Thursday 1st November 2007

6.30pm PlayPolitical: John Howard is asleep on climate change says Australian Labor

3.30pm ToryDiary: Met Chief Blair's position "untenable" says David Davis

1.30pm ToryDiary: Your opportunity to question David Cameron

Noon ToryDiary: David Cameron focuses on Labour incompetence

ToryDiary: We now have breadth but do we have boldness?

Platform: John Moss believes that abortions should no longer be 'free' on the NHS

Columnist Louise Bagshawe: Just another Thursday

TheWrongMan: Britain falls down international competitiveness league

Trevor Phillips praises Cameron's immigration stance

"David Cameron's approach to immigration has received praise from unexpected quarters after Trevor Phillips, the head of the new equality quango, described it as a "turning point"... "For the first time in my adult life I heard a party leader clearly attempting to deracialise the issue of immigration and to treat it like any other question of political and economic management," Mr Phillips said." - Telegraph

"The Local Government Association is calling for a £250m-a-year fund to help regions struggling to cope with unexpected influxes of migrants." - BBC

A Times leader concludes that the key facts point to immigration being a blessing overall.

Sayeeda Warsi attacks left-wing think tank's recommendation to 'downgrade' Christmas

"You don't build community cohesion by throwing out our history and denying the fundamental contribution Christianity has played and does play to our nation.  As a British Muslim I can see that - so why others can't just staggers me." - The Tories' community cohesion spokesman quoted in the Daily Mail

It will be Huhne versus Clegg

Nominations closed in the LibDem leadership race yesterday and Chris Huhne is clearly presenting himself as the more left-wing of the two candidates according to The Independent:

"Chris Huhne levelled some thinly veiled criticism at his rival Nick Clegg as he unveiled his manifesto for the Liberal Democrat leadership election... The Huhne camp is portraying Mr Clegg, the party's telegenic home affairs spokesman, as "the heir to Blair" and "David Cameron's stunt double".  Mr Huhne omitted those words from the final version of his launch speech yesterday but made the same point when he declared: "We do not need a third conservative party. We need Britain's first radical party.""

The Guardian summarises the key 'manifesto commitments' of the two candidates.

"Following hustings in central London, Chris Huhne said he would dump the Trident missile programme.  Nick Clegg argued that such a move would destroy the UK's bargaining power in non-proliferation talks in 2010." - BBC

"[Nick Clegg] suggested that his rival had joined an "unholy alliance" of Tories and Scottish Nationalists by supporting a Conservative suggestion for banning Scottish MPs from voting on laws that affect only England." - Telegraph

Some letters to The Guardian purport to offer "better" answers to the West Lothian Question.

Lord Falconer is preparing to sue Gordon Brown over his refusal to allow him to claim a six-figure pension - Telegraph

Boris Johnson: Vote for Hillary so we can have Bill back

"For all who love America, it is time to think of supporting Hillary, not because we necessarily want her for herself but because we want Bill in the role of First Husband. And if Bill can deal with Hillary, he can surely deal with any global crisis." - The Tories' London mayoral candidate in The Telegraph

Health Secretary Alan Johnson urges Rudy Giuliani to stop kicking the NHS - Times

 Record month for ConservativeHome

October's politically turbulent month was a record for ConservativeHome.  The site received 298,834 unique visitors (up 20% on last month's 248,374 and up 75% on last October).  There were 697,797 page reloads (up 11% on last month's 626,555 and up 34% on last October).  The top five referrers were National Review Online, Coffee House, Guido Fawkes, Political Betting and Little Green Footballs.

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