21 Dec 2012 08:32:15

Newslinks for Friday 21st December 2012

12.15pm WATCH: Ed Balls voices his concerns about the banking reforms

10.45am Local government: Dudley Council spends £233,000 a month on taxis taking children to school

9.30am MPsETC: In a letter to Theresa May, Dominic Raab MP sets out Tory backbenchers’ concerns about the Communications Data Bill

ToryDiary: Who should be Minister of the Year? Would you vote for gay marriage? Who will win the next election?

Also on ToryDiary: For as long as the British establishment is ready to hand Northern Ireland to the Republic, unionist insecurity will exist

Dr Philip Lee MP on Comment: The Givers and the Takers

Local Government: Pickles advises council on 50 ways to save

The Deep End's Heresy of the week: The survival of the Conservative Party is not guaranteed

WATCH: David Cameron visits troops in Afghanistan

David Cameron's pre-Christmas visit to Afghanistan

"Mr Cameron flew secretly to Afghanistan on Thursday to meet troops at Camp Price, a forward base, 20 miles east of Camp Bastion, Britain’s operational HQ. ... Speaking to reporters during the day, Mr Cameron said he believed Afghan forces were acquiring the 'capability' to control the country. He conceded that Afghanistan was still a 'deeply challenged country', adding that it was still 'a far better place' than when the campaign began in 2001." - Daily Telegraph

• "The British government has promised to spend an extra £230m on bomb detection, base security, sniffer dogs and other equipment to help protect troops on the frontline in Afghanistan." - Guardian

> Today's video to WATCH: David Cameron visits troops in Afghanistan

As the MoD pays out compensation to Iraqis who allege they were tortured by British troops

"The Ministry of Defence has paid £14million in compensation to 205 Iraqis who complained they were tortured by British forces, it emerged last night. ... The out-of-court settlements seem to have opened the floodgates, with a further 196 payments being currently negotiated by MoD lawyers and another 700 Iraqis expected to make claims next year." - Daily Mail

UK to give an extra £15m in aid to help tackle growing Syrian humanitarian crisis - Independent

Andrew Mitchell wants to keep the Met chief away from Plebgate inquiry, reports the Times

"The former Chief Whip has 'no confidence' in Bernard Hogan-Howe after the Metropolitan Police Commissioner voiced support for the two officers, who claimed that Mr Mitchell had called them “f***ing plebs”. Mr Mitchell is satisfied that the inquiry, which is being conducted by 30 police officers, will be handled by Pat Gallan, a deputy assistant commissioner in charge of the Met’s directorate of professional standards, according to friends of the MP." - The Times (£)

> Yesterday's video to WATCH: Andrew Mitchell's kiss for a police officer 

And the PM now regards Mr Mitchell's position as stronger

"The arrest was announced as it emerged that David Cameron believes Mr Mitchell’s position was stronger after new claims about the confrontation between the former chief whip and Downing Street police officers. ... However, Mr Cameron has decided to wait for the police investigation to be completed before making any decisions about whether Mr Mitchell should return to frontline politics." - The Times (£)

But has he known about the suspect evidence for months?

"David Cameron has known for almost three months that at least one member of his own élite protection unit may have fabricated parts of the Downing Street police log about the confrontation with Andrew Mitchell, The Independent understands. ... But, crucially, the Prime Minister  decided not to press the matter with the Metropolitan Police – fearing that it would poison relations with the elite group of policemen who guard senior politicians for the rest of their lives." - Independent

40 Tories, led by Dominic Raab, threaten to take a stand against the Communications Data Bill

"The letter, written by Mr Raab, says: ‘There has been no proper explanation of how [clauses in the Bill] concerning “filtering arrangements” will work in practice. ... ‘It is clear that they would authorise ... techniques designed to infer potentially suspicious activity from the patterns of mass data held on every innocent citizen in this country.’ ... Mr Raab said the 40 MPs include 19 first elected in 2010, a group who have proved they will take a stand on issues of importance." - Daily Mail

• "It is the taxman, the policeman and other government agencies who mainly stand to benefit from laws forcing email companies to keep a log of who emails what to whom. But it is the ordinary British citizen, already protected from several foiled terrorist attacks, who stands to benefit from giving our spies the basic legal protection afforded to the Canadians and Danes." - Fraser Nelson, Daily Telegraph

George Osborne's bank reforms criticised by MPs

"Sweeping reforms planned for Britain’s biggest banks will not be enough to protect taxpayers from another financial meltdown, a commission of MPs and peers will say today. ... In an embarrassment for Chancellor George Osborne, their report will warn that his proposed shake-up ‘falls well short of what is required’." - Daily Mail

• "Flatter taxes are one of the best ideas for raising US revenues – so let’s try them here" - Jeremy Warner, Daily Telegraph

IDS is examining the idea of a "welfare care", as recently proposed by Alex Shelbrooke

"Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said yesterday: ‘For somebody who has a history of drug addiction, giving cash sometimes can lead to further problems.’ ... Tory backbencher Alec Shelbrooke recently suggested a Bill to stop all claimants buying anything with payments other than essentials such as food, clothing, energy, travel and housing. ... However, a department source stressed that Mr Duncan Smith was only discussing addicts.’" - Daily Mail

> Yesterday on ToryDiary: Polls show support for George Osborne’s 1 per cent cap on benefits

As the DWP delays the £500-a-week benefit cap for a few months

"The government also announced it was delaying plans to impose a nationwide £500-a-week welfare benefit cap, due to start next April. ... The Department for Work and Pensions said the full scheme would not now start until the summer and, in the meantime, four London boroughs would implement the cap to test it in a controlled live environment." - Guardian

A stand-off over sports policy

"The standoff between the Health and Education departments over a replacement for the £162m school sport partnerships controversially axed by Gove in 2010 has caused them to miss a pre-Christmas deadline to announce the new scheme." - Guardian

A boost for volunteering, as the Government streamlines the system of CRB checks

"Millions of employees and volunteers will no longer have to apply for a new criminal records check each time they apply for a job. ... The Home Office said that for the first time, people will be able to apply quickly and cheaply online for Criminal Records Bureau checks." - Daily Mail

"Ministers will today unveil a wave of Government services that are to be moved entirely online in a bid to save more than £1billion a year." - The Sun

Plans to sell the port of Dover to the French are torn up

"But Transport Minister Simon Burns said selling it would 'not ensure a sufficient level of community participation'. ... Instead the Dover Harbour Board will be able to get money from other sources to bankroll a big redevelopment. .. Local Tory MP Charlie Elphicke said: 'The port is the gateway to our nation and should be forever England.'" - The Sun

Amber Rudd endorses a report on relationship classes

"Teenagers should get compulsory relationship classes alongside sex education because too many boys are learning about sex by watching pornography, a new report has found. ... The report was endorsed by George Osborne's parliamentary aide Amber Rudd, Lib-Dem MP Lorely Burt and Labour's Sandra Osborne." - Daily Mail

> Yesterday on MPsETC: Claire Perry MP to advise the Prime Minister on “preventing the sexualisation and commercialisation of childhood”

Lord Hunt prepares a "detailed blueprint" for a new press regulator

"Newspaper editors agreed to set up a new independent press watchdog yesterday in response to the Leveson Inquiry. ... More than 100 paper proprietors, publishers and editors met yesterday to sign up to the principles laid out by Lord Justice Leveson. ... Former Tory peer Lord Hunt, who is coordinating the response of the press, said a detailed blueprint for the new regulator would be drawn up on January 10." - Daily Mail

Lord Patten under attack over BBC failures

"BBC chairman Lord Patten faced renewed calls to resign yesterday after he accused a parliamentary committee of ‘shabby’ treatment when it criticised ex-director-general George Entwistle’s bumper payoff." - Daily Mail

• "If Lord Patten had one ounce or self-knowledge or humility, he would resign over his disastrous handling of this squalid saga." - Daily Mail leader
• BBC considers partial recoup of Entwhistle pay-off - Financial Times (£)

Nigel Adams MP gives his personal take on 2012 to the Guardian

"2012 has been another tough year but thankfully in respect of employment we are seeing a turnaround that appears to be baffling some economics commentators. In my own constituency of Selby and Ainsty in North Yorkshire, unemployment has fallen by a quarter since the coalition has been in office." - Nigel Adams, the Guardian's Northerner blog

Andrew Pierce: Does anyone want to be a Tory MP any more?

"The deeply worrying legacy for  Mr Cameron is that his local constituency associations feel increasingly  marginalised, and now they are  struggling to find strong parliamentary  candidates of any sexual persuasion, gender or colour. ... In the 40 key seats that the Tories have to capture from Labour or the Lib Dems to have any hope of winning the  next election outright, only four have chosen candidates — even though  the General Election is less than 2½ years away" - Andrew Pierce, Daily Mail

Philip Collins: The "unsolvable conundrum" of David Cameron's Europe speech

"This is the unsolvable conundrum of Mr Cameron’s European speech. In order not to overreach it has to concede that expectations must be low but low expectations are precisely what nobody has. To heighten the promise, however, would be to court disaster. Imagine Mr Cameron coming back from his renegotiation in Brussels with a package of blah that his party regarded as fair to piddling. Then what?" - Philip Collins, The Times (£)

Vince Cable is battling to prevent an EU tax on iPads, Kindles and other gadgets - The Sun

Ed Balls: A Labour government would be tough but fair on benefits

"However, Mr Balls is also anxious to show that Labour would be 'tough but fair' on benefits. The Opposition is looking to place a new emphasis on welfare reform in the new year that could mean tighter rules on who can claim different benefits. The party’s jobs guarantee, that promises employment for everyone out of work for more than 12 months, would be paid by a tax on bankers’ bonuses." - The Times (£)

And Yvette Cooper: We'd also bulk up the Border Agency

"At the moment Border Agency compliance officers, who visit universities, colleges and other insititutions, have no powers of arrest. This means they can take little or no action on bogus students even if they find people that have no right to be in the country. ... Ms Cooper said Labour would make sure compliance offers have new powers and create a taskforce on enforcement within UK Border Agency." - Daily Telegraph

Julian Assange says the "door is open" for extradition talks - Daily Telegraph

The proportion of couples divorcing in their 60s is up by 58 per cent on last year - Daily Mail

And finally... First Ronald Reagan, now Ben Affleck?

"What’s next for hunky leading man Ben Affleck? How about the US Senate? ... Rumours were sweeping Hollywood last night that he is preparing for the biggest role of his life. ... Word is he could stand for the Massachusetts seat that Senator John Kerry would vacate if given the job of Secretary of State. ... Affleck was born in the United States. This means he could run for President in due course." - The Sun

> Please use the thread below to provide links to news topics likely to be of interest to ConservativeHome readers and to comment on political topics that haven't been given their own blog. Read our comments policy here.

20 Dec 2012 08:30:09

Newslinks for Thursday 20th December 2012

6pm ToryDiary: Nominations for Conservative achievement of the year

5pm ToryDiary: Nominations for U-turn of the year

4.15pm WATCH: Andrew Mitchell's kiss for a police officer

4pm ToryDiary: Nominations for Scrap of the year

3pm ToryDiary: Nominations for One to Watch of the year

2pm ToryDiary: Nominations for Gaffe of the year

1.30pm ToryDiary: Nominations for Policy of the year

1.15pm Local government: Good news as gold plated councillor pensions to end

12.45pm MPsETC: Claire Perry MP to advise the Prime Minister on “preventing the sexualisation and commercialisation of childhood”

12.15pm ToryDiary: Nominations for Yellow B**tard of the Year

Noon ToryDiary: Nominations for Event of the year

11am ToryDiary: Nominations for Conservative Parliamentarian of the year

10am ToryDiary: Nominations for Conservative minister of the year

ToryDiary: Apparently Tory backbenchers rather than the Tory leadership are responsible for the party's difficulties

Also on ToryDiary: Polls show support for George Osborne’s 1 per cent cap on benefits

Columnist Andrew Lilico: The State of the Union

Julia Manning on Comment: More can — and should — be done about unplanned pregnancy

Cllr David Burbage on Local Government: Windsor and Maidenhead Council scraps post of Chief Executive

The Deep End: The land tax is a bad solution to a genuine problem

WATCH: Obama on gun control: "This time the words must lead to action"

David Cameron takes action to protect children from "the darkest corners of the internet"...

"...with our new system, every parent will be prompted to protect their child online. If they don’t make choices, protection will be automatically on. No other Government has taken such radical steps before. And once all this is in place, Britain will have the most robust internet child protection measures of any country in the world – bar none. ... To get all this underway, I have appointed Claire Perry MP to be my adviser on preventing the sexualisation and commercialisation of childhood." - David Cameron, Daily Mail

• "This was a hugely cheering day for the Mail, bringing victory for two of our long-fought campaigns. It was a fine day, too, for David Cameron, who showed doubting supporters that deep within him beats the heart of a true Tory." - Daily Mail leader

...and to reward veterans with medals

"A dwindling band of survivors of the Arctic Convoy — dubbed 'the worst journey in the world' by Winston Churchill — have battled since the 1990s for proper decoration. ... And Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday announced the creation of an Arctic Convoy Medal." - The Sun

• "David Cameron’s decision to award special medals to survivors is to be warmly welcomed." - Sun leader

> Yesterday on ToryDiary: Christmas cheer and humbug at PMQs

The PM's announcement about withdrawing British troops from Afghanistan is a "significant moment", reports the FT

"It is also the first stage in a reorientation of the UK’s military posture overseas, which will see Britain moving out of south Asia and increasingly focusing on new security threats that are emerging in north Africa and the Middle East." - Financial Times (£)

• "Mr Cameron is making the best of a bad hand." - Daily Telegraph leader

> Yesterday on ToryDiary: David Cameron decides on a withdrawal plan for Afghanistan

Mr Cameron's possible concession on press regulation

"David Cameron has conceded that Parliament may have to pass a Bill to help to set up a new press regulator, despite his misgivings about embedding any new system in statute. ... An emerging idea that could win all-party support would establish a new overseer of press standards set up by Royal Charter, backed by a Bill that would enshrine its independence." - The Times (£)

Peter Oborne: "David Cameron deserves better than this ghastly backbench B-team"

"To sum up, the Conservative Party has forgotten the qualities of loyalty, pragmatism, duty, patriotism, humility and service that served it so well over the past two centuries. It has lost its sense of history, and lives in a perpetual present characterised by frantic manoeuvring for immediate political gain. Many of its MPs, though of high intellect, unfortunately are of low character. This is a state of affairs which does not merely threaten its chances of winning the next election, but throws its long-term survival into serious doubt."- Peter Oborne, Daily Telegraph

• "Cameron is wrong to take on the Tory Party" - Tessa Keswick, Financial Times (£)

> Today on ToryDiary: Apparently Tory backbenchers rather than the Tory leadership are responsible for the party's difficulties

> Yesterday on ToryDiary: David Cameron charms the 1922 Committee with his plans for the next election

Andrew Mitchell 1): The "eyewitness" email emerges

"The barely literate message helped cost the then Chief Whip his job, despite the fact key sections of it were directly contradicted by CCTV footage viewed by the Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood days later." - Daily Mail

• Read the full email here

Andrew Mitchell 2): Tories call for Mr Mitchell's return to Government

"Tory MPs, who had largely deserted Mr Mitchell in his hour of need, rallied strongly yesterday, calling for him to return to government. ... Downing Street held open the door for a possible return to the Cabinet for an exonerated Mr Mitchell, although that would have to wait until the next reshuffle. 'We don’t just chop and change the Cabinet,' an aide said." - The Times (£)

Andrew Mitchell 3): 30 police officers are now on the case

"Thirty police officers are investigating claims a cop pretended to witness MP Andrew Mitchell’s 'pleb' rant. ... Scotland Yard — which has launched the probe — said: 'If evidence emerges of conspiracy this will form part of the investigation.'" - The Sun

• "Plebgate was just the B-side to Plodgate" - Camilla Cavendish, The Times (£)
• "If the public cannot trust the police to police the police, why should they trust the police to police anybody else?" - Times leader (£)

Andrew Mitchell 4): David Davis criticises Sir Jeremy Heywood's original investigation

"Former shadow home secretary David Davis said the investigation was ‘not exactly Sherlock Holmes’. He added: ‘All the investigations did not go to the heart of the matter. Look at the CCTV, see whether it is consistent with the allegations made, consistent with what’s been said. It plainly wasn’t.’" - Daily Mail

> Yesterday: 

• ToryDiary: Mitchell never saw the CCTV footage until after he'd resigned but David Davis insisted that he examine it
• ToryDiary: The PCC inquiry into #Smeargate and Mitchell must report as soon as possible
• Columnist Andrew Lilico: It's not news that some accusations are false, and we should not lose our faith over it

Theresa May announces a new investigation into the Hillsborough disaster

"The new police probe was announced yesterday by Home Secretary Theresa May as the High Court quashed the original inquest verdicts of accidental death and ordered new inquests. ... Former Durham Chief Constable Jon Stoddart will lead the investigation, which will look at the  possibility of charging agencies other than the police over the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans during the 1989 FA Cup semi-final." - Daily Mail

Public support for George Osborne's 1 per cent cap on benefits

"A big majority of Brits back George Osborne’s decision to cap the rise in benefit payments, a poll has revealed. ... Around two-thirds say limiting the annual increase at one per cent for the next three years is “fair” as the Government tries to cut the deficit." - The Sun

"But according to ComRes, the public is split down the middle. While 49 per cent agree that the Government is right, a surprisingly high 43 per cent disagree and eight per cent say they don't know." - Independent

> Yesterday on ToryDiary: Osborne throws the kitchen sink at Balls... and Balls throws it back at Osborne

Ministers urged to lock up dodgy bankers...

"Ministers were last night urged to throw crooked bankers in jail after Swiss giant UBS was fined $1.5billion for rigging rates." - The Sun

..as our new central banker enjoys a monetary stimulus

"The new governor of the Bank of England will be given a housing allowance of £250,000 a year, pushing his total annual earnings towards £1million. ... Canadian Mark Carney, who takes over from Sir Mervyn King on July 1, will get the extra cash on top of pay and perks worth £624,000." - Daily Mail

The City has not yet seen off the EU threat, says John Redwood

"While the double lock is a neat idea, I doubt that it will always deliver the UK’s policy. It is not nearly as effective as wielding a UK veto. There is a danger that the Banking Authority, or the single market, becomes a Trojan horse that will damage the City of London, one of the UK’s great commercial success stories." - John Redwood, The Times (£)

• "A referendum on Europe? Bring it on, for all our sakes" - Timothy Garton Ash, Guardian

Francis Maude publishes annual performance targets for leading civil servants 

"The new objectives for Sir Jeremy Heywood, the Cabinet Secretary, Bob Kerslake, the Head of the Home Civil Service, and the 22 permanent secretaries will form the benchmark for annual appraisals and the award of bonuses or performance-related pay." - The Times (£)

"Moves to give ministers more say over the appointment of senior civil servants would not 'imperil' Whitehall’s independence, the Cabinet Office minister says." - Financial Times (£)

• Civil servants paid tens of millions of bonuses during recession - Daily Telegraph

Eric Pickles reveals next year's council funding cut ...

"Councils face a funding cut that in effect averages below 2 per cent next year, the communities secretary told the Commons on Wednesday. ... Eric Pickles said that 'spending power' – which takes into account council tax and business rates – would decline by 1.7 per cent despite deep cuts from government." - Financial Times (£)

• City leaders warn of crisis over cuts to funding - Independent

> Yesterday:

• Local government: 70% of Council income to be raised locally
• Local government: Big rise in number of councils sharing services
• Cllr Philippa Roe on Local Government: Councils can help cut the deficit - but they need the freedom to do it

...and suggests where the axe could fall

"Town halls should stop spending a fortune on expensive leadership training courses run by groups such as Common Purpose, Eric Pickles has said. ... The Local Government Secretary called on councils to spend less on the organisation, described as the Left’s answer to the old boys’ network, which provides leadership advice. ... The advice was contained in a booklet, 50 Ways to Save, which includes ideas from Mr Pickles on how to make deeper cuts without affecting public services." - Daily Mail

• "It is a sign of how bloated local government had become that councils have shed 230,000 jobs without hitting front-line services." - Daily Telegraph leader

Richard Ottaway asks William Hague whether the Government has sought legal advice over Syria

"Calling on Mr Hague to explain the 'international legal basis' for sending UK forces to Syria, Mr Ottaway said in a letter to the Foreign Office that MPs had expressed 'grave concerns’ over the ‘value, legitimacy and legality' of intervening in the country’s civil war." - Independent

MPs attack the Government's home extension proposals

"But the Commons communities and local government select committee said there was no evidence that the new rules would boost construction. ... The MPs also said ministers had ignored the ‘social and environmental’ impact of the changes, such as the increased likelihood of neighbour disputes and thechance that streets could be rendered ugly by a rash of new extensions." - Daily Mail

MPs back Peter Bone's attempt to protect the charitable status of churches - Daily Telegraph

> Yesterday:

• Peter Bone MP on Comment: Religious institutions should not be under attack from the Charity Commission
• MPsETC: 45 Tory MPs write to the Telegraph in protest at the Charity Commission’s “unjust” treatment of a church hall in Devon

Nick Clegg's AV referendum cost us £75 million

"Last night a spokesman for Mr Clegg defended the poll. He said: 'If you are considering a big change, you have to put it to the people.'" - The Sun

Labour calls on the Government to do more for the Afghan interpreters who helped our troops

"Labour will call on the Government today to give Afghan interpreters who risked their lives working for the British military in Afghanistan the same right to settle in Britain as the local staff employed by UK forces in Iraq, The Times has learnt." - The Times (£)

Report slams the "chaos and confusion" in the BBC

"A scathing report into the BBC's handling of a shelved Newsnight exposé of Jimmy Savile revealed a culture of 'suspicion and mistrust' at the corporation, riven by factions and in-fighting with "rigid management chains" that rendered it 'completely incapable' of dealing with the scandal when it was exposed." - Guardian

• "Lord Patten’s one and ONLY role as its chairman was to deploy his supposedly vast political nous to steer the corporation through storms and tempests. ... As yesterday’s report reveals, he failed abysmally." - Trevor Kavanagh, The Sun

A construction firm has unveiled its proposal for a four-runway airport in the Channel - Daily Mail

Study finds that millions of old people fear a cold, lonely Christmas - Daily Mail

And finally... Barack Obama is Time magazine's Person of the Year

"'You do understand that as President of the United States, the amount of power you have is overstated in some ways,' Obama says. 'But what you do have the capacity to do is to set a direction.' He has earned the right to set that direction and has learned from experience how to move the country. After four of the most challenging years in the nation’s history, his chance to leave office as a great President who was able to face crises and build a new majority coalition remains within reach." - Time

• After all, he's good with kids - Daily Mail
• And finds time to advise David Cameron about Europe - Daily Mail

> Today's video to WATCH: Obama on gun control: "This time the words must lead to action"

> Please use the thread below to provide links to news topics likely to be of interest to ConservativeHome readers and to comment on political topics that haven't been given their own blog. Read our comments policy here.

19 Dec 2012 08:28:05

Newslinks for Wednesday 19th December 2012

7pm ToryDiary: Mitchell never saw the CCTV footage until after he'd resigned but David Davis insisted that he examine it

6.45pm Columnist Andrew Lilico: It's not news that some accusations are false, and we should not lose our faith over it

6.15pm ToryDiary: David Cameron charms the 1922 Committee with his plans for the next election

5.00pm Local government: 70% of Council income to be raised locally

4.45pm MPsETC: 45 Tory MPs write to the Telegraph in protest at the Charity Commission’s “unjust” treatment of a church hall in Devon

3.45pm ToryDiary: Get that lamp from under that bushel! Tories need to wear their hearts on their sleeves.

2.30pm WATCH: Today's session of PMQs in full

1.45pm ToryDiary: Christmas cheer and humbug at PMQs

12.30pm Local government: Food banks ARE part of the Big Society - but the problem they are tackling is not new

Noon Local government: Big rise in number of councils sharing services

11.30am ToryDiary: David Cameron decides on a withdrawal plan for Afghanistan

This morning's ToryDiary post about Andrew Mitchell: The PCC inquiry into #Smeargate and Mitchell must report as soon as possible

Last night's Mitchell-related posts: 

• ToryDiary: If Andrew Mitchell lost his career over fabrications, David Cameron should give it him back
• WATCH: As Michael Crick's investigation reveals a fabricated account of his words, Mitchell says - "In that these three toxic phrases were hung round my neck and are completely untrue, I was stitched up"

Also on ToryDiary this morning: Osborne throws the kitchen sink at Balls... and Balls throws it back at Osborne

Columnist Jill Kirby: The challenges and opportunities the Conservatives have for the rest of their time in government

Mark Reckless MP on Comment: The Energy Bill is a sad retreat for Conservatives

Peter Bone MP on Comment: Religious institutions should not be under attack from the Charity Commission

Cllr Philippa Roe on Local Government: Councils can help cut the deficit - but they need the freedom to do it

The Deep End: The lefties who love austerity

Andrew Mitchell 1): Evidence casts doubt on the police's version of events

"The very next day, the Deputy Chief Whip John Randall received an email from one of his constituents saying that he and his nephew had both seen and heard the incident, and his version matched the police story that later appeared in the Telegraph almost word for word. ... When Michael Crick rang the man behind the email, he denied he was there, saying: 'I wasn't a witness to anything.' Dispatches soon discovered that he was a police officer. What we only found out last night was that he is still a serving police officer." - Channel 4 News

"Mr Mitchell demanded an inquiry into the affair, saying that it 'has shaken my lifelong support and confidence in the police'." - The Times (£)

> Today on ToryDiary: The PCC inquiry into #Smeargate and Mitchell must report as soon as possible

> Yesterday:

• ToryDiary: If Andrew Mitchell lost his career over fabrications, David Cameron should give it him back
• WATCH: As Michael Crick's investigation reveals a fabricated account of his words, Mitchell says - "In that these three toxic phrases were hung round my neck and are completely untrue, I was stitched up"

Andrew Mitchell 2): The new claims are "exceptionally serious", says Downing Street

"A spokesman for No 10 said of the latest claims: 'Any allegations that a serving police officer posed as a member of the public and fabricated evidence against a cabinet minister are exceptionally serious. ... It is therefore essential that the police get to the bottom of this as a matter of urgency.'" - BBC

"Government sources said the Prime Minister accepted John Randall had acted in good faith." - Daily Mail

Andrew Mitchell 3): Police chief says there's more to the plebgate row than meets the eye

"Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, has defended the decision to arrest a police officer suspected of leaking information on the Andrew Mitchell plebgate row, insisting: 'There is more to this than meets the eye.'" - Daily Telegraph

Andrew Mitchell 4): The Sun stands by its original story

"Last night the Channel 4 report was facing attacks on two fronts. .. Earlier in the day, Met Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe backed the officers at the Downing Street gates over claims revealed in The Sun in September that Mr Mitchell had called them “f****** plebs”. ... Meanwhile, observers pointed out the footage showed Mr Mitchell had more than enough time to say everything that cops included in their initial report to superiors — and that they were right to say members of the public had been walking past." - The Sun

Andrew Mitchell 5): Other newspapers respond

• "The rights and wrongs of the Mitchell case are still not clear. But it is clearly more complex than it first appeared. This time it is the police who have questions to answer." - Times leader (£)
• "We are now left in a position where the only person arrested as a result of this incident is not the politician who abused the police but the officer who allegedly put the incident into the public domain. Could the commissioner be trying too hard to keep his political masters sweet while throwing one of his officers to the wolves?" - Daily Telegraph leader

With impeccable timing, Theresa May is set to announce new measures to strengthen police integrity

"The Home Secretary will announce new measures to improve police integrity in the New Year, which are likely to address issues such as accepting gifts and nepotism. ... A report yesterday by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) said not enough was being done by police chiefs to ensure officers act appropriately at all times." - Daily Telegraph

And the Home Secretary also has plans for covering Abu Qatada's extended stay in the UK

"The Government could use frozen bank accounts and seized assets belonging to hate preacher Abu Qatada worth £217,000 to help cover the cost of keeping him in the country. ... Home Secretary Theresa May told the Home Affairs Select Committee that officials will look at raiding Qatada's cash and assets to pay for his huge legal bills." - Daily Mail

• Ministers informed that up to 90,000 foreign students may be living in Britain illegally - Daily Mail

David Cameron to detail Britain's withdrawal from Afghanistan

"Only 4,000 British troops will come home from Afghanistan in time for next Christmas — in a victory for the generals, The Sun can reveal. … A force of around 5,000 will remain in the Afghan badlands into 2014 to try to finish the job against the Taliban." - The Sun

• Actors lobby David Cameron over plight of Belarusian political prisoners - Guardian

And thje PM will meet with the other party leaders to talk Leveson

"Talks between Maria Miller, the Culture Secretary; Harriet Harman, her Labour shadow and Lord Wallace, a Lib Dem minister, who met again [yesterday], have failed to find a consensus. So Mr Cameron is due to discuss the issue today with Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg." - Independent

Ken Clarke's concession over secret courts

"Cabinet minister Ken Clarke gave ground on the Justice and Security Bill after a series of defeats in the Lords. He told MPs that judges, not ministers, will have the right to decide what is heard in secret, even in cases of national security. ... But he admitted that secret hearings could be used when families of dead servicemen sue the Government for negligence." - Daily Mail

The Government's human rights commission can't make up its mind

"The Commission on a Bill of Rights cost £700,000 and took 19 months, but did not look at whether Britain should pull out of the discredited European Court of Human Rights. ... The commission, filled with lawyers proposed by David Cameron and Nick Clegg, could not even reach a unanimous conclusion on the central question of whether there should be a new British Bill of Rights." - Daily Mail

• "A farce from the start" - Daily Mail leader
• The law-makers, not the likes of Abu Qatada, are the greatest threat to our precious liberties - Mary Riddell, Daily Telegraph

Stephen Lawrence's mother accuses ministers of retreating over race relations

"'With the new government in, the whole thing around race has changed completely,' said Lawrence, who will unveil a series of events on Wednesday to mark the 20th anniversary next year of Stephen's murder. 'Race is definitely not on the government's agenda.'" - Guardian

Chris Grayling's drive to cut reoffending

"Around 50,000 criminals who were spared jail went on to commit another crime within a year, figures revealed yesterday. ... Justice Secretary Chris Grayling is set to announce within weeks that charities and businesses will be brought in to tackle entrenched reoffending as part of the ‘rehabilitation revolution’. Yesterday he said the majority of probation work would be outsourced." - Daily Mail

Lords committee rejects Michael Gove's claim that race is holding up adoptions - Daily Telegraph

Ministers failed to put a senior figure in charge of the West Coast Mail Line contest, says a Department for Transport official - The Times (£)

• The head of the Civil Service reckons people need to "face up" to a rising pension age - Daily Mail

Dominic Raab: Green energy subsidies are failing to deliver cheap low carbon power

"...we need to protect households from rip-off green subsidies. That does not mean giving up on renewables. If we want to back the low carbon technologies of the future, government should spend less trying to pick commercial winners, and more promoting genuine scientific innovation. Yet in 2011, government investment in energy research and development was just 6 per cent of the RO and FIT subsidy – less than France, Germany, the US, Canada and Japan." - Dominic Raab, City AM

Alex Shelbrooke's plan to block claimants from spending their benefits on cigarettes and alcohol

"Alec Shelbrooke wants to prohibit benefits being spent on luxury items by introducing electronic cash cards which could only be used for essential items such as food and clothing. ... The cards would be similar to a chip and pin debit card but with a blocking function for non-essential items, the MP for Elmet and Rothwell told the House of Commons." - Daily Mail

> Yesterday on MPsETC: Tory MP Alec Shelbrooke introduces Bill for Welfare Cash Card, to stop claimants buying cigarettes and alcohol

Lord McAlpine settles his libel actions against the BBC and ITV - The Sun

• BBC bosses to face criticism in report on Jimmy Savile coverage - Daily Mail

Patrick O'Flynn writes about the Tories' Ukip troubles

"...we have now reached a point where not even the most complacent member of the British Establishment can ignore the rise of Ukip. Three separate opinion polls on Sunday put it on a 14 per cent vote share. More polls yesterday confirmed that it is in double figure territory. This does not mean it is yet on course to win a slew of seats at the next general election – though that is no longer an unthinkable scenario – but it does mean it is taking millions of voters from the Westminster parties." - Patrick O'Flynn, Daily Express

> Yesterday:

• ToryDiary: UKIP is a magnet for unhappy Tory voters but it's much, much more than Europe that's driving the dissatisfaction
• Lord Ashcroft on Comment: The UKIP threat is not about Europe

Tony Blair's "thinly veiled warnings" to Ed Miliband

"Tony Blair yesterday delivered a series of thinly-veiled warnings to Ed Miliband over Labour’s positions on immigration, welfare reform and the Leveson Report. ... In a highly unusual intervention into British politics, the former prime minister declined to say whether he would campaign for the Labour leader at the next election expected in 2015." - Daily Mail

• Blair the fantasist refuses to acknowledge mistakes - Daily Express editorial
• The Nats may be mocking Blair, but he’s a proven winner - Alan Cochrane, Daily Telegraph

> Yesterday on LeftWatch: Ed Miliband is now being undermined by both the Scottish and Welsh Labour parties

Union anger over measures to speed-up redundancies - Daily Mail

Taxpayers face a £25,000 bill for the Met chief's libel battle - Daily Mail

• A former police worker defends his expenses leak - Daily Mail
• Police have given up on my son Stephen, says Doreen Lawrence - Daily Mail

Councils are, increasingly, sharing services to cut costs - Financial Times (£)

Grammar schools unveil plans to overhaul entrance tests - Daily Mail

And finally... The Queen puts a smile on ministers' faces

"Sending the entire Cabinet into a fit of  the giggles would be quite a feat, even for the most persuasive of photographers. ... This one, however, had a helping hand – from the Queen. ... As he initially stuck to official instructions to take only five frames, she remarked ‘that was quick’ – making the whole Cabinet burst out laughing." - Daily Mail

> Yesterday: 

• WATCH: The Queen visits Downing Street to meet the Cabinet
• WATCH: William Hague announces a large part of the British Antarctic Territory has been named Queen Elizabeth Land

> Please use the thread below to provide links to news topics likely to be of interest to ConservativeHome readers and to comment on political topics that haven't been given their own blog. Read our comments policy here.

18 Dec 2012 08:32:00

Newslinks for Tuesday 18th December 2012

10pm WATCH: As Michael Crick's investigation reveals a fabricated account of his words, Mitchell says - "In that these three toxic phrases were hung round my neck and are completely untrue, I was stitched up"

8.30pm ToryDiary: If Andrew Mitchell lost his career over fabrications, David Cameron should give it him back

6pm WATCH: William Hague announces a large part of the British Antarctic Territory has been named Queen Elizabeth Land

5.45pm MPsETC: Defra Minister Richard Benyon secures "major step forward" in Common Fisheries Policy reform

2.30pm WATCH: Tim Yeo says investors are "a bit confused" about the Government's stance on energy sources and carbon emissions

1.30pm MPsETC: Tory MP Alec Shelbrooke introduces Bill for Welfare Cash Card, to stop claimants buying cigarettes and alcohol

1pm Columnist Peter Hoskin: Labour's fiscal bribes persist — they should be killed off

12.45pm WATCH: The Queen visits Downing Street to meet the Cabinet

Noon Greg Clark MP on Comment: This government is decentralising the public sector for the first time in more than a century

10am WATCH: David Cameron says Britain's banking union opt-out is an "important new precedent" for a non-Eurozone country

ToryDiary: UKIP is a magnet for unhappy Tory voters but it's much, much more than Europe that's driving the dissatisfaction

Lord Ashcroft on Comment: The UKIP threat is not about Europe

Also on Comment - George Freeman MP: George Osborne is becoming the entrepreneur’s friend

LeftWatch: Ed Miliband is now being undermined by both the Scottish and Welsh Labour parties

Local government: Harry Phibbs reviews Victory in London by Alex Crowley

The Deep End: The state is moving to cyberspace and, like it or not, you’re coming too

Tory defections to UKIP driven by issues such as immigration and welfare rather than Europe, says new Lord Ashcroft polling

"More than one in ten Conservative voters at the last election now backs [UKIP], but many will return to the fold if the Government delivers on immigration, welfare and the deficit, a poll suggests today. Just a quarter of those considering voting UKIP name relations with Europe as one of the top three issues facing Britain, according to the survey commissioned by former Tory vice chairman Lord Ashcroft. He warned that the promise of an EU referendum will not be enough to reverse an increase in support for UKIP." - Daily Mail

• "The Tories have lost one sixth of their support in the past two months and UKIP has risen to a record high as voters take a harder line against the European Union, according to a poll for The Times." - Times (£)
• Ukip more popular than ever, poll shows - Daily Telegraph

Coverage from today:

• ToryDiary: UKIP is a magnet for unhappy Tory voters but it's much, much more than Europe that's driving the dissatisfaction
• Lord Ashcroft on Comment: The UKIP threat is not about Europe

Coverage from yesterday:

• ToryDiary: The unhappy Tory family mustn't turn on itself
• Columnist Bruce Anderson: Parris and Portillo are wrong to disdain the views of grassroot Tories

David Cameron: withdrawal from EU is imaginable...

"David Cameron broke new ground on Europe... suggesting British withdrawal from the EU is "imaginable"... The prime minister stressed that he supported membership of a reformed EU, though he said Britain was "in charge of our own destiny"." - Guardian

• "Bit by bit, David Cameron is being forced to shift his position on Britain’s relations with the European Union." - Daily Express editorial
• "The UK is “sleepwalking to a European Union exit”, Labour leader Ed Miliband claimed yesterday" - Scotsman
• Nowhere is the UK’s imagined irrelevance less true than in the European Union - Janan Ganesh for the FT (£)

...Yet signs up to "systematic" long-term European defence co-operation 

"David Cameron was accused yesterday of signing Britain up to a blueprint for a Euro Army. European leaders agreed plans for greater defence co-operation at a summit in Brussels that will force Britain to consult fellow EU nations over defence planning, with defence chiefs having to co-ordinate capabilities and procurement." - Daily Mail

• "Britain’s armed forces are to rely increasingly on allies — most notably France — as they are remodelled for straitened times, the the Chief of the defence staff said last night. ... General Sir David Richards said that a new Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) would form the teeth of Britain’s armed forces" - Times (£)

British Bill of Rights report due to be published - BBC

Human rights judges go too far, says Grayling as he ratchets up hostilities with Strasbourg court

"A senior cabinet minister last night accused European human rights judges of ‘overstepping the mark’ - in a significant ratcheting up of hostilities with the Strasbourg court. Justice Secretary Chris Grayling’s remarks are the strongest condemnation to date of the controversial court from a Tory minister. He accuses the judges of prying ‘more and more’ into areas that should be decided in domestic courts or by MPs in Parliament." - Daily Mail

• The European Court has drifted too far from its principles – and we want to put that right - Chris Grayling for the Daily Telegraph

David Davis: We don't need secret courts to protect our US relations

"The government's own independent adviser on security matters has told the joint committee on human rights that one reason for the government's pursuit of secret courts is to protect their position on the use of drones to assassinate alleged terrorists. The policy is controversial, not least because a number of those killed appear to be innocent bystanders. Are we going to deny them justice simply because of our craven relationship with the US?" - David Davis for the Guardian

Wind farms should not be less than 1.4 miles from people's homes, Nick Boles suggests

"Nick Boles said in the House of Commons that wind turbines should not have an “unacceptable impact” in local communities... There is currently no national standard for the distance between turbines and houses. But Mr Boles told MPs that he thought a minimum distance “might be appropriate” in some areas." -Daily Telegraph

Lord (Michael) Howard: Keep the bureaucrats’ hands off our hospices

"Hospices began as a response by local people to a lack of dignity and compassion for dying people. As the NHS reforms take effect, we must make sure that the ethos of hospice care is nurtured and extended, and we must not allow hospice care, as a humanitarian response to a deeply human issue, to be eroded by inappropriate regulation and red tape." - Lord Howard for the Times (£)

• NHS to drop poverty as yardstick for local funding - Guardian

Queen set to attend cabinet meeting in Downing Street - BBC

• "When the Queen attends a Cabinet meeting today, it should listen to her advice" - Daily Telegraph editorial

Nick Clegg to rock Coalition boat in high-risk bid for votes

"A former top adviser to the Deputy PM revealed the Lib Dems will stress their differences with the Tories in a high-risk bid to win back voters. Richard Reeves warned that if Mr Clegg failed to boost support for his party, the Coalition would likely collapse before 2015." - The Sun

• The fight for the centre ground between Nick Clegg and David Cameron makes the Coalition fragile - Steve Richards for the Independent
• Obama already embodies a narrative, but Cameron, Miliband and Clegg must find one to explain their actions - Rachel Sylvester for the Times (£)

> Yesterday on ToryDiary: Cameron says that Clegg and Liberal Democrats are struggling to make tough decisions

Clegg challenges Cameron to scrap benefits for wealthy pensioners

"Nick Clegg boasted he vetoed more than £6billion of ‘draconian’ Tory welfare cuts yesterday – but insisted pensioner benefits should not go to the better off. The Deputy Prime Minister directly contradicted David Cameron’s stance on maintaining free bus passes and free TV licences for the over 75s and the annual winter fuel payment. ‘Money should not be paid to those who do not need it,’ he said." - Daily Mail | Scotsman

Ed Davey pledges to fight rising energy bills

"Mr Davey said: “Energy companies have been suggesting that ECO will increase bills. I believe there is no good basis for this claim. We estimate the overall cost of ECO at an average of £1.3bn per year – that’s the same as the current supplier obligations. So ECO should impose no new costs.”" - Independent

• Tim Yeo will lead calls for decarbonisation target to be included in bill, in order to reassure investors and hit emissions targets - Guardian

Ed Miliband asks for party leaders' meeting to thrash out Leveson deal

"Ed Miliband is seeking a meeting with David Cameron and Nick Clegg this week to thrash out an agreement on how to implement the Leveson report on future press standards amid Labour fears that ministers are manoeuvring to delay a decision until the public interest ebbs away in the new year." - Guardian

Labour shows the strain over gay marriage

"Labour tensions over gay marriage have surfaced as MPs attacked the Government’s plans for same-sex weddings and shadow ministers clashed over their tactics on the issue. Ed Miliband has decided to allow his MPs a free vote on the plans when they are introduced in the Commons next month, but all members of the shadow Cabinet are to support the reform. ... [some s]enior Labour MPs, including frontbench spokesmen, are expected to vote against the proposals out of religious conviction." - Independent

> From yesterday - David Burrowes MP on Comment: Let's take the gay marriage debate out of the party political arena

Scotland’s free university education ‘no longer sustainable’ says Johann Lamont

"Free tuition for university students in Scotland is “not sustainable” and a return to the graduate contribution must be considered, Labour leader Johann Lamont has said." - Scotsman

• Independent Scotland unlikely to be left outside EU, says former judge - Scotsman
• Anti-English bullies left me unable to do my job, says National Theatre of Scotland chief - Daily Telegraph
• Ulster Unionists cling to an England that doesn’t care if they stay or go. I fear the same fate north of the Border - Hugo Rifkind for the Times (£)

> Today on LeftWatch: Ed Miliband is now being undermined by both the Scottish and Welsh Labour parties

RSPCA spends £330,000 to target David Cameron's old hunt... which receives fine of only £4,000 - Daily Mail

Phone calls to poorly-staffed HMRC advice lines cost taxpayers millions - Guardian

Ebacc plans imperil Olympic legacy, say sports chiefs - Guardian

Home-schooled children face 'postcode lottery' of official support, say MPs - Guardian

• Care system failing most vulnerable children - Times (£)

> Yesterday on Local government: Policy Exchange calls for 1,000 more children in care to go to boarding schools

France warms to Gérard Depardieu, the heroic tax exile - Daily Telegraph

> Please use the thread below to provide links to news topics likely to be of interest to ConservativeHome readers and to comment on political topics that haven't been given their own blog. Read our comments policy here.