“Eurosceptic Tory MPs last night demanded that David Cameron campaign for Britain to leave the EU after he all but abandoned his flagship plan to strip migrant workers of benefits. The Prime Minister has bowed to pressure from Brussels and other EU leaders ahead of a crunch summit this week and is prepared to accept alternative proposals from Europe if they cut migrant numbers.” – Daily Mail
Voting age:
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Editorial:
“A cross-party scare campaign has driven the bogeyman of the Front away from the door of French power once again, but Marine Le Pen and her far-right movement will be back for revenge in 16 months — and then for the much higher stakes of the presidency. By taking more than a quarter of the vote and overall first place in the opening round, the former pariah party has proved that it is a real force.” – The Times (£)
“If you want a classic example of how the EU survives, while recognising national particularity, look at Danish property law. There is nothing to stop a Dane buying a home in London or any other part of the UK, under basic EU principles. It doesn’t work the other way round; and everyone understands why the Danes want it that way.” – Daily Telegraph
“Councils that fail to keep youngsters safe from abuse or neglect will be stripped of their powers, David Cameron will say today. Sunderland is the first council to have its child protection services passed over to an outside authority under the scheme. They will be run by a voluntary trust initially set up by the director of children’s services in Kingston and Richmond, hundreds of miles away.” – The Times (£)
Other Conservative news:
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“George Osborne has been accused of risking national security by failing to guarantee that the three forces which guard railways, military sites and nuclear installations from terrorist attack would be protected from spending cuts… But the British Transport Police, which patrols railways in England, Scotland and Wales, was not covered by Mr Osborne’s pledge, it has emerged. Spending by Ministry of Defence Police, which guards military bases across the UK, and the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, which protects nuclear sites and nuclear waste when it is being transported, has also been excluded.” – The Independent
“The Scottish Conservatives can overtake Labour to become Holyrood’s official opposition party by snatching more of the parliament’s regional seats in May’s election, David Mundell has said after they unveiled the rankings for all their list candidates. Mr Mundell, the Scottish Secretary, said it was “perfectly possible” but “not inevitable” that the Tories will become Holyrood’s second largest party behind the SNP and that Ruth Davidson will become “official leader of the opposition”.” – Daily Telegraph
“Jeremy Corbyn could seek to shore up his leadership by handing a plum frontbench job to Ken Livingstone, Labour MPs fear. The Labour leader leader has welcomed reports he is plotting a major overhaul of the shadow cabinet, axing moderate MPs who have challenged Mr Corbyn in public, because they make him look ‘really tough’.” – Daily Mail
Stop the War:
Other Labour news:
“However, as the great Labour ship lists heavily in the stormy seas of Corbyn’s leadership, there is a potential lifeboat that few have talked about — a lifeboat in which 25 of its MPs are already sitting. When Jim McMahon was elected in Oldham West, he was not just elected as a Labour MP, but as a Co-operative party MP. He joins 24 other Co-operative MPs in the House of Commons, including some of the brightest talents: Stella Creasy, John Woodcock, Chris Leslie. There are 16 Co-operative party members in the Lords. Kezia Dugdale, leader of Scottish Labour, represents the Co-operative party, too — as do three other MSPs.” – The Times (£)
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