‘David Cameron plans to hold a referendum on the country’s membership of the European Union in June next year, it has been claimed. The Prime Minister has promised to re-negotiate the terms of Britain’s membership of the 28-member block before holding a referendum by the end of 2017. An anonymous source has claimed the vote will be held in June 2016, although a spokesman for Mr Cameron’s Downing Street office declined to comment.’ – Mail on Sunday
‘The shortlist for the Tory nomination for Mayor of London has been announced. Mark Wallace, the executive editor of influential Tory blog ConservativeHome, tweeted on Saturday afternoon that Richmond MP Zac Goldsmith, London MEP Syed Kamall, GLA member Andrew Boff and deputy mayor for policing and crime Stephen Greenhalgh have made the shortlist. Reacting to the news, Goldsmith and Kamall tweeted: The news means hopefuls including Westminster Council leader Philippa Roe, former footballer Sol Campbell and entrepreneur Ivan Massow have missed out on their chance to succeed Boris Johnson.’ – The Independent on Sunday
>Yesterday: MPsETC: London Mayoral Shortlist announced: Boff, Greenhalgh, Kamall and Goldsmith
‘As the man who, at present, stands the best chance of succeeding David Cameron, he can set in motion a restructuring of Britain to encourage private enterprise and self-reliance and remove the state from people’s lives, except when all else has failed. If that does indeed start now, by the time he might find himself in Downing Street in four years or so the transformation would be well under way. He has asked departmental heads to look for deep cuts – to “re-imagine” the state to the tune of 40 per cent less spending by 2019-20 – but, sadly, this is not all it seems.’ – Simon Heffer, Sunday Telegraph
>Today: Andrew Dunn on Comment: The relative definition of poverty is fundamentally flawed
‘On Monday, he turned up in Parliament’s Portcullis House to tell Tory MPs why people had voted for them…First, he pointed out that only one in ten voters had backed the Tories because of the local candidate, and a far higher number did so because of Tory policies…Crosby then set out what the voters remember the Tories talking about. The economy was top of the list, followed closely by Europe. He said voters associated the Tories with ‘performance measures’ such as managing the economy and competence. So far, so reassuring. But it was the next slide that had MPs squirming. Crosby asked voters what Tory promises they remember and the most popular was ‘controlling immigration’. Oh dear. This is what the Tories spectacularly failed to do in the last Parliament.’ – James Forsyth, Mail on Sunday
‘A top secret plan for the mass deployment of armed troops on the streets of Britain in the wake of a major terrorist attack can be revealed for the first time today. More than 5,000 heavily armed soldiers would be sent to inner cities if Islamic State or other fanatics launched multiple attacks on British soil – an unprecedented military response to terrorism. The plan, codenamed Operation Temperer, would see troops guard key targets alongside armed police officers’ – Mail on Sunday
‘The Mail on Sunday can reveal that the Prime Minister’s controversial words on the alienation felt in some communities were shaped by a British Asian aide who admits struggling with his own ethnic identity in the past. Ameet Gill, born to parents who arrived in Britain as impoverished teenage migrants from rural India, has become one of Mr Cameron’s most trusted advisers since joining his team nine years ago. The 32-year-old former speechwriter was promoted to No 10’s director of strategy after the General Election.’ – Mail on Sunday
‘A ban on all “legal highs” will be in place by the end of the year. New laws to halt the production and sale of the synthetic drugs, which claim 120 lives a year, are being rushed forward by Ministers…Police Minister Mike Penning said: “Our Psychoactive Substances Bill will target reckless traders and in doing so protect young people.”’ – The Sun on Sunday (£)
‘The BBC and its World News division have given £3.5million over the past five years to the BBC Media Action charity. That is on top of £100million in public money donated by the Department for International Development and Foreign Office. Cash goes on projects such as TV ads in India where a “Mr Sputum” tells people about TB.’ – The Sun on Sunday (£)
‘John Bercow was plunged into a new expenses row last night after billing taxpayers for more than £1,000 of alcohol. He put more than £400 on expenses for 28 bottles of wine at a banquet in his grace and favour Commons apartment and more than £640 for ‘Speaker Bercow’s’ branded Commons whisky, presented to visitors as gifts. These latest disclosures could lead to renewed pressure on Bercow to stand down from his £142,000-a-year job.’ – Mail on Sunday
‘There is a lesson in the current Corbomania. There is a reason he strikes such a chord with the electorate, and that reason can be summed up in one word: Authenticity. Whatever you say about the veteran MP for Islington, he has thought about his positions. He cares. And he puts his principles into practice.’ – Boris Johnson MP, The Sun on Sunday (£)
‘Harriet Harman has been urged to suspend the Labour leadership race after evidence emerged that hard left infiltration is fuelling a huge surge in party membership. More than 140,000 new activists are projected to have joined by the deadline for registration to vote, a rise of more than two thirds since the election, with many signing up to back the hard left candidate Jeremy Corbyn. The Communist party of Great Britain has called on supporters to join and back Corbyn as part of its revolutionary “strategy” while Green party activists have also been discussing how to vote for him.’ – Sunday Times (£)
>Yesterday: LeftWatch: The welfare revolt was just a taste of Labour splits to come
‘The debate in the Labour party is described as a battle between principles and power. Some argue that in this leadership contest you can vote for one of these things, but not both. This is completely wrong. Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters do not have a monopoly on principle. Many do, indeed, have firmly held principles, but they are not the only ones in our party or our movement.’ – Liz Kendall MP, The Observer
‘The scandal of inadequate out-of-hours care in the NHS is exposed in an official study that reveals some hospitals have 10 times as many consultants handling emergencies on a weekday as on a weekend. The survey, the biggest of its kind undertaken, exposes huge variations between the best and worst hospitals — and may help to explain the 4,400 extra deaths that are attributed to sub-standard care at weekends.’ – Sunday Times (£)
‘You must have noticed by now that establishment scandals always happened in the past, but tend not to happen now. You may have convinced yourself that actually that really is the case — we have a more open society these days and our politicians are much more accountable and honest. And isn’t it marvellous that we can now examine the scandals that took place when Britain was a more secret society and the politicians were all up to no good? You can believe that if you like; it’s your right. But I would respectfully suggest that in order to do so you would require the IQ of a radish.’ – Rod Liddle, Sunday Times (£)