Tuesday 20th March 2007

8.45pm ToryDiary update: Not such a free vote after all

8.15pm BritainAndAmerica update: 'Wilberforce Conservatism'

3.45pm BritainAndAmerica update: London isn't Britain

3pm ToryDiary update: An open letter to David Cameron on MEP selection

David Cameron post on webcameron on nappies and tomorrow's Budget: "Responding to the budget – which happens tomorrow - is without doubt the worst thing I have to do all year. You get a few pages of the so-called Red Book an hour or so in advance – and even that has some thick black lines through it. The rest is guess work, judgement and trying to be quick on your feet…. I’ll spend some of today doing preparation, but I would give a lot for an accurate budget leak…"

11.45am ToryDiary update: Tory family policy must communicate compassion for lone parents

"A movie about former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the run-up to the 1982 Falklands War is being planned.  Pathe and BBC Films are developing a script for a drama-documentary about the tense political period before the conflict between the UK and Argentina.' - BBC

BLOGS

ToryDiary: Where is the 'Stop Brown' blog campaign?

LIAM FOX PLANS PRIORITY MEDICAL CARE FOR SERVICEMEN AND FAMILIES

"Troops will be given priority on National Health Service waiting lists under Tory plans to woo the armed forces vote, The Times has learnt.  The pledge is likely to form the centrepiece of a “military manifesto”, published separately from the Tories’ main manifesto, to exploit high levels of disaffection among service families... Under the Conservatives’ plans, servicemen and women could automatically go to the front of NHS waiting lists to keep them fit for duty. One radical option being examined is to extend this for the rest of their lives in recognition of their service to their country." - Times

CHURCH PROTEST AT LACK OF SCRUTINY OF GAY RIGHTS LAWS

"Britain's most senior Roman Catholic accused Tony Blair of an 'abuse of Parliamentary democracy' last night by refusing MPs a debate on controversial gay rights laws... More than 20 Tory MPs, including former leader Iain Duncan Smith and Shadow Attorney General Dominic Grieve, turned up at a committee which rubber-stamped the rules last week to try to debate the issue, but were repeatedlyblocked by Meg Munn, the Minister responsible for the regulations." - Daily Mail

According to The Independent, the Government faces defeat in the Lords for attempting to rubber stamp these regulations.

POLLY TOYNBEE ATTACKS TORY COUNCILS AS REAL FACE OF PARTY

"Now that Tories run so many councils, with more to come after May, we can see the colour of their spots by what they do in office. Are they putting into action those softer, gentler words their leader speaks? Are they spreading wellbeing, social justice, green activism, concern for the disabled, the old and the poor in their localities? No, is the short answer. Cutting council tax comes top, and that means cutting services." - Guardian  

BROWN ISN'T GREEN SAYS COMMONS COMMITTEE

"Environmental groups have accused Gordon Brown of failing to be bold in his approach to climate change.  The Commons Environmental Audit Committee suggested yesterday that Mr Brown had failed to respond adequately to the “increasing risks of major and irreversible impacts from climate change.” - Times

BROWN BACKS BLAIRITE REFORMS

"Gordon Brown pledged that he would extend Tony Blair's public service reforms if he became prime minister, including his flagship city academy schools.  The Chancellor committed himself to bringing in more "personalised" state-funded services - including a greater role for private firms and voluntary groups in providing them." - Independent

"Whisper it softly, but Brownites and Blairites are starting to work together. After years of friction over public service reform, there have recently been signs of cooperation, what were called “confidence-building” measures during the detente phase of the Cold War." - Peter Riddell in The Times

DORMANT BANK ACCOUNTS MAY BE RAIDED FOR GOOD CAUSES

"Gordon Brown is plotting a stealth raid on more than £400 million of money left in dormant bank accounts.  The Chancellor will use the proceeds of the raid - on accounts that have not been touched for the past 15 years - to fund good causes in community and youth services." - Telegraph

ALEX SALMOND MAKES THE CASE FOR AN INDEPENDENT SCOTLAND

"There may be some doom-mongers who think that England is too lacking in resources - too poor without Scottish oil - to be a successful independent country. But I disagree. The people of England are just as capable, just as able, as any other nation to thrive with self-government!  The 18th-century Union is past its sell-by date. It's gone stale for both our nations. What we both need now are the political and economic powers to make our nations work, to tailor policies to suit our different circumstances, and to speak for ourselves in Europe and the wider world - while acting together where our interests converge.  What we also need is to retain the close co-operation we currently enjoy in terms of social, economic and cultural links - in many ways symbolised by our common head of state, and by our common membership of the European Union with a guaranteed home market of half a billion people." - Telegraph

'EU IS A FLOP'

"Life is worse for nearly half of the people in Europe’s Big Five since EU membership, a poll claimed yesterday.  Overall 44 per cent surveyed in Britain, France, Italy, Germany and Spain said the project had failed them.  Only the Spanish, who have been showered with cash from Brussels, said they were better off. In Britain, 52 per cent said things had got worse.  Just one in four people in Europe’s five powerhouses said they wanted to stay in the EU." - The Sun

IS OUR INTERNATIONAL AID BUDGET WORKING?

"Africa is potentially rich in agriculture and minerals, but torn by ruinous tribal conflict and corruption.  Just 100,000 key players control assets worth £220billion — yet 300million starve on 50p a day.  In Nigeria, corrupt leaders syphoned £220billion - equal to the entire aid budget for Africa over 40 years.  Monster Robert Mugabe has transformed prosperous Zimbabwe into a terror state.  Aid is filtered through the chaotic EU or the corrupt and unaccountable United Nations.  When it does reach the genuinely needy, it frequently destroys fragile local economies, turning subsistence farmers into beggars..." - The Sun Says

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