3.30pm Peter Cannon on Comment: Why we still need Trident
1.45pm Columnist Andrew Lilico: "I say again: surely the right thing to do is to do what we believe to be right as Conservatives and then submit our actions to the judgement of the voters, confident that if we have indeed been Conservatives that should usually be enough." In a healthy democracy policy parties do not exist to hold power
Noon ConHomeUSA newslinks: Close Ohio contest holds the key to Super Tuesday victory for Romney or Santorum
11.30am Conservative Friends of International Development on Comment: We can be proud of Britain’s role in leading the international fight against extreme poverty
10.30am Local Government: Shadow Schools Minister opposes Newcastle free school
10am Nick Pickles on Comment: Ministers cannot be allowed to decide what evidence is heard in court
ToryDiary: David Cameron is 16 points more popular than his party
Majority Conservatism: Rather than stage the debates during the few weeks before polling day, they could be held over three months
Columnist Stephan Shakespeare: If voters see America growing strongly again, it could undermine the Coalition's austerity plan
Stephen Tall on Comment: Advice from a Liberal Democrat about how the Conservatives could win
Ruth Porter on ThinkTankCentral continues a week long ConservativeHome focus on how George Osborne can deliver further reductions in the size of the state: Close DCMS, freeze benefits and pensions, scrap the regional growth fund… how to save up to £35 billion
Local government:
David Cameron: Britain to seek UN resolution on Syria
"The Prime Minister said Britain was playing a leading role and had already provided an extra £2 million to aid agencies operating on the ground to help deliver emergency medical supplies and food rations for 20,000 people. He added that Britain would this week, continue to secure a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an end to the violence and immediate humanitarian access." – Daily Telegraph
No 10 and Treasury divided over child benefit cuts
"Osborne is making clear in Whitehall that his proposal is a popular way of showing that all income earners will share in the pain of deficit reduction. The chancellor is also saying that the public finances are so tight it would be difficult to fund a watering down of the change… Cameron, nervous about unsettling Middle Britain, is keen to deal with the "cliff edge" problem of removing child benefit the moment at least one parent's income reaches the 40% tax threshold" – Guardian
"MPs reject Chancellor's compromise on policy and say they will join Labour to oppose change" – Independent
No 10 and No 11 also divided over wealth taxes
"The Chancellor is said to be keen to find a way of raising revenue by taxing assets — possibly by introducing new, higher council tax bands on multimillion-pound properties. The Prime Minister has what one friend calls a “deep-seated scepticism and nervousness about new-fangled schemes to raise money from the better-off”." – Rachel Sylvester for the Times (£)
> From yesterday - Tim Knox on Comment: A mansion tax is unfair, unconservative and wouldn't raise much money
Ministers promise new NHS concessions
"The government is to introduce further concessions on its controversial health bill for England, in an effort to assuage Liberal Democrat concerns. It is promising "further safeguards" over the use of the private sector and the role of the NHS regulator, Monitor." – BBC
Mark Pritchard resigns as Deputy Chairman of the Party and won't seek re-election to the 1922 Committee
Ken Clarke blunders, accusing Jordan of torture as Theresa May travels there for Qatada negotiations
"Just as Mrs May was holding delicate negotiations Mr Clarke threatened to torpedo them by declaring in an interview: "Obviously there is a problem with torture in that country." The gaffe-prone Justice Secretary added: "That's a long-standing principle of human rights law — you can't have a system of justice with torture involved."" – The Sun
Plans to extend 'secret justice' are too broad and should be amended, admits Ken Clarke
"Highly controversial plans to extend ‘secret justice’ are too broad and should be amended so that only a ‘tiny number’ of cases will be included, Kenneth Clarke concedes today. As it stands, draft legislation would allow ministers to order that civil court cases or inquests must be held in private if they have the potential to ‘damage the public interest’. But the Justice Secretary… insists the Government has heard criticism ‘loud and clear’." Daily Mail
Damian Green says Britain has become addicted to importing immigrants rather than training domestic workers
"Mr Green said Britain remains open to skilled migrants but called on businesses to kick the "habit" of immigration and hire British-born workers. "Like all addictions, it takes some time to wean people off but it’s good for you to be weaned off an addiction and it will be good for business in the long run if we have more of an instinct that’s, ‘Let’s find a British worker and, if necessary, let’s train a British worker’," Mr Green said." - Daily Telegraph
Grant Shapps to announce scheme to pay council tenants to do their own DIY – The Sun
Need to run the country from your iPad? There's a £20,000 taxpayer-funded app for that, Prime Minister – Daily Mail
Police squander £4.8m on full-time union reps despite cutting number of officers
"Tory MP Philip Davies, who obtained the figures, said: ‘The public expect the police budget to be spent on deterring crime and catching criminals, not on paying the salaries of trade union officials. If the trade unions want to represent their members they should pay for it themselves, not expect the taxpayers to foot the bill. How on earth police forces can justify increasing the amount they are spending on this is beyond me.’" – Daily Mail
The Archbishop of Westminster criticises gay marriage proposals
Ed Miliband to urge 'patriotism' in British business policy
"Labour leader Ed Miliband is to call for more "patriotism" in manufacturing policy to boost British industry. In a speech to the manufacturers' organisation EEF, he is expected to say protectionism should be avoided but "pride and patriotism" are needed in order for British business to succeed." – BBC
Scottish opposition parties say Alex Salmond must come clean over tax deal for Rupert Murdoch – Scotsman
Putin’s Cold War politics will fail Russia – Sir Malcolm Rifkind for the Daily Telegraph
Remembering Norman St John Stevas
Policy Exchange marks its tenth anniversary
"Probably more than any other organisation, the well-resourced brains trust has shaped Tory thinking – on elected police commissioners, Michael Gove's school reforms and the pupil premium." – Guardian
MPs criticise the BBC for being "unambitious" about the scope for efficiency savings – Guardian
Councils to be paid to improve parenting skills – BBC
IT firm behind 'unworkable' NHS database keeps IT deal – Daily Telegraph
Christopher Tappin denied bail by Texas court – Daily Telegraph
And finally… From Ed Miliband and Wallace to Mayor Boris and Barney Rubble… the politicians and their cartoon alter egos – Daily Mail
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