9.30pm: WATCH
4.45pm: LeftWatch: The key to the future of Gordon Brown
1.15pm: WATCH
11.45am: In the first of a series of letters from Zimbabwe, Julia Manning writes on CentreRight: From Mpilo Hospital: "I can only guess and feel profoundly humbled at the depths of dedication
and sacrifice displayed by the staff who are still here, trying to
serve, wanting to heal."
ToryDiary: How blue is the Coalition? Part Five: the Environment, Local Government and Communities
Simon Maynard on Platform: Middle class benefits aren't just blown on wine any more – and that's the problem
Nadhim Zahawi MP answers ConHome's Twenty Questions for the Class of 2010 – and reveals that he's "quite useful on a horse"
Melanchthon on CentreRight: Why Conservative MPs should vote next week against holding an AV referendum
WATCH: Nigel Farage explains why he wants to be UKIP's leader again
Tessa Jowell, Prescott, Alan Johnson, Tom Watson, Labour – and others – target Andy Coulson
The [Labour] figures spoke out as a former News of the World journalist quoted by
the New York Times repeated his claim tonight that he had been ordered
by the former editor to hack phones. Sean Hoare told BBC Radio 4's PM:
"There is an expression called the culture of dark arts. You were given a
remit: just get the story. Phone tapping hadn't just existed on the
News of the World … I have gone on the record in the New York Times and
said I have stood by Andy and been requested to tap phones, OK, or hack
into them. He was well aware the practice existed. To deny it is simply a
lie." – The Guardian
"Hackers illegally tapped a mobile phone belonging to Tessa Jowell at least 28
times while she was a serving cabinet minister, it emerged last night. Until now, Ms Jowell, the former Culture Secretary, has not spoken publicly
about the phone-tapping scandal. Further revelations yesterday placed pressure on Mr Coulson – and raised
questions about Mr Cameron’s judgement in appointing him as Downing Street’s
£140,000-a-year Director of Communications." – The Independent
David Cameron and aide facing Labour quiz over phone-hack investigations – Daily Express
Boris pledges extra buses and bike escorts as London Tube strike looms
"Johnson said contingency plans would include an extra 100 buses,
escorted bike rides, marshalled taxi ranks and capacity for 10,000 extra
journeys on the river Thames boats. Union leaders said they
intended to go ahead with the strike after talks broke down yesterday… "Londoners are a hardy bunch
and I am sure a tube strike will not deter us from getting around,"
Johnson said. "I have asked Transport for London to pull out all the
stops, but we must be clear that the [unions] RMT and TSSA plan to
inconvenience Londoners for no good reason." – The Guardian
Letwin and Maude to attend Liberal Democrat conference
"Mr Letwin and Mr Alexander were part of the negotiating teams that reached the
Coalition agreement between the Conservatives and Lib Dems in May. They will appear together at each conference to discuss the Coalition
programme and how it combines the agendas of their two parties. Mr Letwin is in charge of developing new government policies for Mr Cameron.
Mr Alexander, a close adviser to Nick Clegg, wrote the Lib Dem election
manifesto. Despite the gesture of co-operation, the visiting ministers will not speak
from the main conference platforms at the meetings. Instead, they will appear at fringe events away from the main auditorium – Daily Telegraph
The Saturday commentators line up to attack, defend and explain William Hague
"But, I repeat, Mr Hague's sexuality was not relevant, and he was a fool to
make it so by his statements. What matters now is the lack of judgment in
the way this has been handled: a lack of judgment that calls into question
whether he has the credibility to stay in his job…His own two statements gave the media an excuse, first, to
crawl all over him and his special adviser, and then, second, to crawl all
over his marriage." – Simon Heffer, Daily Telegraph
"But
this is not a time for analysing the Hagues' marriage, nor for debating
the wisdom of making public their struggle to have children. It
is the time to recognise that William is one of the most brilliant
politicians of his generation, a man with years of service behind him –
and hopefully ahead of him. If Hague were driven from politics or
chose to step aside, it would not just be a personal tragedy for him,
but a tragedy for this country." – Amanda Platell, Daily Mail
"According to a colleague of Hague, he is "utterly heartbroken" at
the situation in which he now finds himself. And that deeply upsets people
who know him well. It even upsets those of us who knew him less well,
including me, because in our eyes William was such a thoughtful and
well-rounded character compared with his snake-like Tory rivals in OUCA and
the Union…He enjoyed the company of hyperactive, passionately committed working-class
lads – but not, I'm convinced, because he found them sexually attractive." – Damian Thompson, Daily Telegraph
"Jonathan Baume, head of the FDA union of senior civil servants, said:
"Where we start to have concerns is where you get people with political
backgrounds being appointed to civil servant roles. That's when I start
to get nervous." A Downing Street source insisted that Labour
made similar appointments when it came to power and said the coalition
government was more transparent than its predecessors. It emerged
today that Downing Street failed to include the aide at the centre of
the row over Hague's private life in an official list of special
advisers published in June." – The Guardian
Nadine Dorries slams Sally Bercow over Hague – The Sun
Guardian claims only 20 Free Schools will open by next September
"Michael Gove, the education secretary, will next week be forced to announce a
dramatic scaling back of the Tories' landmark plans to create a new
generation of schools run by parents and voluntary groups. Labour
tonight accused the education secretary of presiding over a "chaotic
shambles" after it emerged that as few as 20 free schools are on track
to open in September 2011. In June Gove hinted that 700 could be
established." – Guardian
Councillor resignations mark growing LibDem revolt over Coalition
"Eight councillors in four areas have already resigned and the party's
high command is braced for more resignations as the full impact of the
public spending cuts becomes clearer. Town halls face a severe budget
squeeze despite the Government's pledge to devolve power…The rebellion suggests that Mr Clegg could face a rough ride when his
party holds its annual conference in Liverpool in two weeks." – The Independent
Windfall for taxpayer as Clegg sells house
"The deputy prime minister is selling his Sheffield home, months after saying that "every single penny" of profit made from it would go to the taxpayer. The asking price on the property, which Clegg purchased in 2005, has not been disclosed, but the purchaser is guaranteed a nice garden – Clegg claimed £1,440 expenses to revamp it in July 2007…Clegg, the MP for Sheffield Hallam, will instead rent in the Sheffield area, she added. His family are already based in London." – The Guardian
Caroline Lucas: the Green in beige who could be Nick Clegg's nemesis
"But in Mr Clegg’s disgrace perhaps, lies another possibility for the Greens.
As Lib Dem voters fall away, they may turn to the Greens who share many
pre-Coalition Lib Dem policies, on nuclear power, Trident and that overused
empty word “fairness”. They could conceivably become the third party and, in homage to this
possibility, more hacks than the usual one-and-a-half will be at their party
conference next week. Miss Lucas certainly believes it. “It opens up a big space for us,” she says." – Tanya Gold, Daily Telegraph
David Cameron to revive Brown's business star chamber
"A group of around a dozen leaders have been asked to join the group including
Sir Michael Rake, chairman of easyJet and BT; Justin King, chief executive
of J Sainbury; Sir Martin Sorrell, the advertising boss of WPP Group; and
Helen Alexander, president of the CBI. The advisory body will be less formal than Mr Brown's Business Council for
Britain which was formed in one of his first moves when he became prime
minister in 2007" – Daily Telegraph
Osborne's Star Chamber at the sharp end – BBC
The most scary thing of all? Blair still wants to rule the world, says the man he sent to Washington – Sir Christopher Mayer, Daily Mail
Tax shambles hits six million – The Sun
Doctors go to court for inquest on David Kelly – The Times (£)
Mili-E, poster boy for geeks, aims to steer Labour on different journey – Anne Treneman in The Times (£)
Our covenant with Britain – David Miliband and Jon Cruddas in the Guardian
Whisper it, but Netanyahu may just be the man to make history – Donald Macintyre in The Independent
Everywhere, photographs of Florence Rose Endellion Cameron…
>Yesterday on ToryDiary: As David and Samantha Cameron introduce baby Florence to the press, they thank the public for all their good wishes
And finally…David Cameron hires a fitness guru who trained the Saturdays and Naomi Campbell
"Matt
Roberts, whose clients include Naomi Campbell, The Saturdays, Trudi
Styler and Amanda Holden, was spotted putting the Prime Minister through
his paces. He was timing Mr Cameron as he ran around St
James's Park early yesterday morning, hours before presenting his new
daughter Florence in Downing Street. Mr
Roberts, 36, runs a fitness empire with four boutique gyms around
London and is described as 'one of the world's leading personal
trainers'. He sees few clients himself these days and how much he is charging Mr Cameron is unknown. But even an introductory rate with one of his regular trainers costs £80 and a package of 25 sessions is £1,650." – Daily Mail