“A hundred years ago today, Britain entered World War One. … I’ll be marking that centenary at two events — one in Scotland, one in Belgium. We will lay wreaths, observe silences and remember the millions who died. No one reading this paper fought in the World War One and very few will have any memories of it at all. … But I believe it is our duty to commemorate this centenary.” – David Cameron, The Sun (£)
“It is not often that civil servants from the UK Treasury are described as unsung heroes. But as we remember the outbreak of the first world war, and the momentous sacrifice of those who fought and died, spare a thought too for those in Whitehall who, though far from the field of battle, fought hard for their country.” – George Osborne, Financial Times
“Britain’s decade-long involvement in Afghanistan has produced a ‘warrior generation’ of troops who are ready to be deployed to the world’s trouble spots, according to the head of the British Army. … General Sir Peter Wall, the Chief of the General Staff, suggested that as the Armed Forces make their final withdrawal from Afghanistan, Britain might have to get involved in the country again if terrorists return there. … He said a ‘resurgent’ Taliban and al-Qaeda could require Britain to make ‘more effort’ in Afghanistan despite moves to achieve a total pull-out by the end of the year.” – Daily Telegraph
“David Cameron will be ‘degrading’ Parliament when he stuffs the House of Lords with yet more political party cronies this week, it has been claimed. … The Prime Minister is to hand out around 20 peerages nominated by the three main parties boosting numbers in the upper chamber to their highest since most hereditary peers were removed. … Paul Flynn, a member of the Political and Constitutional Reform select committee, said: ‘It is a nonsense to add to the number of unelected people in Parliament. … Bringing in these party political appointments degrades Parliament, it is a backwards step.'” – Daily Mail
And comment:
“David Cameron has been accused of wasting taxpayers’ money after he used an RAF jet to fly back from his summer holiday after just one day abroad. … The Prime Minister flew to Portugal with his wife and three children on Saturday where they are enjoying a 10-day break staying in a villa. … But after just a few hours in the sun, he was yesterday flown home by the Royal Squadron so he could attend the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games. … He will today use the RAF plane to fly to France and Belgium for the First World War commemorations before flying back to Portugal on a commercial flight at his own expense.” – Daily Mail
“The London Mayor will unveil a report on how Britain could thrive outside the EU if new trade links are built elsewhere. … In a direct challenge to the Prime Minister’s authority, he will heap pressure on Mr Cameron to toughen up his negotiating stand in Brussels. … Mr Johnson is also expected to go much further than the PM on immigration — by calling for blocks on unskilled arrivals from the EU. … Friends said his speech on Wednesday will kick off a careful campaign to plot his return to Westminster.” – The Sun (£)
And comment:
> Yesterday: ToryDiary – With a glimmer in his eye, Boris performs an EU fan dance
“The NHS is to spend £250million to clear a massive backlog of knee, cataract and hip replacement operations. … Jeremy Hunt will today announce that the injection of cash will help ensure no one waits more than a year for treatment – unless it is clinically necessary. … Officials admit that meeting the backlog will cause a short-term rise in the number of people waiting more than 18 weeks – still the most important target for hospitals – breaching a national pledge that 90 per cent of patients should be treated within this timescale.” – Daily Mail
> Today: Charlotte Leslie MP’s column – When competition and privatisation work – and when they don’t
“Britain’s biggest mortgage lender has slashed the amount customers can borrow under the Government’s Help to Buy scheme in a move branded ‘bad news for first-time buyers’. … Lloyds Banking Group cut the amount it is prepared to lend by 70 per cent – from £500,000 to £150,000. … The state-backed bank, which owns the Halifax, currently offers around half of all the mortgages taken out under Chancellor George Osborne’s scheme to help young people who cannot rely on wealthy parents for a downpayment on their own home.” – Daily Mail
And comment:
> Today: Lord Flight on Comment – Retrospective, arbitrary, unfair – problems with the Finance Act
“Details of the financial history, qualifications and property wealth of millions of Britons could be shared across Whitehall for the first time without their consent, the Telegraph can disclose. … Information including voters’ driving licences, criminal records, energy use and even whether they use a bus pass could be shared under a radical blueprint to link up thousands of state databases used by schools, councils, police and civil servants.” – Daily Telegraph
“Baby boomers are spearheading a social revolution by redefining retirement and old age, the government’s champion for older workers says today. … They will force companies to recognise the benefits of a gradual and phased withdrawal from the world of work, rather than a sudden cut-off retirement date. … Ros Altmann, a former director-general of Saga, said that the change was being driven by people living longer and healthier lives, along with poor pension prospects for those heading towards retirement age.” – The Times (£)
“New powers to tackle the growing use of ‘legal highs’ are to be introduced. High-street ‘head-shops’ and those behind UK-based websites offering products that mimic the effects of banned substances such as cocaine and heroin could face the same punishments given to banned drug dealers. … Ministers are taking action after an expert review, delivered last month, set out the options for tackling a booming market in legal highs.” – The Times (£)
“He’s passionate about devolution for England. ‘It’s not called that in Whitehall,’ he says, laughing. ‘They like to speak in terms of “earned autonomy”.’ But, he adds, however it is described, England needs more of it, and a greater say in how public money is spent. … As chair of the LGA, he heard complaints from communities in England that public services in Scotland were not being cut to the same extent as south of the border. ‘England is the last remnant of the British empire. Everyone else has been given back their freedom.'” – The Independent
“The public has lost faith in government claims about tackling immigration because it does not tally with what they see on the ground, Nick Clegg will admit. … In a speech on immigration tomorrow, the Deputy Prime Minister will say it is ‘no wonder’ that people do not believe what ministers tell them when they have been ‘repeatedly told one thing only to then see another’. … He will speak out in favour of the free movement of European citizens but seek reforms to ensure that fewer Eastern Europeans move here if more countries are admitted to the EU in future.” – Daily Mail
“Labour’s welfare spokesman Rachel Reeves will also call for reforms to the freedom of movement – to tackle benefit tourism – in a speech tomorrow. … But the Tories claim her idea – to stop people being able to claim welfare unless they have built up sufficient National Insurance contributions – was likely to be illegal under EU law. … On Saturday, Labour’s Ed Balls said the party could not win the election unless it became tougher on immigration.” – Daily Mail
“Ukip could cost Labour victory in next year’s general election by winning several key seats thanks to dramatic advances made by Nigel Farage’s party in a range of largely working-class constituencies. The most detailed analysis yet of Ukip’s performance in recent ballots, including those for this year’s European Parliament and local elections, allied with the latest census data, concludes that complacency in Labour ranks over the Ukip threat could be a major factor in Ed Miliband’s battle for Downing Street.” – The Independent
“The Labour leader criticised the Government for its ‘inexplicable silence’ over civilian casualties in the Palestinian territory and its failure to tell Israel that its actions are ‘unacceptable and unjustifiable’. … Yesterday Justice Secretary Chris Grayling hit back, saying ultra-critical comments about Israel would make it harder for Britain to help find a peaceful solution. … And Downing Street accused Mr Miliband of playing politics with the Middle Eastern conflict because he feels the public is increasingly taking the side of the Palestinians.” – Daily Mail
“The Labour leader rejected Downing Street claims that he was trying to score political points, pointing out that Cameron criticised Israel in 2006 for taking disproportionate action and risking civilian lives with its incursion into Lebanon.” – The Guardian
And comment:
> Today: Mohammed Amin on Comment – My perspective on the Gaza conflict
“The number of primary school pupils taking part in extra-curricular music, drama and dance activities has slumped under the coalition, Harriet Harman, the shadow culture secretary, has said. … A Labour analysis of official figures also identified a widening gap between the participation of white children and those from black and ethnic minority backgrounds in after-school arts classes.” – The Guardian
“Tony Blair’s faith charity has hit back at an ex-staff member who raised questions about the amount of time the foundation devoted to protecting the reputation of the former prime minister. … Martin Bright, a former website editor for the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, wrote about his five-month job in an article for the Mail on Sunday, saying there was much that was ‘puzzling or frankly weird’ about the former prime minister’s web of charity and business interests.” – The Guardian
“Alex Salmond has been advised to address his television audience directly and temper his optimism about the case for Scottish independence with a sober, statesmanlike tone when he takes on Alistair Darling in their first televised head-to-head this week. … The first minister’s aides believe he must focus on persuading more than half a million undecided Scottish voters to back independence when he faces Darling, the leader of the pro-UK Better Together campaign, for the potentially defining contest on STV on Tuesday.” – The Guardian
And comment:
“…it will do nothing to help Ed Miliband’s self-confessed image problems that it appears even children are now mocking him. … The Labour leader was yesterday dealt an embarrassing blow when a young boy sneaked up behind him and poked his tongue out during a media appearance. … The boy pulled off his prank behind the back of the unsuspecting politician after riding up on a toy scooter, much to the glee of onlookers.” – Daily Mail
“Rib-ticking Tory Chris Heaton-Harris has them rolling in the Ayes — after garnering an army of online followers with his witty tweets. … The MP for Daventry, Northants, brings the house down with rapid-fire punchlines and cringeworthy puns. … Here we bring you some of the gags which have won him an impressive 7,500-plus followers on Twitter.” – The Sun (£)