Wednesday 26th September 2007

6pm BritainAndAmerica: Brown-Miliband likely to propose new multilateral body to combat climate change

5.45pm TheWrongMan: Gordon Brown - the plagiarist

5.15pm ToryDiary: Tories in Hampshire lead the way in thanking our troops

2pm ToryDiary: George Osborne - I'm no über-moderniser

12.15pm Seats and candidates: Party Board approves emergency selection procedures for "imminent" General Election

10.30am Seats and Candidates: Chester last three

10.15am ToryDiary: Tories call for global action to support Burma's brave protestors

ToryDiary: David Cameron at the Carlton Dinner

Seats and candidates: Andrew Pelling is suspended

Columnist Peter Franklin: The greatest Prime Minister

Platform: Dr Phillip Lee introduces Conservative Friends of Bangladesh

Simon Burns MP on BritainAndAmerica: Why Conservatives should welcome President Hillary Rodham Clinton

Cameron is out of touch warns Tebbit

"Lord Tebbit declared that Mr Cameron was regarded as out of touch by ordinary people and that it was only natural that Mr Brown should make himself the “heir to Thatcher”.  Many people believed that the Conservative leader and his colleagues did not know how the other half lived, Lord Tebbit said." - The Times

Tebbit on Baroness Thatcher's Downing Street meeting with Brown: "I'm quite sure that Margaret Thatcher knew exactly what she was doing. She is first too well mannered to rebuff the Prime Minister and second of course the present Conservative leadership has been at great pains to distance himself from her and she is after all a woman."  Quoted in The Telegraph.

David Cameron backs The Sun's EU Treaty campaign

"Today, I will give this cast-iron guarantee: If I become PM a Conservative government will hold a referendum on any EU treaty that emerges from these negotiations.  No treaty should be ratified without consulting the British people in a referendum." - The Tory leader writing for The Sun

Jeremy Clarkson also writes for The Sun about the Treaty: "If we had a Prime Minister with some backbone who one day wanted to oust Robert Mugabe from power in Zimbabwe, a bunch of European lawyers could prevent it from happening. The treaty turns the British Parliament into a local government.  A bit like your parish council at home. They’d be allowed to build park benches, and that would be about it.  It has massive implications, and that’s why we absolutely MUST have a say."

The Sun Says column accuses David Miliband of showing "contempt" for Sun readers' desire for Labour to keep its promise on an EU Treaty vote.

Election speculation

"Pressure on Gordon Brown to go for an early election intensified yesterday when a poll showed Labour's lead had stretched to 11 points - a five point jump - which would be enough to give Mr Brown a three-figure overall majority in the Commons." - The Guardian

"Ladbrokes dramatically suspended betting on a poll this autumn following an avalanche of wagers.  The bookies had slashed the odds on a General Election this year from 5/2 to 2/1 — before pulling the plug at 5pm yesterday." - The Sun

>> Yesterday evening's ToryDiary on Labour's 11% lead

"Forget talk of an October election. If there is to be a contest this autumn it will almost certainly be on November 1 or 8, the first in that month since 1935. Whether there is one then is still in the balance." - Peter Riddell in The Times

"If there is no poll, Mr Brown risks sending a message not just that he has bottled out, but that the great statesman whose image he is still trying to construct is actually not above excursions into the infantile: and that won't do him a lot of good either." - Simon Heffer in The Telegraph

Tories = Chelsea FC

"The fate of the Conservatives mirrors that of Chelsea Football Club. Owned by the rich, untrusting of its manager and doomed to fall to an organisation led by a great Scotsman." - From a letter to The Telegraph by Ron Delnevo

Football fanatic Danny Finkelstein is keeping the faith

"Anyone who can’t conceive of Mr Cameron appealing to undecided voters in a burst of television exposure is demonstrating a failure of imagination.  An autumn election? It is not hard to see Gordon Brown calling it in haste and repenting at leisure." - The Times

Conservative Muslim Forum encourages party leadership to engage with Iran - Mathaba

Labour in Bournemouth

"Health Secretary Alan Johnson has defended his speech at Labour's conference in Bournemouth in which he accused the Conservatives of mounting a "shabby and dishonest campaign for a moratorium on saving lives." - Sky News

"Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has said the time has come to look again at extending the 28-day limit on holding terrorism suspects." - BBC

"The Labour Party was accused of hypocrisy when it emerged conference delegates had been denied the chance to see a hard-hitting advertisement which suggested that the Home Office was sending Darfur refugees back to Sudan to face torture. The Labour Party said that the film had not been shown because it distorted the facts but the film-makers insisted the facts it contained were true." - Independent

Miliband's debut speech: Patronising and babyish all at once - Quentin Letts in The Daily Mail

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

Tuesday 25th September 2007

7pm ToryDiary: Labour 11% ahead in post-speech YouGov survey

4.15pm ToryDiary: Gordon Brown stole my old age

11.30am TheWrongMan: Brown's council tax rebate for servicemen is unfunded

11.15am ToryDiary: Cocky Kinnock learns nothing from that Sheffield rally

11.15am PlayPolitical: Ahmadinejad on the Holocaust and homosexuality

10am BritainAndAmerica: Joe Loconte reflects on Columbia University's decision to host a speech by the Iranian President.

ToryDiary: The Mail and Telegraph fail their readers (it's Cameron's job to change that)

Columnist Andrew Lilico: The reform of higher education

Platform: Melissa Crawshay-Williams explains the work of the Conservative Foreign & Commonwealth Council

Fox questions Labour's belated council tax discount for servicemen in Iraq and Afghanistan

"All overseas servicemen and women are to get 25pc cuts in their council tax, The Sun can reveal.  Defence Secretary Des Browne will announce the cash giveaway today.  Anyone in the forces who is serving in Iraq and Afghanistan will qualify for the bonus when it is introduced next month."

Liam Fox's reaction: "This has all the hallmarks of the MoD being bounced into giving a good headline to Number 10.  The nature of this measure will be divisive amongst the Armed Forces because it discriminates between personnel on different operations. It will put further pressure on the frontline budget because no new money is being made available to the MoD. Yet again it's Gordon's spin first, our forces' welfare second."

(Iain Dale had this story last night)

NOT GORDON BROWN'S FINEST HOUR...
...Sun continues its EU Referendum campaign

The Sun's Nikkala was on the beaches of Bournemouth yesterday as part of The Sun's referendum campaign >>>

"Defiant Gordon Brown yesterday devoted just 12 seconds of an hour-long speech to who governs us — Britain or Brussels.  The PM refused to bow to the nation’s demands for a referendum on the EU Constitution.  He dismissed the campaign led by The Sun — who yesterday mocked him up as wartime leader Winston Churchill — in a mere 34 words, insisting the nation was safe in his hands."

"Again, recently, the Foreign Secretary said the EU Constitution had been "dropped" and we heard this mirrored by other ministers. The rest of Europe knows this is not so, and the British electorate knows this too: it's time for the Government to stick to the promise made at the last election. In the end it will reap political dividends." - Labour MP Gisela Stuart writing in The Daily Telegraph

Miliband to warn Labour rebels that European rebellion threatens party - Telegraph

Leader column reactions to Brown's speech

"His solutions had one thing in common. They are all built on Labour's fixation with top down, government-knows-best policies. Why should we be surprised? At the Treasury, Mr Brown wanted to pull every string in Whitehall. Now that he has the authority to do so, he has no intention of holding back." - Telegraph

"Why is he speaking only now of counting migrants in and out of the country - and what good will that do, anyway, when European and human rights laws seem to deny us all control of our borders?  Will an advertising campaign really help cut down on teenage drinking? And haven't we been told a thousand times before that foreign drug-dealers and armed robbers will be deported?  As for our schools, it's all very well for Mr Brown to say: "Education is my passion."  Didn't Mr Blair tell us more than ten years ago that it was all three of his top priorities - and where did that get us?" - Daily Mail

"Three months into his tenure, the nation has more information about his agenda and life story but not much more about his mission. We appreciate that he is “serious” and that in serious times this is a virtue, but what exactly he is serious about remains ambiguous." - The Times

Peter Oborne diagnoses Brown's raid into Tory territory

"This wholesale raid into Conservative territory did not stop at Cameron. Not content with marshalling Margaret Thatcher to his cause two weeks ago, Brown also stole the rhetoric of Winston Churchill as he spoke of the indomitable spirit of the British nation in adversity.  Significantly there was practically no mention of the Labour Party, and none of the trade unions." - Daily Mail

Tory defectors parade on stage for their new party

"The former Conservative MP Quentin Davies was given a warm reception by the Labour Party conference as he made a platform speech longer than those allowed by most Cabinet ministers.  His eight-minute address was punctuated by several bursts of applause, and occasional cheers, as he showered praise on Gordon Brown and launched a savage attack on David Cameron." - Times | ePolitix

Cameron neglects his base at his peril

"Frankly, [Conservatives in Henley are] tired of the PR spivvery and the trashing of the Thatcher legacy. They want the Leader of the Opposition to oppose the Government - not agree with Labour all the time, on everything from levels of public spending to slapping two grand on the price of a car in the name of saving the planet." - Richard Littlejohn in The Daily Mail

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

Monday 24th September 2007

8.45pm ToryDiary: Blog reactions to Gordon Brown's speech

Official Conservative reaction here: Reheated ideas and re-announcements

4.45pm ToryDiary: Brown's project is hugely ambitious. He is reversing Thatcherism. He is building a state-dependent Britain.

LIVE BLOG OF BROWN'S CONFERENCE SPEECH

12.30pm ToryDiary: Nick Robinson told that there will not be 25th October election

11.30am Interviews: Boris Johnson answers your questions...

On architecture: "There is a mood of built-in obsolescence, a working assumption that the next generation will want to tear it down, just as we are being forced to tear down so many post-war tower blocks."

On Livingstone's advertising: "Why LondON? Why not LONdon? Or LonDON, in honour of the many academics who make this city the knowledge capital of the world?"

On dirty fighting: "They have been trying all sorts of bollocks in the last few weeks, and as far as I can see it has been completely unsuccessful."

ToryDiary: The Sun's EU campaign may derail Brown's election plans

Seats and Candidates: Nearly all battleground seats have selected

TheWrongMan: Is Mr Brown really keeping you safe?

London Mayor: Johnson - wooing gay voters - comes close to endorsing polygamy

Columnist Stephan Shakespeare: Cameron must offer bankable reasons the uncool majority to vote Conservative (and quickly)

In the run up to conference some Conservative organisations will explain what they do on the Platform. Jonathan Bryant writes about Direct Democracy today.

OUR BLOG OF THE WEEK IS THE TIMES' LABOUR CONFERENCE BLOG (Written by the other Sam Coates)

Coulson and Hilton's conference challenge

"Devising a route into the heart of the party to inspire traditionalists and modernisers will be the true test of the duo's strategic talents. The 300,000 members of the party are a key asset. They cannot be treated as a database or as newspaper readers. They need to be involved, unified and motivated, as they were when Cameron first took over as leader." - Julian Henry in the Guardian

Emergency selection procedures

"David Cameron will trigger a revolt with his party activists by imposing "A-list" candidates on constituencies that have not already chosen should Gordon Brown call an election next month, The Daily Telegraph has learnt. Dozens of associations have yet to selected their candidates – including some in key marginal seats which the Conservatives have to win to deprive Labour of an overall majority, such as Rochester in Kent." - Telegraph

Should he or shouldn't he

"Speculation is now mounting to the extent that, even though Mr Brown himself has said nothing, a failure to go to the country might look like fear. The stocks are sold, the press is squared, the middle class is quite prepared. Backing out now would be the riskiest option of all." - Telegraph leader

"He should wait until after the Conservatives have met and then dissolve the House of Commons. He is entitled to argue that voters have seen enough of him and his opponent in crises to make an assessment of them. He should observe, accurately, that the global economy is in a turbulent state and that it would be wise to invest a prime minister with full authority in these conditions." - Tim Hames in the Times

"Today's speech, however, is the moment to move from generalities to specifics. If he does not intend to call an election - and the odds are surely still against one - then Mr Brown must instead put solid meat on the bones of government. He needs to move from the sort of language that has carried him along so far - largely optimistic banalities to which no one can object - to a challenging and authentic description of his priorities for government." - Guardian

Welsh competitiveness commission

"The Conservatives will canvass stakeholders in the economy to find “radical” solutions to improve competitiveness in Wales... They will take viewpoints from businesses of all sizes and from a wide range of sectors. The trade union movement will also be invited to participate. The commission will be co-chaired by academic Professor Dylan Jones-Evans and the party’s policy director David Melding AM, and will take evidence from business leaders." - Western Mail

The Jordan Lyon tragedy is a sad reflection of our society

"The argument that one is acting responsibly by refusing to do something for which one has not been trained is not merely a new and sinister addition to the armoury of a jobsworth but, worse, suggests the view that human beings are no more useful than a computer that does not have the correct software installed." - James Campbell in the Times' Thunderer column

Please use this thread to highlight other interesting news and commentary

Sunday 23rd September 2007

9.30pm ToryDiary: It's soon going to be difficult for Brown not to call an autumn election...

8.15pm ToryDiary: Even the BBC is now talking about immigration

7pm PlayPolitical: Slate produce a video mocking the Romney brothers' contribution to their father's presidential campaign

7pm Seats and candidates updates:

• Helen Clack selected in Walsall North
• Thelma Matuk selected for Walsall South
• Ken Wood selected in Wolverhampton SE
• John Wilford selected in Wolverhampton NE
• Peter Duncan adopted for Dumfries and Galloway

1.30pm Seats and candidates: How many seats still need to select?

1.30pm TheWrongMan: Mr Brown needs to answer some questions

10am ToryDiary: Brown refuses to rule out calling an election this week

ToryDiary: Tories warn Brown - Call an election and you'll lose your majority

Seats and candidates: Andrew Pelling's wife attacks the "Dishonourable Member for Croydon Central"

Dr Teck Khong on Platform: Building the British nationhood with honesty and openness

Columnist Graeme Archer: Deirdre or Dave?

Labour 6% in ICM survey

"The Prime Minister hammers David Cameron in a Sunday Mirror/ICM poll today. It shows 39 per cent of voters would back Labour in an election - well ahead of the Tories on 33 and the Lib Dems on 19 per cent." - Sunday Mirror

>> Yesterday evening's ToryDiary discussed this poll.

Brown: I'll fight next election on health

"Gordon Brown will fight the general election on the issue that he says will be his key priority in office – the future of the National Health Service... Brown is to “intensify” reforms of the NHS, announcing a blitz on superbugs such as MRSA in hospitals and tougher targets for cancer treatment and screening." - Sunday Times

David Miliband's ten year rule gaffe

"As Labour intensified the pressure on David Cameron, by letting it be known that Brown is prepared to wait until November to hold a snap election, the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, today rams home the party's confidence by declaring that it is embarking on the 'second decade of New Labour'." - The Observer

Labour announce crackdown on teenage drinking (but it appears pretty insubstantial) - Sunday Telegraph

John Rentoul and Ben Brogan: There won't be an autumn election

"There is not the remotest chance that Brown would take the risk of matching George Canning's record as the shortest-serving prime minister... The risk of losing may seem small, but it is not one that any prime minister would take.  Allowing others to speculate is another matter. It works wonders for party discipline. Brown is likely to win the vote in Bournemouth today to abolish contemporary motions, because delegates think there may be an election soon. And it confuses and dismays the Opposition." - Independent on Sunday

"Remember that big chunks of Berkshire were closed off today because of foot and mouth. As long as the disease keeps spreading, it is surely inconceivable to hold a general election. An outbreak of bluetongue must reinforce the point. I'm also not sold on the theory that disillusioned Tories of the type that flocked to Tony Blair are choosing Mr Brown over David Cameron. And I suspect Scotland - normally a bankable source of Labour seats - is looking too uncertain. For my money we are witnessing a ruthless Labour machine keeping all options open, while exploiting every opportunity available to destabilise the Conservatives." - Ben Brogan

Tory weakness may be decisive in Brown's election decision

"Another factor in favour of an early election is the gloom that has enveloped the Tories. One party adviser said: “People around David Cameron are looking very glum these days, particularly George Osborne [the shadow chancellor], who is the election co-ordinator.  “George seems to be in a state of shock and can’t understand how they went from 40% in the opinion polls with Labour trailing in the early thirties to where they are now. The feeling is: what went wrong?”  It has even been reported that a stressed Cameron is back on the cigarettes." - Sunday Times

Samantha Cameron and Sarah Brown

"While you might expect Labour to foster more progressive attitudes, Sarah Brown has, in fact, been happy to adopt the role of an encouraging wife, active on the charity circuit.  Her unstinting support has helped humanise Gordon's image as cold intellectual.  She is often by his side, dutifully sharing his demanding social workload with an easy charm. It's a homely approach that's more Norma Major than Cherie Blair.  Elements of the Tory camp can only look on in envy as the fiercely independent Samantha rarely accompanies her husband to political events – although she is happy to attend the more glittering social gatherings." - Mail on Sunday

Harriet Harman warns Brown not to ignore Labour rank-and-file... - Independent on Sunday

...but it's Tory toffs, not blacksmiths and tradesfolk, who are welcome at Brown's get-to-know-the-Chequers' neighbours party - Mail on Sunday

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