5pm ToryDiary: Duncan Smith, Gove, Hague, Hammond and Grayling top the latest Cabinet league table
12.30pm LeftWatch: Lord Adonis surfs the latest wave of LibLabLove
ToryDiary: The Government is wary about the Abu Qatada situation – it’s right to be
Mark Field MP on Comment: The mispricing of risk. The danger to savers. And the spectre of inflation – big themes in my first book.
WATCH: David Cameron with Vladimir Putin – "Britain and Russia share many interests"
David Cameron: I'll be delighted if Abu Qatada leaves the country voluntarily
"Abu Qatada yesterday made a shock offer to leave Britain – as long as his human rights are protected. … David Cameron welcomed the news, saying: ‘We have a fully worked-out plan to get this man out of our country, and if he goes of his own accord, frankly, I’ll be one of the happiest people in Britain.’ … It means the Muslim cleric, once described as Osama Bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe, could leave within months." – Daily Mail
But the Home Office is sceptical… "Home Office sources fear the offer is a trick. They claim the terror cleric could leave Belmarsh jail on bail — only to refuse to board the plane." – The Sun
> Today on ToryDiary: The Government is wary about the Abu Qatada situation – it’s right to be
From Russia, the Prime Minister warns that "the history of Syria is being written in the blood of her people"
"David Cameron today urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to do more to stop the bloodshed in Syria … Speaking at a press conference in Sochi, the Prime Minister said: 'The history of Syria is being written in the blood of her people. … But Mr Cameron’s visit to the Russian president's summer residence in the Black Sea resort ended with an admission that they still have 'differing views' about how to deal with the situation." – Daily Mail
> Today's video to WATCH: David Cameron with Vladimir Putin – "Britain and Russia share many interests"
And he'll be in America when that EU Referendum vote happens
"The Prime Minister will be on a visit to the US but he has given colleagues a free vote on the issue. … Eurosceptic ministers including Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, and even Foreign Secretary William Hague, are among at least 100 Conservatives who may support the move, sources said." – Daily Mail
"Cameron running scared on EU, says Miliband" – Guardian
> Yesterday:
Disgruntlement in the ranks 1): claims that ten Tory MPs have been in talks with Ukip
"UKIP has engaged in 'serious' talks with ten Tory MPs about the possibility of defecting, the party said yesterday. … The Eurosceptic party won 147 seats in this month’s local elections, prompting a Conservative backbencher to make contact in the past few days, UKIP’s new chief executive said." – The Times (£)
> Yesterday on ThinkTankCentral: Nick Faith crunches the numbers to explore the UKIP effect in marginal seats
Disgruntlement in the ranks 2): claims that a former No.10 adviser was "frozen out by David Cameron's clique"
"Shaun Bailey lost his job as a special adviser earlier this year before several former public school pupils were drafted in to senior roles at No 10. … Mr Bailey, who was moved to a part-time role in the Cabinet Office, has told friends that he was excluded from Mr Cameron’s inner circle because he was 'different' and repeatedly asked difficult questions about the Government’s priorities." – Daily Telegraph
From the pink 'un: "Questions raised over Lynton Crosby’s UK role and business interests"
"However, this week a row blew up when it emerged that Crosby Textor, his consultancy, had in Australia advised the tobacco and alcohol industry on how to fight off similar regulations [to those omitted from the Queen's Speech]. … As a result, David Cameron, prime minister, faced questions from MPs from all main political parties over whether this was merely a coincidence." – Financial Times
Forget triple-dip. Can George Osborne say that we never even entered double-dip?
"Britain almost certainly avoided a double-dip recession last year, according to revised economic data. … In a boost for George Osborne, the Office for National Statistics has revised its growth figures for 2012 after new estimates showed the construction industry performed much better than thought." – Daily Mail
The Force is with the Chancellor in other ways, too
"The new Star Wars film is to be made in Britain in a huge coup for the country’s film industry, the Daily Mail can reveal. … The film is due to start production in 2014 after representatives from Lucasfilm struck a deal with Chancellor George Osborne in a top secret meeting. … Mr Osborne said: ‘I am delighted that Star Wars is coming back to Britain.’" – Daily Mail
But will he have to use his Jedi powers to save the Co-op Bank?
"The Co-op Bank was last night battling to reassure millions of customers it does not need a bailout from taxpayers – after its credit rating was downgraded to ‘junk’ status. … Ratings agency Moody’s warned that the bank might need ‘external support’ amid spiralling losses on bad loans." – Daily Mail
Theresa May urges the police to be more transparent
"Police were last night ordered to halt their march towards arresting and charging suspects in secret. … Theresa May intervened to ‘protect transparency in the criminal justice system’. … It follows revelations by the Mail that one force in three is refusing to name suspects even after they have been charged." – Daily Mail
"A much-vaunted cap on the costs people face in old age risks leaving those in private care homes out of pocket" – Financial Times
Lord Young, aged 81, says we must be prepared to work longer
"Medicine is putting up the retirement age. You can't ask somebody to retire at 50 who is actually going to be active until they're 90 – apart from anything else, we can't pay for it. It's got to move up in stages." – Lord Young, interviewed in the Times (£)
Gay marriage will haunt David Cameron, writes Charles Moore
"With gay marriage, the Coalition proposes to alter fundamentally the most important social structure ever known to mankind. If it hopes to slip this quietly past the country over the summer, without any serious consequences, it is being not only dishonest, but stupid." – Charles Moore, Daily Telegraph
Vince Cable takes on the Conservatives' policy to have falling net migration
"He said: 'One of the reasons why net immigration declines is that if more people want to emigrate, which one would have thought was rather a bad thing. We are often operating with a concept that often gives us very misleading and unhelpful conclusions.' … There was also a 'prejudice' beneath the debate about immigration numbers, he said." – Daily Telegraph
Ed Davey is planning financial incentives for those who accept windfarms
"Homeowners who live within a mile of proposed wind turbines could be offered a 20 per cent discount on their electricity bills in an attempt to reduce opposition to the green technology. … They are part of a package of measures planned by Energy Secretary Ed Davey after he was impressed by a ‘local tariff’ scheme pioneered in Cornwall." - Daily Mail
Quentin Letts wonders what's going on with Nick Clegg
"Conservatives and Lib Dems have been frustrated by his behaviour in recent days. ‘It would be too strong to say he has flipped, but he is certainly behaving in an erratic way,’ says one MP. … ‘We think he may be starting to extract himself from the Coalition marriage. But he may just be weaving all over the motorway like a tired driver because he is knackered and confused.’" – Quentin Letts, Daily Mail
Lord Adonis advises Labour to prepare for coalition talks with the Lib Dems
"Labour must start to make contingency plans for coalition talks with the Liberal Democrats after the next election, including being prepared to offer major cabinet posts to Nick Clegg's party, Lord Adonis, one of Ed Miliband's closest policy advisers, has said. … He also says a full-blown coalition is 'massively preferable' to running a minority government." – Guardian
News in brief
And finally 1)… Keith Vaz floors it
"Children were hardly given the best lesson in political spin by MP Keith Vaz when he fell face first off a roundabout during a photocall. … But rather than being embarrassed by the slip, he simply got back on – before falling off for a second time." – Daily Mail
And finally 2)… Balls the bruiser
"Ed Balls is the MP most likely to win a fight in the House of Commons, a poll reveals. … Labour bruiser Mr Balls got 23 per cent of the vote … PM David Cameron was second with six per cent backing. Third was Foreign Secretary William Hague on five per cent and fourth spindly Labour leader Ed Miliband on four per cent." – The Sun
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