“The UK economy has returned to pre-crisis levels by expanding 0.8% in the second quarter of this year. On an annual basis gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 3.1%. The figures show the economy is now worth 0.2% more than it was at its peak in 2008, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. The service sector is the only part of the economy that has passed its previous 2008 peak, although that accounts for almost 80% of UK output.” – BBC
>Yesterday: ToryDiary: The economy grows past its 2008 peak
“Ed Miliband yesterday confirmed what most of us suspected – he IS weird. Launching Labour’s summer campaign, the party leader said it’s true he trails behind David Cameron in image – but he insisted politics should be about substance rather than style and “showbiz”.” – The Sun(£)
“The government must find someone to lead its probe into historical child abuse allegations immediately, a children’s charity has said. Barnardo’s urged ministers to act after fresh claims of an abuse “cover-up”. Baroness Butler-Sloss stood down as head of an overarching inquiry nearly a fortnight ago amid concerns about her family links with the establishment. Home Secretary Theresa May then said a new chairman and inquiry panel would be announced “as soon as possible”.” – BBC
“Local communities that once opposed new housing developments now support them because of the Coalition’s controversial planning reforms, the Government’s new planning minister has claimed. In an article for The Telegraph, Brandon Lewis appeared to suggest that Nimbyism was on the wane as he said there had been a “dramatic swing” in public opinion – with almost half of people now in favour of new housing in their area. He claimed the Government’s reforms, which introduced a presumption in favour of sustainable development, were responsible for this transformation because people now had a greater say in where new housing goes.” – Daily Telegraph
“David Cameron has said the government will look into creating a separate offence of domestic violence, as he acknowledged the UK needs to “get to grips” with the problem. The prime minister commented when he was asked on BBC Gloucestershire about the case of Hollie Gazzard, who was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend in February. She had previously contacted police about her partner’s violent and threatening behaviour, and there is now a review by the Independent Police Complaints Commission is reviewing the force’s handling of her complaint.” – The Guardian
“David Cameron’s flagship Big Society Network is being investigated by the Charity Commission over allegations that it misused government funding and made inappropriate payments to its directors – including a Tory donor. The organisation, which was launched by the Prime Minister in 2010, was given at least £2.5 million of National Lottery funding and public-sector grants despite having no record of charitable activity. The Independent has learnt that it has now been wound up, having used much of the money on projects that came nowhere near delivering on their promised objectives.” – The Independent
“Lord Hill, 54, has spent more time as a lobbyist than as a politician. After leaving No 10 in 1994, he spent four years at the PR firm Bell Pottinger before co-founding Quiller Consultants, a small reputation-management firm that specialises in advising wealthy executives and crisis-hit companies. Quiller began disclosing clients’ identities in the industry’s voluntary register only in February 2010, shortly before Lord Hill was ennobled. However, The Times has established that during his time at the helm it represented a string of controversial clients, including the government of the United Arab Emirates, a consortium of four Russian oligarchs, an investment fund based in the Cayman Islands and, for 12 months until 2009, the Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association. Quiller has also worked for Telefonica O2, HSBC and the Hedge Fund Standards Board.” – The Times(£)
“The sick should turn to astrology for answers, a Tory MP has declared. David Tredinnick said astrology had a ‘proven track record’ at helping people recover from illness and should be incorporated into standard medical treatments. The MP for Bosworth in Leicestershire also admitted he had prepared astrological charts for fellow MPs – but refused to say who.” – Daily Mail
“A millionaire estate agent who once lived in a castle has been chosen as the replacement for a Tory MP forced out by her local party. Kevin Hollinrake was selected as the Conservative candidate in Thirsk and Malton at a meeting of local party members last night. He replaces Anne McIntosh, who has represented the north Yorkshire constituency and its forerunner since 1997. The selection of Mr Hollinrake, who was chosen from a shortlist of two men and two women, leaves the Conservatives without a female candidate in any winnable northern seat.” – The Times(£)
>Yesterday: MPsETC: Kevin Hollinrake selected to fight Thirsk and Malton
“Supersized” food and drinks should be banned by law in a bid to combat Britain’s obesity epidemic, the new head of the Commons health select committee has said. Dr Sarah Wollaston, a Conservative MP and former GP, said the state had a “duty to intervene” to protect current and future generations from unhealthy habits threatening to shorten their lives.” – Daily Telegraph
“The husband of the former News International executive Rebekah Brooks, is said to be considering standing for Ukip at the general election next year. Charlie Brooks and his wife were close friends of David Cameron before the eruption of the phone-hacking scandal at The News of the World. Last month the couple were cleared of all charges against them after a nine-month trial at the Old Bailey. The racehorse trainer and Old Etonian was upset at the prime minister’s treatment of his wife at the height of the row and, in a move certain to irritate his old friend, he appears to have taken a shine to Nigel Farage.” – The Times(£)
“Multimillion pound housing developments in London are segregating less well-off tenants from wealthy homebuyers by forcing them to use separate entrances. A Guardian investigation has discovered a growing trend in the capital’s upmarket apartment blocks – which are required to include affordable homes in order to win planning permission – for the poorer residents to be forced to use alternative access, a phenomenon being dubbed “poor doors”. Even bicycle storage spaces, rubbish disposal facilities and postal deliveries are being separated. The Green party accused developers of showing “contempt for ordinary people” by enforcing such two-tier policies.” – The Guardian
“Mr Salmond is skilfully, shamelessly, attempting to draw the hardy and intrepid race of men and women, otherwise known as Scotland, into the service of something different – himself. It is really a brilliant bluff. Scotland had the Old Pretender and the Young Pretender; today, in Mr Salmond, it has the Great Pretender. His trick is to use the powers which devolution has given him to act as if Scotland already exists as a state, embodied in him.” – Charles Moore Daily Telegraph
“After 40 minutes or so, John Bercow rose, and surveyed the remaining Conservative MPs who had yet to ask the new Education Secretary a question. He sighed. “What an embarrassment of riches,” he observed, witheringly. “Mr Bob Stewart…” This charming vignette, from Tuesday afternoon, exemplifies the qualities that have driven so many MPs to resent their Speaker. According to reports this week, some resent him so much that they’ve begun an anonymous letter campaign, demanding he be deposed. They find Mr Bercow rude, pompous, arrogant and supercilious. As The Telegraph’s parliamentary sketch writer, I have the privilege of watching Mr Bercow at work every day, and can confirm that I too find him rude, pompous, arrogant and supercilious. But these characteristics don’t make me yearn to see him dropkicked out of the chamber. On the contrary: they’ve made me come to like him.” – Michael Deacon Daily Telegraph
“The day is coming when China will be an ageing power with an aged population, in effective control of much of the world’s natural resources and most of its minerals. China will never have felt more powerful or more exposed, with the sources of much of this wealth, and many pockets of her own population, situated outside her borders. It will have bought governments and leant hard on many more. But her allies will be hollowed out, many of her statesmen friends drunkenCalibans or compromised tyrants in fear of their own populations, and her enemies forever on the lookout for rebellions to foster. But not yet. These are your salad days, China; this is your empire’s callow youth. Soon it gets harder. Ask us British.” – Matthew Parris The Times(£)
“David Cameron appeared to get his north-east England regions mixed up as he trumpeted the latest economic growth figures in a BBC radio interview. In an interview with BBC Tees, the prime minister kept referring to examples of economic revival on Tyneside – 40 miles further north. Presenter Lisa McCormick said: “You keep mentioning the River Tyne. “That’s not our region prime minister. I’m sorry, we are the River Tees.” – BBC