Tuesday 27th March 2007

10.30pm ToryDiary update: Tory lead down from 11% to 4%

8.15pm ToryDiary update: Hague on Iran's kidnapping of Royal Navy sailors

6pm ToryDiary update: Northern Board attacked as a "gimmick"

6pm BritainAndAmerica update: Who is Fred Thompson?

4:30pm Britain and America update: Developments on the Iranian kidnapping

12:30pm Interviews update: Youth worker and aspiring Conservative MP Shaun Bailey talks to ConservativeHome

12.30pm ToryDiary update: Reason to leave the EPP (number 93)

BLOGS

ToryDiary: Goldsmith set to be face of Green Conservatism

Seats and candidates: 400 choose Kit Malthouse to succeed Angie Bray on GLA and Kingston & Surbiton shortlist

YourPlatform: Shailesh Vara MP on the modern slave trade

KEN CLARKE CALLS FOR END TO 'SOFA GOVERNMENT'

"Tory leader David Cameron will be urged to sign up to a new ministerial code to ensure a government led by him is open and accountable, the BBC has learned.  The party's democracy task force, led by former chancellor Ken Clarke, will call for MPs to be given access to papers showing how decisions were made." - BBC

DAVID CAMERON'S PARENTING SPEECH

"Parents who fail to keep their kids in line were branded “selfish and irresponsible” by Tory leader David Cameron last night.  He claimed too many mums and dads were afraid to say “no” when their children misbehave or over-eat. He warned they were storing up future problems for themselves and society.  He insisted other adults must act if they see youngsters misbehave, even if they receive abuse. Mr Cameron said: “Allowing harmful behaviour as the price of a quiet life is grossly selfish and irresponsible." - The Sun

"The legal right for employees to request flexible working is unlikely to be extended under a Conservative government, David Cameron signalled yesterday, as he argued that additional regulation could be counter-productive." - FT

Yesterday's ToryDiary: Cameron launches quality of childhood inquiry

ADAMS-PAISLEY MEETING

Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary David Lidington issued this statement yesterday: “After four years of violence, it will not be easy for Northern Ireland’s political leaders to build trust.  However, today’s historic meeting between Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams marks a new start in that difficult process.  There are still problems to be resolved before May but there’s now a better chance than at any previous time in my adult life for Northern Ireland to move towards stable devolved government.  I wish the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State, and all the Northern Ireland parties, success in what I hope will be the final few weeks before devolution is restored.” (See Times story).

ROBIN HARRIS RENEWS ATTACK ON DAVID CAMERON

"David Cameron was last night called an "opportunist" who "doesn't believe anything" - by a top Tory.  The attack came from Robin Harris, one of Margaret Thatcher's main advisers.  Comparing Cameron to former leader Michael Howard, Harris said: "He did believe things. But I do not think that David Cameron believes anything."" - Daily Record

BROWN CAMP STARTS "HEAVY-HANDED" RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN OF MINISTERS

"An angry Blairite minister complained yesterday that his colleagues faced a heavy-handed operation over the weekend pressing them to back the Brown campaign before it was clear whether any other credible contender would enter the field.  One source said "ministers were being asked to make career-determining decisions on a mobile phone".  The Brown campaign, as a result of a weekend ring-around, were able to brief correctly that a wide group of ministers, including the Home Office minister, Liam Byrne, and the health minister, Andy Burham, had come out in support of the Brown leadership bid." - The Guardian

THE IRAN HOSTAGE CRISIS

"Iran must be warned by London and Washington of the political and military consequences that would result from a failure to immediately release the British prisoners. The Iranians must also be told to stop meddling in Iraq, where to all intents and purposes Tehran is waging a proxy war against US, British and Iraqi forces. There is growing evidence that Iranian factories run by the Revolutionary Guard are producing lethal roadside bombs that are killing British soldiers in southern Iraq, and as well as actively financing and training Shia militias. The Iranians have blood on their hands and must be held to account." - Nile Gardiner on Human Events

"The Western democracies assume Iran will join the community of nations if only we are sufficiently accommodating. But accommodation is already extensive. It includes accepting Iran’s right to develop peaceful nuclear technology without necessarily pressing for a cessation of work on the nuclear fuel cycle. The US has also accepted a compromise proposal from Russia for some uranium enrichment activity to be moved from Iran to Russia. Yet Iran’s response is obdurate, and its behaviour patently aggressive. Fifteen British sailors and Marines are only the latest victims of this provocative and threatening regime." - Oliver Kamm in The Times

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