9pm WATCH: David Cameron: It would have been the easy way out just to sack Andrew Mitchell immediately
6pm ToryDiary: Free market Lib Dem Mark Littlewood advocates continued coalition of Orange Bookers and Conservatives after 2015
3.30pm MPsETC: Conservative Select Committee appointments announced
3.15pm Byron Davies AM on Comment: Conservatives in Wales want to help stimulate growth by regenerating the Welsh high street
3pm WATCH: David Cameron: The "proper response to crime" is "punishment – proportional, meaningful punishment"
2.45pm Local government: North Lincolnshire Council scraps funding for union reps
12.30pm MPsETC: Andrew Lansley and Sir George Young take office with light legislative schedule
ToryDiary: "Tough, but intelligent" – Cameron unveils new slogan for longstanding approach to crime
Columnist Bruce Anderson: Despite current news reports, the team inside Downing Street is by far the best I've ever known
Sam Bowman on Comment: The Government has so far failed to make the cuts to business regulations necessary for Britain to succeed. Here's how it can.
Local government: What's in a name? Taking the stigma out of social housing
The Deep End: Hugo Chavez makes idiots of the left and hypocrites of the right
WATCH: Senior Downing Street aide Oliver Dowden admits he is "surprised on a day to day basis" by events
David Cameron seeks to regain iniative with speech on crime
"David Cameron will today seek to steady Conservative nerves by promising a "tough but intelligent" approach to criminal justice as he tries to repair the damage caused by the Andrew Mitchell affair. … He will say: "Retribution is not a dirty word, it is important to society that revulsion against crime is properly recognised. But punishment is what offenders both deserve and need, too. To treat criminals as victims – to say they had no choice – is to treat them like children."" – Independent
> Today on ToryDiary: "Tough, but intelligent" – Cameron unveils new slogan for longstanding approach to crime
Britain expected to emerge from recession on back of Olympics bounce
"Britain is this week expected to emerge from recession, with the Olympics providing a much needed boost to the economy in the third quarter. Analysts expect a 0.6% rise in GDP, lifting the economy out of the longest double-dip recession since the second world war. GDP declined over the previous three quarters." – Guardian
Tim Montgomerie: Downing Street believes the GDP figures will be one of the pivotal moments of the Coalition
"Every finger and toe of every Treasury minister is crossed. In three days, at 9.30am, the number-crunchers at the Office of National Statistics will announce whether Britain is emerging from the double-dip recession or if the economy is still shrinking. … If the figures show the economy is still in recession, the next three months could be treacherous for Cameron and Osborne… If the economy is on the up again, however, the Government will more easily be able to argue that the pain of recent years has been worthwhile." – Tim Montgomerie for the Daily Mail
I am surprised every day, says Cameron's "crisis manager" Oliver Dowden
"Oliver Dowden, David Cameron’s deputy chief of staff who oversees domestic policy, disclosed that he was “surprised on a day-to-day basis” by the news agenda. The admission will add to concerns that the Prime Minister’s office is “dysfunctional” … [S]everal members of the Cabinet are now privately giving warnings that the growing allegations of government incompetence will undermine the Conservatives’ re-election efforts." – Daily Telegraph
> From today - WATCH: Senior Downing Street aide Oliver Dowden admits he is "surprised on a day to day basis" by events
Cameron wants Boris' election strategist Lynton Crosby
"Lynton Crosby, the Australian political strategist, has been approached to mastermind the Tory campaign. Lord Feldman of Elstree, the Tory co-chairman, hopes to secure his services by the spring, two years before polling day. Both Mr Cameron and George Osborne are anxious to sign him up. However, while the tough Mr Crosby would cheer those critical of drift in No 10, his anticipated strategy focusing on the core Tory vote would alarm others." – The Times (£)
> Yesterday on ToryDiary: Pay whatever it takes. Hire Lynton Crosby and hire him now.
Iain Martin: Do the Government's problems lie with David Cameron?
"Mr Cameron has long emphasised pragmatism to the point where many wonder what, if anything, he believes. This means that when he encounters difficulties – as Prime Ministers tend to, especially mid-term – there is not a cadre of Conservatives keen to defend him. If they felt he was engaged in a great mission to restore the country to health they might be more inclined to overlook errors. Many in his party yearn for a strong lead and a more principled approach." – Iain Martin for the Daily Telegraph
> From today - Columnist Bruce Anderson: Despite current news reports, the team inside Downing Street is by far the best I've ever known
Michael Gove: police recollection of "plebgate" may have been wrong
"Michael Gove claimed the police recollection of 'plebgate' may have been wrong and said he trusted that Andrew Mitchell had not called officers 'morons' or 'plebs.' The Education secretary said people often had 'different recollections of the same event' and pointed to 1950s Japanese film Rashomon in which several characters gave a differing accounts of the same story." – Daily Telegraph
> From yesterday:
Chris Grayling: We’ll stick GPS tags on paedophiles
"We have to make sure children stop falling through the cracks, ignored when they ask for help. And there are other things we can do to crack down on predators. Like greater use of state-of -the-art GPS technology that we’re going to be trialling and rolling out, so that we really would know whether a paedophile was, for example, hanging around the school gates." – Chris Grayling for The Sun
Andrea Leadsom MP: We need a clearer picture of QE's long-term effects
"The time has come to establish a clearer picture of what the long-term outcome may be when the Government (with the backing of the taxpayer) borrows money from the markets, only for the central bank (with the backing of the taxpayer) to buy that debt. This is a venture into largely unknown territory, so it’s right that attention is now turning to how we can return to “normal” monetary policy and unwind QE. … The need for parliamentary and executive oversight of the central bank has rarely been greater." Andrea Leadsom MP for the Daily Telegraph
Government-civil service relations at an all-time low
"Relations are at rock bottom and there are claims that civil servants are secretly using the Liberal Democrats to try to block policy. Bernard Jenkin, the chairman of the Public Administration Select Committee, is pressing David Cameron and other ministers to set up a royal commission to address “a crisis of competence and confidence” in Whitehall." – Times (£)
Government to rip up rulebook and subsidise new (foreign-owned) nuclear plants – Independent
Angela Merkel warns Britain that it will cancel next European summit if Cameron maintains budget increase veto threat
"Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor, does not believe there is any point in holding the budget summit to agree on a seven-year framework for EU spending if Britain intends to veto any deal, say people close to the negotiations. Ms Merkel is trying hard to persuade Mr Cameron to back a German compromise that would cap EU spending at 1 per cent of European gross domestic product." – FT (£)
> From yesterday - Columnist Andrew Lilico: EU Get-outers need to get that we're out
The Home Secretary’s volte-face on Gary McKinnon endangers intelligence co-operation agreements with the US – Con Coughlin for the Daily Telegraph
New "Blue Collar" Tories group to win back working class voters – with inspiration from Harold Macmillan
"A new group called Blue Collar Conservatism is being set up by Tory MPs and activists to try to make the party more attractive to working class voters. The group wants to draw on the parallels with 1959 old Etonian Prime Minister, Harold McMillan, drew on the support of millions of blue collar conservatives to beat Hampstead intellectual Labour leader Hugh Gaitskell. So far 40 Conservative MPs have joined the group, which launches next month on the eve of the elections for Police and Crime Commissioners." – Daily Telegraph
> From yesterday - WATCH: Tim Montgomerie tells BBC's Hard Talk that the Conservative Party needs a blue collar message if it is to win the next election
"The End of Politics" by Douglas Carswell MP shows how connectedness is a force for good – Charles Moore for the Daily Telegraph
185 MPs are claiming for first class rail tickets on their expenses
"They exploit a rules loophole that allows them to go first class in some circumstances. But these tickets can be five times more expensive than the standard fares for the same train. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls and ex-Lib Dem Cabinet minister Chris Huhne are among those using the taxpayer-funded perk." – The Sun
> Yesterday on LeftWatch: 44% of Labour MPs have claimed for first class travel in last year, 33% of LibDems and only 16% of Tories
Labour MP calls for Orgreave police inquiry – BBC
SNP party conference: Nicola Sturgeon pledges to improve conditions for poor – Scotsman
> Yesterday on ToryDiary: Alex Salmond aims to frame independence referendum as choice between Left-wing Scotland or Tory-rule from London
BBC scrapped Jimmy Savile investigation after Newsnight came "under pressure" from senior managers
"George Entwistle, the BBC director-general, will be accused by his own journalists of misleading the public about his role in the scandal. An hour-long Panorama special, featuring newly disclosed emails and interviews, will raise serious questions about Mr Entwistle’s role in the decision to drop a Newsnight exposé of Savile… The documentary… will disclose that Mr Entwistle was told he “might have to change the Christmas schedules” if the Newsnight film went ahead because it would clash with tribute programmes to Savile." – Daily Telegraph
House sales are rising in most areas – Daily Express
> Today on Local government: What's in a name? Taking the stigma out of social housing
Sir Ian Blair urges boycott of police commissioner election – Times (£)
> Yesterday on Local government: The Lib Dems are contesting only half the Police Commissioner elections
Jobseekers who refuse to work could have benefits cut for three years – Guardian
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