‘Ofsted today reveals Muslim governors in secular schools are inviting hate preachers into assembly, segregating girls at the back of class and banning music and singing. One takes kids on trips to Mecca but leaves behind Christian kids — who have also in some cases been left to teach themselves…Speaking last night Mr Cameron said: “Protecting our children is one of the first duties of Government…Six Birmingham schools will be placed in special measures, with Ofsted keeping a regular presence. One Government source said yesterday: “People will be shocked to see what’s been going on.”’ – The Sun (£)
>Today: ToryDiary: Cameron must do to Britain’s Islamists what Thatcher did to the trade union barons
‘Mr Gove is a paradox. He is the politest of men but his intellectual self-confidence and curiosity explain why he will cross dangerous motorways as well as country roads to begin an argument. This explains not only his testy relations with some colleagues, but also his unpopularity with teachers and parents. Although he deserves to be remembered as a great education secretary he has fought on too many fronts.’ – Tim Montgomerie, The Times (£)
‘Theresa May is to be hauled before MPs to face questions over what she knew about a damaging letter leaked by her closest aide to undermine Michael Gove. The Home Secretary – who is seen as a Tory leadership contender – will be asked about her role in the ‘unseemly’ public feud with the Education Secretary over how Islamist extremism is tackled in schools.’ – Daily Mail
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: Cameron’s real target. Neither Gove nor May – but Ministers’ special advisers
‘It is our tolerance of intolerance that motivates Michael Gove’s mission to resist the ideological subversion of our institutions and democratic practices. This ranges from how evolutionary theory is taught in our classrooms to voter intimidation as recently observed in Tower Hamlets. It is also this that brings him into conflict with the Home Office, whose record on dealing with non-violent extremism he probably sees as ranging from the supine in the 1990s to the counter-productive in the noughties, when under the “Prevent” programme, self-appointed “representative” Muslim groups were funded by government in a misguided attempt to deflect people from violence by allowing them to encourage segregation from society and intolerance of all who do not share their beliefs.’ – Alan Judd, Daily Telegraph
‘The start of the last 100 days before the September 18 referendum on Scottish independence is being marked by both sides with stepped-up campaigns to win over undecided voters. The cross-party Better Together’s effort to raise the tempo brings increased involvement from Labour heavyweights in the party’s drive against independence.’ – FT
‘Pressure is growing on Ed Miliband to help block Jean-Claude Juncker from taking the top job at the European Commission. A public statement from the Labour leader would allow David Cameron to claim the support of all three main party leaders in Britain ahead of a key meeting with Angela Merkel today, government sources said.’ – The Times (£)
‘Nick Clegg will today demand greater levels of borrowing and tax rises for the wealthy to pay for public spending after the election, telling voters he does not want ‘austerity forever’. The Liberal Democrat leader will say that although debt needs to be reduced first, the country must spend far more on new homes, roads and rail lines in years to come. He will also confirm that his manifesto will pledge tax rises for the wealthy.’ – Daily Mail
‘Peter Hain insisted Red Ed was well placed to lead a government — but winning an outright majority would be difficult. He said: “People, when they see him as Prime Minister, will actually realise they have elected the right person, even if maybe they don’t see it at the moment.” The comments came hours after Shadow Treasury Secretary Rachel Reeves admitted Ukip was stealing Labour’s traditional working class support.’ – The Sun (£)
‘The charities, led by the aid giant Oxfam, said that there was a rise in numbers of desperate people turning to food banks in even the most affluent parts of the country, and that half a million children are living in families that cannot provide ‘a minimally acceptable diet’. But the claims were challenged yesterday after it emerged that more than half of the free meals were not given out to people who cannot afford to eat but to other good causes such as pensioners’ lunch clubs. ‘It is simply not possible to draw conclusions from these unverified figures drawn from disparate sources,’ a spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions said.’ – Daily Mail
‘Hospitals are still charging patients up to £500 a week to park their cars — despite Government promises to stop them doing so. Ministers were last night slammed for dragging their feet on getting tough with NHS trusts fleecing Brits.’ – The Sun (£)
‘Prime Minister David Cameron is poised to emulate Tony Blair’s ‘Cool Britannia’ celebration by inviting some of the biggest names from the worlds of acting and music to a Downing Street party. Among those reportedly sent invitations for the star-studded ‘Best of Britain’s creative industries’ reception at No 10 later this month are Benedict Cumberbatch, Emma Watson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, the star of the Oscar-winning Twelve Years a Slave, plus Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig. But a notable omission from the list is said to be Take That singer Gary Barlow.’ – Daily Mail
‘If somebody is going to take the expensive trouble to drill through miles of rock, and have no discernible effect on your garden above, then you should no more have the right to prosecute him for trespass than you do to prosecute an airliner flying thousands of feet above your garden or a car driving past on a motorway a mile away. The law needs clarifying because the anti-gas greens were planning to buy minuscule parcels of land over shale-gas drilling sites and refusing permission to the drillers.’ – The Times (£)