2.30pm CentreRight:
Noon Edward McMillan-Scott MEP on Platform: China is a terror state
10.15am: CentreRight:
9.45am Graeme Archer on CentreRight: The sad decline of The Daily Telegraph
ToryDiary: Peter Bottomley supports call to end MPs’ compulsory oath of allegiance to The Queen
Benedict Rogers on Platform: A manifesto for Burma’s freedom to mark “8888”
Seats and candidates: "We’re here, we’re queer and we’re going to vote Conservative!"
PlayPolitical video: McCain campaign releases footage of Democrats praising McCain and of Hillary Clinton dissing Obama
Michael Gove: More than half of secondary schools in deprived areas are failing
"The Tories say the figures show that 55% of schools in the country’s
poorest areas failed to achieve 30% of their pupils gaining five GCSEs
at grade A* to C including English and maths. The Government has set a
target for all secondary schools in England to reach 30% by 2011. The
Conservatives claim the Government has failed to close the gap between
rich and poor pupils. Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove obtained
the figures by asking Parliamentary questions, and he’s collated the
information in a document, A Failed Generation, which he says
highlights educational inequality under Labour." – Sky
Tories plan devolution of spending
"The Tories are planning significant changes to the way the government manages its £160bn ($310bn) annual spending on goods and services, Philip Hammond, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, has told the FT. He said a Conservative government would aim to move away from the “monolithic model” of direct state provision in areas such as welfare, in a devolution of spending power that would result in more, smaller contracts. Massive IT projects would be unbundled, where possible, to reduce the inherent risks." – FT
Civil servants ‘preparing for Conservative Government’ with secret meetings – Telegraph | Daily Mail
DUP’s Peter Robinson attacks Tories’ ‘English votes’ thinking as bad for The Union – ePolitix
TaxPayers’ Alliance: Regional Development Agencies should be scrapped and money channeled into a 4p cut in corporation tax
"A report by the Taxpayers’ Alliance said the agencies had been a resounding failure. It said RDAs were "riddled" with waste and excess, including extravagant trips abroad, lavish conferences and "ludicrous" taxi expenses. The pressure group claims they have cost £15bn – nearly £600 per household. If they were abolished, the saving could allow a 4p cut in corporation tax for small firms." – BBC
"Treasury quells stamp duty speculation as house prices plummet"
"The Treasury has moved to dampen speculation over the future of stamp duty after estate agents and surveyors warned of a potential collapse in the property market prompted by uncertainty over the tax." – Independent
Darling and Harman at odds over Equality Bill
"Alistair Darling, chancellor, is resisting pressure from Harriet Harman, the deputy Labour leader and minister for equality, to change procurement rules to improve gender and racial equality in the 30 per cent of companies that sell goods and services to the state." – FT
Lord Tebbit warns that Islam will take over Britain if the Church of England fails to provide moral leadership – Daily Mail
SNP suspends AK-47 councillor
"Embarrassed SNP managers moved quickly last night to suspend one of their councillors who was filmed firing a Kalashnikov assault rifle at a military camp in Pakistan. Jahangir Hanif, a councillor in Glasgow, took five of his six children into the mountainous border region of Kashmir two years ago to shoot the AK-47." – Scotsman
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