“Hospitals are at bursting point with admissions at record levels. A huge rise in the number of frail elderly patients going into hospital means that admissions are a third higher than a decade ago. Experts warned that ‘all bets are off’ if the tide cannot be stemmed. The warnings came as the row over ‘revolving door’ health service redundancies deepened when it emerged that ministers had guaranteed huge payouts for managers” – The Times (£)
“Calculations used by ministers to justify the controversial £50billion high-speed rail scheme were ‘essentially made up’, a former Government adviser told Treasury watchdogs yesterday. Professor Henry Overman was one of a number of academics giving testimony to MPs which undermined the ministerial case for the 351-mile HS2 line from London to Birmingham and the North” – Daily Mail
“Police officers embroiled in the Plebgate affair have refused to give unreserved apologies to Andrew Mitchell, as one admitted a string of complaints had been made against him. The two sergeants – who were harshly criticised by the Home Affairs Select Committee in a report published last weekend – told MPs they regretted making ‘inadvertent’ errors in their evidence during a previous appearance before MPs” – Daily Telegraph
“The government has agreed to pause the lobbying bill in the Lords for as long as six weeks to give ministers time to rethink plans to regulate the way charities campaign, especially during general elections. Ministers were forced into the concessions after they risked encountering a coalition in the Lords – led by crossbencher Lord Ramsbotham – which would have forced the bill into a select committee for consideration for up to three months” – Guardian
“Mark Pritchard, the Conservative MP for The Wrekin and former secretary of the influential 1922 Committee, told an undercover reporter that he could use his ‘network’ to set up meetings with politicians in countries where he had parliamentary connections. Mr Pritchard sits on official parliamentary groups for many of those countries where, in return for payment, he was offering to broker investments and to arrange meetings with senior government figures” – Daily Telegraph
“Tens of thousands of people have signed a petition calling on David Cameron to prevent a soldier from losing his job 72 hours before he qualifies for a generous pension. Sergeant Michael Anderson, 35, will lose almost £175,000 in pension payments during his lifetime because he is being forced out of the Army three days short of 18 years of service, the length of time that is needed for an immediate pension” – The Times (£)
“Ed Miliband was accused of ‘wilfully averting’ his gaze from the vote-rigging scandal engulfing his party yesterday – as he refused seven times to reopen the inquiry into the activities of the Unite union.The Labour leader came under fire amid fresh evidence of the extraordinary pressure placed on Lorraine Kane, who sparked claims of Unite attempting to fix the selection of a candidate in Falkirk” – Daily Mail