“David Cameron has told every Conservative MP that they will be guaranteed a seat to fight at the 2020 election following growing anger in the party over his plans to change the constituency boundaries. Downing Street has made clear to every sitting Tory MP that “no colleague will be left behind” following threats of a major rebellion over the boundary reforms.” – Daily Telegraph
>Today: ToryDiary: Can Cameron honour his pledge to reselect every Tory MP?
“David Cameron yesterday pledged to end the appeasement of Islamist extremism, and demanded that everyone in Britain show ‘loyalty’ to this country and its values. In a stark warning, he said 2016 will be a ‘test of our mettle’ in the battle against radicals with a ‘seething hatred’ of this country and the West.” – Daily Mail
>Today: Hicham Felter in Comment: When will we wake up to the ISIS threat in Libya?
“David Cameron has used his New Year message to commit his last four years in Downing Street to beating poverty. But on the same day new figures revealed that homelessness has doubled in London under his premiership, with the Conservative government’s cutbacks to housing benefit and its poor record on provision of affordable housing cited as key factors behind the worrying rise in people sleeping rough.” – The Independent
Comment:
Editorial:
“2015 was David Cameron’s year. Though to be fair, you may have missed it. No sooner had the final votes been counted than his historic election triumph had been mysteriously and hastily repackaged as just about everyone else’… if that dramatic 10.00pm exit poll had pointed to a Conservative defeat it would have been David Cameron’s defeat. And so, despite all the revisionism, he takes ownership of the great triumph of 2015 as well.” – Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday:
“George Osborne has frozen the income level at which graduates start to repay student loans at £21,000 – instead of allowing it to rise each year with average wages. The Chancellor could face legal action after critics accused him of ‘breaking a contract’ linking the threshold to earnings.” – Daily Mail
““Bah! Humbug!” was never going to catch on; but if you can think of a snappier way of saying “the culture of victimhood could sink us all” then tell me. In the media and in politics we’re in danger of slithering, wet-eyed, into ruin, beneath the weight of uncosted proxy-generosity and political virtue-signalling. “Proxy” because it is other people’s money that ministers are being bounced into spending. Public sympathy is a dangerous driver of public policy.” – The Times (£)
“The Labour party is looking into withdrawing its co-operation with the Conservatives over a proposed 19 per cent cut in state money to opposition parties in parliament. Party officials have confirmed the possibility of halting any co-operation with the Tories over parliamentary business unless the government considers changing plans to cut “Short money” which were announced in the autumn statement.” – The Times (£)
“Mainstream Labour MPs have become “hysterical” over the prospect of a “revenge reshuffle” by Jeremy Corbyn of his top team, Diane Abbott said yesterday. The shadow international development secretary hit back at Lord Mandelson, the Blairite former business secretary, who said Mr Corbyn was the most divisive Labour leader in history.” – The Times (£)
Comment: