9pm Melanchthon on CentreRight: Do you really want your MPs to work for you as a job?
7.45pm Seats and Candidates: Chloe Smith finally has a Labour opponent in Norwich North
4.15pm WATCH: Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw expresses surprise at some of the expenses claims made by top BBC executives
1.30pm Jonathan Isaby on CentreRight: We still don't have dates for the by-elections in Norwich and Glasgow – Why not change the rules so that such contests are automatically held a set time after the vacancy occurs?
11.45am ToryDiary: Philip Hammond states that "protecting frontline public services" will be the key when reviewing government spending
Liam Maxwell on Platform: The State must give us back our data
Mark Wallace in Local Government: Councils must resist the demands of local NHS nanny-staters which would have the effect of banning Popeye for under-18s
WATCH:
David Davis calls to bring back "inspiring" grammar schools
"I favour allowing parents to do the best possible for their
children, including sending them to fee-paying schools. But we should
also give the best possible chance to those who cannot afford that, and
the best way to do this is to bring back grammar schools.There
were no halcyon days in our past. But for those kids, with the
capability but not the cash, the aptitude but not the opportunity, with
all the talent but none of the chances, there is little doubt – grammar
schools were best." – David Davis MP writing in the Mail on Sunday
> Wednesday's ToryDiary: Public school boys run Britain says David Davis during a defence of grammar schools
David Cameron sets up future showdown with Alex Salmond over Trident
"Tory
leader David Cameron and Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond, have
gone to war over the deployment of a new generation of Trident nuclear
submarines on the Clyde. Cameron warns the Scottish Government that if
the Conservatives win the next election the SNP should not "obstruct"
Trident and should accept that the prime minister has a mandate to
govern the whole of the UK in reserved areas such as defence. Salmond
however says it will be "perfectly legitimate" for the Scottish
Parliament to try to exert influence over what happens in Scotland. In
a BBC documentary to mark a decade of devolution, the SNP leader
promises to campaign against a Trident replacement at "every available
opportunity". – Sunday Herald
The Telegraph turns its attention to MPs' second jobs
"A survey has uncovered the outside interests of dozens of MPs who hold down paid positions, ranging from legal and media work to crofting, and even grave digging. One earns £750 an hour for helping to organise an awards ceremony for the drinks industry, while another is paid more than £1,300 a day to provide business advice." – Sunday Telegraph
The paper lists second income details for a number of individual MPs
More Tory MPs resign outside interests in advance of official publication of details
"Four Tories have now officially given notice that they intend to
quit directorships, consultancies and other work worth tens of
thousands of pounds before Wednesday, when all MPs will have to declare
how much they are paid, and how many hours they put in, on
extra-curricular jobs. It has now emerged that a shadow Treasury
minister, David Gauke, has given up his directorship of Ivobank, while
David Evennett, Edward Leigh and Edward Timpson have confirmed that
they will do the same before Wednesday." – Independent on Sunday
Osborne denies that he received leaked information from the Bank of England governor…
"Shadow chancellor George Osborne denied on Saturday that Bank of England Governor Mervyn King had leaked confidential government bank recapitalisation plans to the party… "These are allegations that are simply not true. They are made by Labour cabinet ministers, sometimes by the Prime Minister in private to people," Osborne said. "I think it says more about his government than about the entirely proper and correct relationship between the opposition and the independent central bank," he said." – Reuters
…as he expands on Tory plans to give more power to the BoE
"The Tories are considering giving more powers to the Bank of England to oversee financial institutions, George Osborne has confirmed… "The tripartite system between the chancellor, the Bank of England and the FSA has simply failed. I mean, it failed to spot the growing financial crisis, it has led to serious lack of coordination in dealing with problems like Northern Rock", Mr Osborne said. "You now see open bickering in the newspapers between some elements of the tripartite relationship. You know, none of that is healthy, not least when we're still dealing with a credit crunch." – BBC
Conservative backbencher defends expenses claim for astrology software
"Tory MP David Tredinnick charged the taxpayer for studying astrology and the influence of the planets… Mr Tredinnick, MP for Bosworth, Leicestershire, defended the claims, saying it was necessary to pursue his interest in alternative medicine. He said that after his studies, he was inclined to believe there was some truth in the astrology and the influence of the planets on the earth and said the payments had been approved in advance by the Commons’ Fees Office." – Mail on Sunday
Claims of internal concerns about Conservative education policy
"The Swedish school plan was announced in a blaze of publicity less than a year ago… However, the party has yet to set the criteria that parents and private organisations will have to meet to be eligible for funding. A source involved in drawing up the plans listed a series of problems in adapting the Swedish system to Britain. They include the huge cost of land and property for building schools in the UK; fears the policy will be exploited by “wacky” religious groups; the scale of the plans; and Gove’s determination not to allow private operators to cash in." – Sunday Times
City benefactors donate millions to Tories
"The growing support from City donors was demonstrated last week with more than £500,000 raised at the Conservative Party Summer Fundraiser at Old Billingsgate. Hedge fund managers and City advisers have been among the most generous donors, pledging hundreds of thousands of pounds to the Conservatives." – Sunday Telegraph
How the Conservatives are exposing Labour's dishonesty on public spending
"As David Cameron cycled to the House of Commons on Wednesday morning he had one objective on his mind. How could he expose as false Gordon Brown’s pledge to keep increasing public expenditure? …Cameron discovered that the red book figures showed expenditure on infra-structure such as schools, roads and hospitals would in fact fall from £44 billion next year to £26 billion in 2012. This simple fact was deployed with devastating effect at prime minister’s questions. Though Brown blustered about Tory plans for cuts, he could not deny the truth of data that had been produced by his own officials." – Sunday Times
Matthew Parris: David Cameron must bore or Britain on the subject of spending
"Should Mr Cameron simply hope that the Opposition have made their point, and change the subject? Or should he act the club bore and hammer tediously on about the Government’s failure to acknowledge either the mess we’re in, or the spending cuts that are thundering towards us like a runaway train? He should hammer on. He must bore for Britain. This is so much bigger than any other question facing the nation, so much more urgent, so much more disgraceful, so much more likely to impact on all our lives for a decade to come, that for Mr Cameron to turn aside from the issue in exasperation as Mr Brown fibs, and fibs, and fibs, and persistently refuses to look Parliament or the country in the eye, would be a dereliction of an opposition leader’s duty." – Matthew Parris in the Sunday Times
John Rentoul: Nick Clegg is ahead of the curve on the need for cutting spending
"While he is not in favour of cuts in public spending this year – contrary to Brown's attempt to pretend that he is – he [Nick Clegg] is likely to fight the election on a more explicit programme of public spending cuts than the Conservatives. And it may be that a Cameron government, even a minority administration, will not only be required by its own watchdog to make deep cuts in public spending, and be able to do so with Liberal Democrat support, but it may not be unpopular if it succeeds." – John Rentoul in the Independent on Sunday
John Bercow had to pay for the repair of a Commons door in 2000
"New Speaker John Bercow’s vow to improve the conduct of MPs suffered an embarrassing setback yesterday after it was revealed that he had to pay a repair bill for smashing down a House of Commons door. Hot-headed Mr Bercow told police to break into an office in the Houses of Parliament when they could not find the key. He was accused of vandalism and agreed to foot the bill for fixing it." – Mail on Sunday
Profile of the new Speaker – Sunday Times
Conservatives launch sexual health review
"The Conservative Party has launched a review of sexual health services and appointed a new head of policy to lead the investigation. Dr David Bull will lead the review along with shadow health minister and qualified nurse Anne Milton." – Nursing Times
> Friday's Seats and Candidates post: David Bull steps down as candidate for Brighton Pavilion to head up policy review
Janet Daley: Here's a Tory war cry – power to the people
"David Cameron has been advocating a "smaller state", a shift of power from government to people – which is fine. But he has been talking about it in largely abstract, philosophical terms. Now is the time for an unambiguously clear argument which connects up the anger at public profligacy with concrete mechanisms for allowing individuals to take control of that portion of their wealth which they hand to the state." – Janet Daley in the Sunday Telegraph
William Rees-Mogg: The next intake of Tory MPs could be as revolutionary as Labour's Class of '45
"When David Cameron describes himself as a liberal Conservative, he is speaking for the Conservative generation immediately younger than himself, as well as for his generation. The new generation instinctively rejects the unproductive apparatus of quangos and bureaucrats, of cameras and identity cards, of restriction and supervision. They are committed to the ideas of social liberty, and, if they are elected, they will fight for those ideas in Parliament." – WIlliam Rees-Mogg in the Mail on Sunday
Iain Dale: Sexuality is no longer an issue in the Tory Party
"Bill Clinton invented the phrase "don't ask, don't tell" relating to gays in the US military. That used to be the maxim of gays in the Tory party. Nowadays it's different. The shock factor has disappeared and if anyone feels the need to announce they are gay, the declaration is treated with a massive shrug of the shoulders and a collective "so what?" As I say, that's exactly as it should be." – Iain Dale writing in the Independent on Sunday
Coverage of David Maclean's announcement that he is to quit Parliament
"Tory MP David Maclean, one of the leaders of the battle against the disclosure of expenses details, is to step down at the next general election. Mr Maclean, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, said he could no longer carry out his job at "full pelt". – BBC
> Yesterday's Seats and Candidates post: 13th plum Tory seat becomes vacant with retirement announcement from Penrith's David Maclean
Government to give cancer patients right to see specialist within two weeks
"Patients will get new legal rights to see a cancer specialist within two weeks under government plans to be announced this week. The Sunday Telegraph has learned that the move – to be outlined in a document called Building Britain's Future – could see NHS patients forcing local GPs to send them to private hospitals with the costs borne by the NHS." – Sunday Telegraph
Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has reacted to the story thus: “Just as Labour say they are going to scrap national targets they are proposing to create another target which threatens to distort clinical activity. Why should a two week initial referral be an entitlement, but not subsequent time to diagnosis or treatment? Or why not an entitlement to access to cancer drugs? The public are not looking for one aspect of medical treatment to be singled out, the NHS commitment is to deliver the best possible care throughout the patients’ journey.”
European Commission plans attempt to ban smoking outdoors – News of the World
"Historic day" as loyalist groups finally lay down their arms – Observer
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