10, they have defined a political generation. Is Mr Brown so closely spliced to the PM in the eyes of the public that, for reasons beyond his control, his time is passing, too? We shall soon find out how rusty the Iron Chancellor truly is." - Matthew d'Ancona in The Sunday Telegraph

TORIES NOT COMPLACENT ABOUT LEAD OVER BROWN

"The Tories are not yet cracking open the champagne over their poll lead, and they are taking the Brown succession very seriously indeed. Mr Cameron has set up a small group of trusted figures who meet regularly to plan tactics. One senior source said: "We are not in any way complacent about Gordon Brown coming in. We are under no illusions and believe he will be a changing force in politics. We are certainly not assuming he will be a disaster." - Sunday Telegraph

THE CARING GORDON BROWN? HARDLY

"As readers will remember from this column last week, £30 million is the amount Gordon Brown has given to local councils to train officers to issue fines for smoking in bars and restaurants. There are around six million people who are involved in caring for relatives at home. The £33 million he promises therefore amounts to giving each of them £5.50. Better than nothing, of course, but hardly sufficient to transform their lives." - Alasdair Palmer in The Sunday Telegraph

"David Cameron is considering plans for a voucher system to give financial aid directly to the parents of disabled children." - The Sunday Telegraph

JOHN REDWOOD SUGGESTS SOME WAYS OF MAKING TRAINS SAFER.

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH REPORTS ON MARK CLARKE'S BATTLE TO WIN TOOTING FOR THE TORIES.

ZAC GOLDSMITH GETS A STALKER - Mail on Sunday

THE SUNDAY TIMES' ATTICUS COLUMN REPORTS LABOUR MPS' FURY AT THATCHER STATUE

JILL KIRBY OVERVIEWS LABOUR'S FAILURE ON PENSIONS - The Sunday Times

UKIP'S WOES MOUNT - The Sunday Times claims UKIP MEP may have embezzled £40,000

LIBDEM MP NORMAN BAKER SAYS DAVID KELLY'S DEATH WAS NOT SUICIDE - BBC

MICHAEL FOOT'S 1970S LOVER - Independent on Sunday

Please use this post to highlight other interesting news and commentary...