Sunday 28th October 2007

10pm PlayPolitical: Who is the scariest Republican Senator? and Democrats v Republicans (Apple v PC parody)

7.45pm ToryDiary: Harriet Harman is right...

3pm ToryDiary: Is Germany shifting leftwards under Merkel?

1pm ToryDiary: You couldn't make it up

Cameron on Brown on Sky News Sunday (1pm): "If you, all your life, campaign against everything Margaret Thatcher has done, you look a bit silly when you pose with her.  If you keep telling people how decisive you are and strong and then you cancel an election I think you do look a bit of a phoney.  I'm sorry, I just say it as I see it and that's how I saw it."

ToryDiary: David Cameron likely to adopt Rifkind plan to address West Lothian Question

Platform: Paul Goodman, Shadow Community Cohesion spokesman in the Commons, unearths extraordinary Government evasion over a Muslim group and a contested London mosque scheme.

Columnist Graeme Archer: Remember the men who died for us

Observer/ MORI poll gives Labour 1% advantage

"Gordon Brown has edged ahead of David Cameron in an exclusive Observer poll today which ushers in a new era of 'boat race' politics in which Labour and the Tories are almost neck-and-neck." - Observer.

Yesterday evening's ToryDiary on the poll.

David Ruffley plans 'police reserve force'

"The Conservatives have drawn up radical plans to replace Labour's controversial "Blunkett's bobbies" with a police reserve force similar to the Territorial Army.  The new force would comprise tens of thousands of paid special constables, all highly-trained with full powers of arrest.  Its creation would lead eventually to the scrapping of police community support officers, or PCSOs, who have attracted widespread criticism for being toothless." - Sunday Telegraph

EU Referendum: The Sunday Telegraph reports on yesterday's cross-party lobby.  Chris Palmer has blogged the rally.

Cameron defends wife from criticisms over her commercial work

"David Cameron staunchly defended his "fantastic and brilliant" wife Samantha and said she will not resign as director of upmarket stationer's Smythson if he becomes Prime Minister.  He hit back at criticism of his wife, who was accused of abusing her role as Leader of the Opposition's wife by plugging the company's products in an interview with Harper's Bazaar magazine in August." - Mail on Sunday

Cameron under fire for politically incorrect joke

"David Cameron was accused of a politically incorrect gaffe last night over a lighthearted remark he made about one-legged Lithuanians at a meeting with leading figures in the arts world.  Labour said the Tory leader was guilty of "crass insensitivity" after the comment, made at an Arts Council lunch on Tuesday, was leaked to The Mail on Sunday.  According to Arts Council sources, Mr Cameron told his hosts: "I hope you won't be giving grants to too many one-legged Lithuanian lesbians," prompting embarrassed looks all round." - Mail on Sunday

Liberal Democrats

In head-to-head debate Clegg promises to expose "illiberal" Cameron and Huhne nominates Gordon Brown to be the patron saint of tax accountants.  The Sunday Telegraph has more.

"Labour's private pollsters believe the Tory success is mainly explained by the dramatic fall in Lib Dem support during a period of transition. They believe the Lib Dems will return to their traditional poll rating of 17-18 per cent once a new leader is elected - at the expense of the Tories." - Observer

Downing Street orders shake-up of PMQs briefings as Brown struggles in head-to-heads with Cameron - The Sunday Times

Michael Portillo returns

Michael Portillo returns to The Sunday Times and discusses obesity.

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