6.30pm: Peter Cuthbertson on CentreRight: Will Israel attack Iran during the transition period between President Bush and Obama/ McCain?
5.15pm Harry Phibbs on CentreRight: Livingstone’s army of press officers remains intact
3.45pm ToryDiary: Stronger families? Lower taxation? Action on climate change?
3.45pm Simon Chapman on CentreRight: Can the NHS last another 60 years?
11.30am CentreRight:
ToryDiary: Candidates for a reshuffle
Seats and candidates: Do you want to be a Conservative MP? Here’s some advice…
Malcolm Shykles on Platform: Partial occupancy households should be targeted before building ‘affordable housing’
PlayPolitical video: What will Barack Obama change next? McCain campaign ad mocks Obama’s copy of the presidential seal.
Tories more trusted on NHS (but voters want reform, not more spending)
"The results of the [YouGov] poll show he Tories have a clear lead on health policy with 31 per cent of people saying they would do a better job of running the health service, compared to 23 per cent who think Labour would deliver on the NHS. The results of the latest poll confirm a shift in the political debate over health care, away from funding and towards improved management and organisation. After years of above-inflation increases in health spending, most voters now believe the NHS has enough money. But they worry that the service has become bureaucratic and over-burdened with managers. Sixty-nine per cent of people said reorganising the NHS is more important than spending more on it, up from 38 per cent in 1998. Only 24 per cent now want more spent on health, down from 59 per cent a decade ago." – Telegraph
Tories plan Border Protection Service
"The dedicated force would protect Britain’s 71 international and major regional airports, 10,500 miles of coastline and 27 major sea ports. The new service would be a police force, led by a Chief Constable and responsible to the Home Secretary. It has been drawn up by a Tory policy review board led by Lord Stevens, the former Met commissioner." – Telegraph
Alan Duncan promises business-led, not political-led Regional Development Agencies – FT
Tories try to reverse Labour’s tax hike on older cars – Times
Tories knew of Spelman’s nanny nine years ago – Daily Mail
Yesterday on CentreRight.com, Andrew Lilico called for an end to the war on MPs
Brown’s Scottish woes (and Cameron’s?)
"This, then, could be a truly terrible summer for Mr Brown north of the border. There is every likelihood that the battle to succeed Ms Alexander will be bloody and divisive for Scottish Labour, as the competing candidates are forced to revisit Ms Alexander’s controversial and probably unwise decision to endorse a referendum on independence. Meanwhile, the decision by David Marshall to resign as an MP on health grounds exposes the party to the danger of a humiliating by-election result in Scotland." – Independent leader
Bruce Anderson uses his Independent column to attack the Scottish Conservatives: "Even if the Scottish Tory party were led by Adam Smith, Henry Dundas and Walter Scott, it would have difficulty in overcoming its countrymen’s snivelling resentment. But the current leadership is some way below world-historical class. In the 80s and 90s, the Scots Tories produced Messrs Forsyth, Lang, Rifkind and Younger, plus my Lords Mackay and Strathclyde – as well as a score of able though less eminent figures. Today, most of their successors are dire, and proportional representation creates another obstacle to a Tory revival. Under PR, those at the top of the party’s list are virtually guaranteed a seat, however badly the Tories do short of extinction, not yet a danger. In the Scottish Parliament, the Tory leaders enjoy status and income without having to fight for it. They have no incentive to resist genteel decline."
Gordon’s time is up but who is going to tell him? – Trevor Kavanagh in The Sun
Ken Livingstone compares losing mayoralty to "bereavement" – Independent
John Howard pays tribute to David Cameron
"I think he is doing very well. There has clearly been a sea change in British politics and I think he has judged the mood of the British public well." – The former Australian Prime Minister interviewed for The Telegraph
Unions draw up long list of policy demands
"Trade union leaders are to put a broad set of demands to Labour ahead of its next general election manifesto, including free school meals for all primary children and new flexible working rights for parents." – Guardian
David Cameron pictured meeting Nelson Mandela in London last week – Daily Mail
And finally…?
Q. Who would you support as the next Labour leader?
A. Is Ramsay MacDonald still alive?
Eric Pickles answers the Independent’s Q&A.
Please use this thread to highlight other interesting news and commentary and visit PoliticsHome.com for breaking political news and views throughout the day.