Tuesday 22nd April 2008

7.30pm ToryDiary: Number Ten to fly flag of St George's tomorrow...

7pm Local Government: Sedgemoor LibDem leader joins Conservatives

6.30pm CentreRight: Jill Kirby urges a British audit of the cost of family breakdown

6pm PlayPolitical video of the mayoral candidates as you've never seen them before: George as Boris, Zippy as Ken and Bungle as Paddick

5.45pm ToryDiary: Another unfortunate Whitehall logo

Today on CentreRight:

• How should the Conservative Party distance itself from white van man? Peter Whittle is disturbed that the question is even being asked.
• Douglas Carswell MP doesn't think political parties should get special funding from the taxpayer.
• Tory MP defects to UKIP. 'Is this the shape of things to come?' asks Jim McConalogue.
• Harry Phibbs examines Muslims4Ken's racist slur against Boris
  

3pm ToryDiary: The NUT won't be a Conservative government's only 'enemy within'

3pm PlayPolitical: Ron Paul calls for isolationism in slick animated video

2pm upcoming Events:

• This evening - ERC debate on the welfare state
• This evening - CWO Forum debate on the value of universities
• This evening - CNES on education from the Lords' perspective
• Wednesday afternoon - CPHRC hearing on child soldiers
• Wednesday evening - CPS lecture on the West Lothian question

11.30am ToryDiary: Villiers criticises BAA's "monopolistic grip" on airports

10.30am ToryDiary: Can the Courts force politicians to keep their promises? Stuart Wheeler attempts to force a referendum on Lisbon.

Parliament: David Davis on Chinese security guards in London, Philip Hammond on Labour's broken promises on tax and Gerald Howarth on the "undesirable alien"; Mohamed Al-Fayed.

LondonMayor: The Sun backs Boris

ToryDiary: Bob Spink becomes UKIP's only MP

Simon Burns MP on Platform: Hillary's still in it to win it

PlayPolitical videos:

• Who has what it takes? Barack Obama and Hillary Clinto trade ads on the day Pennsylvania votes.
• McCain has a "good shot" at winning California says Schwarzenegger
• President Bush appears on 'Deal or No Deal' to wish Iraq hero luck

ICM: Tory lead down to 5% - Guardian | Osborne less popular than Darling

Kate Hoey refuses to endorse Livingstone

"She refused to back Mr Livingstone, adding: "I'm a Labour MP and I'm not endorsing anybody." - Telegraph

> Yesterday's confusing events where a "sick" Kate Hoey dropped out of Boris' meeting... but managed to attend other events.

Boris Johnson interviewed in The Sun

"The Tory hopeful revealed his plan as he announced five key promises, for his first day in office if he wins the race to become Mayor on May 1.  He vows every pound spent by his office will be accountable on a Mayor’s website.  Buses will be safer with police support officers doubled.  Alcohol will be banned on the Tube network.  A Mayor’s fund backed by mega-rich Londoners will help keep youngsters off the streets.  And he wants to stop the scandal of developers concreting over back gardens to build new housing." - The Sun

Livingstone pursues Polish vote - FT

"The NUT, our largest teaching union, is today's equivalent of the National Union of Mineworkers"

"The NUT cannot turn off the nation's lights, but it can certainly dim children's prospects. And just as Margaret Thatcher's defeat of the NUM decided our economy's future, David Cameron's battle against the NUT will decide the future of our children." - George Bridges in The Telegraph

Michael Gove singles out David Taylor, Lindsay Hoyle and Rob Marris as MPs in the Gwyneth Dunwoody tradition - Times

Brown promises Labour MPs review of the impact of the abolition of the 10p tax rate - Guardian

But, reports The Independent, it won't be enough for the rebels led by Frank Field.

Don't be fooled... the banks aren't victims of bad luck - Vince Cable in The Independent

MPs attack "unrealistic" cost planning for the Olympics - BBC

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