5.15pm ToryDiary: Herbert supports first-past-the-post for elections to reformed Upper House
3pm Greg Hands MP on CentreRight: David Cameron should publish a book
1.45pm Seats and candidates: Tories focus on "Labour’s criminal record" in Glasgow East
Noon Tim Montgomerie on CentreRight: Anti-Americanism won’t disappear with Barack Obama in the White House
11.30am LocalGovernment: LibDems turning blue in Shepway
11.30am Andrew Lilico on CentreRight: Classical economic theory explains more than you think, Mr Osborne
Platform: Increasing economic growth
ToryDiary: A reduction in crime should be main objective of next Conservative government
Nudge, nudge, win, win
"Our work with the world’s leading behavioural economists and social psychologists is yet more proof that the Conservative party is now the party of ideas in British politics. Gordon Brown needs to get on board with this new agenda, and fast. If he doesn’t, he shouldn’t be surprised if he gets nudged out of office sooner rather than later." – George Osborne in the Guardian
> The influence of the nudge agenda
Economic gloom could be bad for the Tories
"The malignity of events is giving the Tories pause. Bad economic news is leading to a reassessment. This week, as part of that process, David Cameron will be concentrating on the economy. Three years ago, Mr Cameron and his advisers were no wiser than most of the world’s senior bankers. As the Tories shared the assumption that the economy would continue to thrive, it seemed easy to talk about sharing the proceeds of growth. In one of the longest periods of economic beneficence for many decades, everyone forgot that there is nothing so terrifying as the sound of crashing paper." – Bruce Anderson in the Independent
"The debt crisis, the banking crisis, the property crisis, the oil crisis, the shift to Asia, the bear market in stocks, are huge global adjustments that have all come together at the same time. If my birthday does not prove to be another Black Monday on Wall Street, I shall think myself rather lucky. There is now a momentum of negative events sweeping away financial flood defences; in the 1930s that force overturned democratic governments as easily as it overturned banks." – William Rees-Mogg in the Times
Inexperienced ministers to blame for bad governance
"If the Conservatives win the next general election, David Cameron will lead what would arguably be the most inexperienced Tory administration since the "Who? Who?" Cabinet of Lord Derby in 1852. Does it matter? Judging by the mess made by the Labour Government, which was equally inexperienced, if not more so, when it took power in 1997, it matters a great deal." – Philip Johnston in the Telegraph
Broken society? What broken society?
"It is good to hear a Tory leader speak of social problems with passion and determination. There is too much crime, too much poverty; and 4.3 million people are claiming out-of-work benefits. Mr Cameron is also innovative and right to argue that social change need not always involve regulation and public spending. There are broken communities that urgently need attention. But Britain is not a broken society." – Times leader
Jacqui Smith’s restorative justice proposals
"According to her, it would be ‘simplistic’ to send all knife-carriers to prison. A ‘much tougher’ deterrent would be to make them visit stabbing victims in hospital. Does she take us all for idiots? Leave aside that the last thing most victims would want is to be made to display their wounds to young criminals… Does she seriously expect us to believe that hospital visits would be more effective than jail? Of course, if Miss Smith were more honest with the public, she would admit there is simply no room in our prisons for the growing numbers who carry knives." – Mail leader
Prison is the place for knife-carriers – Telegraph leader
Gang violence could take a generation to solve says police knife crime chief – Times
Poor people can’t worry about global warming
"There are two prevailing fashions dominating the political scene, whose aims and effects are in direct contradiction with one another. But that does not prevent virtually all of the political parties in the Western democracies from attempting to embrace both at the same time. They are global warming and the mission to eradicate poverty." – Janet Daley in the Telegraph
Lady T’s state funeral: Some will throw a party, others a brick – Philip Hensher in the Independent
At least eight eight nuclear power stations to get approval in next two years – Times
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