7.30pm ToryDiary: Sunday Express reports biggest poll gap between Labour and the Conservatives for a decade
11.15am Parvez Akhtar on Comment: "Her reach has not only extended to ethnic voters but also to many others who thought we were not for people like them, were hostile to them and did not share their values." In defence of Sayeeda Warsi
ToryDiary: Special Advisers mustn't become pawns on Sir Jeremy Heywood's board
Alex Deane on Comment: It's (way past) time to stop giving aid to Argentina
Local Government: 70% satisfied with the performance of their local council
WATCH: The England Football Squad visit Auschwitz ahead of Euro 2012
Cameron faces double whammy. He appears before Leveson next week (with Osborne up on Monday)…
"George Osborne has been ordered to face questions at the Leveson Inquiry over his role in the Government’s handling of the Murdoch empire’s attempted BskyB takeover. The Chancellor had been expected to give only a written statement, but the inquiry into Press ethics has asked to cross-examine him on Monday…Senior sources say the Prime Minister will fire a warning shot at Lord Justice Leveson on Thursday, making clear that the Government will not adopt new plans for regulating the Press that stifle freedom of speech." – Daily Mail
…As news comes of a police inquiry into the Cruddas affair…
"Scotland Yard has begun an investigation into the Conservative Party cash-for-access scandal that saw its chief fundraiser claim a £250,000 donation would buy private meetings with David Cameron in Downing Street…The Electoral Commission, which has been conducting its own review of potential offences committed under party political laws, confirmed last night that the allegations against Mr Cruddas "are being dealt with seriously by the police"." – The Independent
…(And the row over the appointment of Tom Winsor goes on)
"The appointment of Tom Winsor suffered a setback following protests by a powerful committee of MPs, who accused Ms May of keeping it in the dark over her decision to appoint the former rail regulator…In a strongly-worded letter to the Home Secretary, the committee's chairman, Keith Vaz, said he had learnt the news from a journalist. He wrote: "I find this most worrying. On an issue of this importance, Parliament ought to be the first to know." – The Independent
> Yesterday:
And next for Theresa May: tough new family visa rules
"The home secretary, Theresa May, is expected to confirm that she will introduce a new minimum income requirement for a British "sponsor" without children of up to £25,700 a year, and a stringent English speaking test for foreign-born husbands, wives or partners of UK citizens applying to come to live in Britain on a family visa…The moves to restrict the family route for migrants coming to Britain form part of the home secretary's drive to reduce net migration from 250,000 to "tens of thousands" by the next general election." – The Guardian
Meanwhile, the Eurozone crisis deepens.
1) Spain prepares for bailout…
"Spain is expected to ask for a European bailout this weekend as the debt-ravaged country tries to shore up its ailing banks. Eurozone leaders will decide as early as this morning whether to make it the fourth EU state to be given emergency funds since the start of the financial crisis. The Spanish government denied it was seeking a bailout. But warnings sounded just a day after ratings agency Fitch drastically cut the country’s credit rating to BBB, just two notches above dreaded “junk” status." – Daily Express
2) Obama urges Greece to stay in the Euro and attacks austerity
"Europe must act quickly to stem its economic crisis, president Barack Obama said on Friday as he called on European leaders to strengthen their banks and urged Greece to remain in the eurozone…The president has begun attacking Republican-backed austerity measures as part of his 2012 election campaign – and has pointed to the failure of austerity to solve the crisis in Europe. "There's nothing fiscally responsible about waiting to fix your roof until it caves in," he said." – The Guardian
3) British banks come under scrutiny
"It comes as three of Britain’s biggest banks prepare for critical reviews from one of the the leading credit rating agencies.Royal Bank of Scotland, the 83 per cent taxpayer-owned bank, is engaged in a last-ditch attempt to prevent a downgrade as a result of its exposure to the eurozone crisis — possibly as early as Monday — and Barclays and Lloyds have been lobbying fiercely against a reduction in their standings." – The Times (£)
Charles Moore: As the eurozone breaks apart, Britain must go its separate way
"What we can do is insist that this is a parting of the ways. The most likely eventual result is some sort of euro in a much smaller, fiscally united zone, centred on Germany, with France agonising about whether it can fit inside. Beyond it will be a wider ring, including ourselves, of non-euro countries no longer agonising at all. We could fairly happily be part of a loose association of more than 30 countries called, say, the European Community, but we, and most others, would be out of any Union." – Daily Telegraph
Private schools must change or lose their charitable status – Matthew Parris, The Times (£)
Hague condemns Israeli homes plan
"In a statement issued by the Foreign Office in London today, Mr Hague said: "I condemn the announcement by Israel to authorise the building of 851 new settlement units across the West Bank. "While we appreciate the Israeli government's efforts to avoid damaging legislation in the Israeli Knesset by voting against a bill to legalise West Bank outposts, the decision to move settlers from an illegal outpost by creating housing units in settlements elsewhere across the Green Line sets a dangerous precedent.' – The Independent
Britons lose faith in the Bank and battle with inflation – The Times (£)
Carers to be given respite holidays
"The “sandwich generation”, who care for their elderly parents while supporting children, are expected to gain a new entitlement to services to help them look after their families. Under government plans, councils will be required to arrange support such as short “respite” holidays, assistance with transport or training in care techniques. Ministers are concerned that people of all ages who have to care for frail or disabled family members are currently treated as “second-class citizens”…Paul Burstow, the care services minister, told The Daily Telegraph that the current arrangements were leaving people to struggle on their own." – Daily Telegraph
Government plans to install smart meters in our homes 'will leave us open to cyber attack' – Daily Mail
Liz Truss: from CND to rising star of the right
"Ms Truss, now the MP for South West Norfolk with a 13,000 majority, is sitting in the echoey atrium of Portcullis House at Westminster. So what is it that turned her into a Tory? She talks about “liberty and economic issues”. “I’ve always been resistant to the idea of the Government telling people what to do.” Her schooling pushed her that way too, turning her against what she calls the left-wing education establishment that she found so fake." – The Times (£)
England humbled by Auschwitz pain and misery as Wayne Rooney vows it will never be forgotten – Henry Winter, Daily Telegraph
Lord Forsyth sorry for Cumming Question Time clash – Herald Scotland
Scotland must raise its game ‘or risk turning into Third World country’ – Scotsman
Nick Hurd has had his first child, Leila Rose, by his second wife, Lady Clare – Daily Telegraph
And finally…Steve Hilton makes GQ's list of the top ten worst-dressed men in the world. But cheer up, Steve: Douglas Alexander is rated even worse – GQ
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