11.30am LeftWatch: Although Ed Miliband is less popular with Labour supporters than David Miliband, he insists his leadership is "winning the battle of ideas"
Columnist Ruth Lea: Wind power is one of the great follies of our age
Chris Skidmore MP on Comment: How I unearthed the scandal of millions of pounds of unpaid NHS bills by foreign nationals
Cllr. Colin Barrow on Local Government: A legacy of more for less in Westminster where life is better
"Osborne told reporters: "The problem of high indebtedness in western economies means these are challenging times for the world economy. But as we look to this difficult year ahead, I want to focus on reasons to be optimistic for the future. A richer, stronger Asia is an opportunity for the world, not a threat." But as Osborne seeks to play up the economy's prospects, the Ernst and Young Item Club, which publishes its quarterly health check of the UK on Monday, is predicting two successive quarters of negative growth, starting in the final three months of 2011 – the widely accepted definition of a recession" - The Observer
The Sunday Times leader warns of the Coalition's plan to curb top pay: "the danger is the politics of envy take over and the coalition engages in a crude levelling-down process" - The Sunday Times (£)
Cameron lobbied by Clegg on the need to rewrite benefit reform
"Clegg proposed a series of changes to the £500-a-week cap, including exempting current claimants, in an attempt to ameliorate some of the worst consequences of the change, which critics claim will make 40,000 families homeless by making their current homes unaffordable. It is understood Clegg made his appeal during a meeting attended by the chancellor, George Osborne, and Danny Alexander, chief secretary of the Treasury. Cameron asked the Liberal Democrats to return with more details on how the changes could be made" - Observer
Britain is divided over Scottish independence: 43% in England support Scottish independence compared to 40% in Scotland
"Today's poll provides a series of setbacks for Mr Salmond, who favours a "three question" referendum in which Scots are offered the choice of full independence, the status quo, or a "devolution max" option in which all powers other than foreign policy and defence are handed to the parliament in Edinburgh … Mr Cameron, who makes it clear he is a passionate defender of the Union, faces a fight to turn round public opinion south of the border, however" - Sunday Telegraph
Alistair Darling warns of the gamble and huge economic risk Scotland would take in leaving the Union - The Observer
Lord Forsyth reveals that Salmond threatened Osborne that he would order police to sabotage an early referendum on independence
"Scottish Conservative peer Lord Forsyth said: ‘I was told by George Osborne that Mr Salmond said he would boycott any referendum imposed by Westminster. He said he would order the police not to man the polling stations.' Control of the police in Scotland is the responsibility of Mr Salmond’s administration, but Lord Forsyth said they did not have the power to hand out operational orders.‘Power has gone to his head and he is getting too big for his boots. He thinks because he won an election, he is above the law" - Mail on Sunday
The Government will announce plans on Monday to ban councils from imposing fines for people overfilling, and putting their bins out early
"Councils will also be told to reduce the level of penalties to as little as £40 from the spring, before the laws are passed, effectively "phasing out" the controversial and unpopular fines system. The end of the fines regime, which began under Labour, will have taken at least two years for coalition ministers to achieve, a period which has included a bitter Whitehall battle between Caroline Spelman, the Environment Secretary, and Eric Pickles, the Community Secretary" – Sunday Telegraph
MPs set to vote on assisted suicide – Sunday Times (£)
Backbench MPs are planning to force a new debate on reforming abortion laws, after the Government ruled out changes to the law – Sunday Times (£)
Andrew Mitchell: Ghana's economic boom proves that aid really does work – Observer
The Mail on Sunday calls on Ministers to "fight inferior foreign justice"
"A proper country should have the power to expel foreign nationals who fail to abide by its laws. It should also have the power to protect its own nationals from inferior foreign justice, and from being prosecuted for acts that are not crimes here" – Mail on Sunday
Chairman of British Asian Conservatives Link, Rickie Sehgal boasts that he can provide one-to-one access to Cameron and his personal mobile phone number for £10,000
"The prominent party activist, who claims extensive links to the Government, bragged to a Mail on Sunday reporter: ‘Those who pay £10,000 a year get Cameron’s mobile.’ Rickie Sehgal, 50, also said donors could dine with the PM – or any other Ministers – and raise any issue they wanted, including relaxing immigration curbs. Asked if £10,000 guaranteed access to the PM, Mr Sehgal said: ‘One hundred per cent, Cameron… you name it." – Mail on Sunday
A YouGov poll of Labour supporters for the Sunday Times gives Ed Miliband his lowest rating as leader, suggesting brother David and Alistair Darling would make better leaders
"More Labour voters think he is performing badly than performing well, giving him an overall rating of -3 points. By contrast, David Cameron, the prime minister, has a positive net score of 91 … Labour is on 40 points in the YouGov poll, just two points ahead of the Tories. Many Labour activists believe it should be between 10 and 20 points ahead at this stage in the electoral cycle. Embarrassingly for Miliband, the poll was taken after last Tuesday’s much publicised “relaunch” in which he attempted to address doubts about his leadership" – Sunday Times (£)
Yesterday's Labour acceptance of the Tory case for cuts is welcome, but Balls and Miliband are still losing on the economy, says John Rentoul – Independent on Sunday
The Government should force Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man to name tax evaders, says Ed Miliband – Guardian
The Sunday Telegraph delves into the world of Tony Blair Incorporated – Sunday Telegraph
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