“Jobless immigrants are to be denied housing benefit. Writing in the Mail today, Iain Duncan Smith and Theresa May say Britain’s generous welfare system should no longer be a magnet for citizens of other EU states. The Work and Pensions Secretary and the Home Secretary claim Labour doled out millions of pounds ‘for people to sit on benefits’ while opening the door to mass migration.” – Daily Mail
> Yesterday: Is Cameron really set to produce “a new policy to curb immigrants and benefits every week”? – ToryDiary
“The jobless would lose their unemployment benefit under a Labour Government if they failed a “basic skills test” and refused training. In an interview with The Independent, Rachel Reeves, the shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, revealed a “tough love” strategy to stop the unemployed staying on the dole for up to three years before their English, maths and computer skills are assessed. Labour’s test would take place within six weeks of someone claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA).” – The Independent
Today: In a “tough love” auction on welfare only the Tories can win – ToryDiary
“Eric Pickles has confirmed that two ‘garden cities’ could be built in the south east in a bid to tackle Britain’s housing crisis. The Communities Secretary insisted that they would not be forced on unwilling new communities, and said local councils had already come forward to express an interest. He insisted his department had not been responsible for drawing up a document, which was reported last week as proposing new settlements at Yalding in Kent and Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire.” – Daily Mail
“David Cameron faced claims of a ‘Chequers cover-up’ last night after the Government failed to publish a full list of visitors to his grace-and-favour country residence. Downing Street was accused of exploiting a loophole which means visitors to Chequers funded by the Conservative Party, or the Prime Minister personally, are kept secret.” – Daily Mail
“UKIP has suspended an Oxfordshire councillor after he blamed recent flooding on the government’s decision to legalise gay marriage. In a letter to his local paper, David Silvester said he had warned the PM the legislation would result in “disaster”. He said David Cameron had acted “arrogantly against the Gospel”. UKIP leader Nigel Farage said he was entitled to his “strong Baptist view of the world”, but had defied a request not to do further media interviews. Mr Farage said: “So we suspended him, quite rightly.”- BBC
“The dispute within the Liberal Democrats over sexual harassment allegations against Lord Rennard, the party’s former chief executive, is now in danger of spinning out of control as his allies released emails that they claim prove there is a political conspiracy to damage him. Rennard’s case will also be examined on Monday by the Lib Dems’ English regional committee, which will consider complaints that he has brought the party into disrepute by failing to apologise for his actions, and whether to launch an inquiry.” – The Guardian
“A future Labour government would involve consumer groups in ensuring there is genuine competition between businesses, Ed Miliband has said. The party leader told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show bodies such as Which? and Citizens’ Advice would help regulators draw up an annual competition audit.” – BBC
“Ed Miliband has been told to clamp down on Labour in-fighting after he was forced to defend his Shadow Chancellor against anonymous sniping. The Labour leader insisted that Ed Balls was not facing the sack before the election and a senior Labour figure warned that the “real issue” was not the Shadow Chancellor but “the lack of a real plan for the election”.” – The Times(£)
Today: Greg Hands MP: It’s three years today of Labour’s deficit-denying, Goodwin-knighting, zero credibility Shadow Chancellor- Comment
“Russia has no interest in the Scottish independence debate, according to the country’s president Vladimir Putin. He distanced himself one week after reports suggested the UK Government was seeking Russia as an ally to stop Scotland leaving the union in a referendum this September. The claim was dismissed as ridiculous by Downing Street at the time. Mr Putin told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “It’s not a matter for Russia, it’s a domestic issue for the United Kingdom.” People have the right to self-determination, he said. “But I believe one should not forget that being part of a single, strong state has some advantages and one should not overlook this,” he continued.” – The Scotsman
“Margaret Thatcher’s courtiers were a remarkable lot, and Alistair McAlpine stood out as something special. Mrs T’s Jolly Bagman, they called him. He sometimes seemed as inappropriate as a flashy, fleshy monsignor among the followers of a Nonconformist prophet.” – The Times(£)
“Record-breaking athlete who ran with Roger Bannister and began a second career as a Conservative minister and businessman. Chris Chataway belonged to a golden generation of athletes that seemed, for a brief year or two at the start of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, to prove that the British were still a race of world beaters.” – The Times(£)
“The Rev Ian Paisley has detonated a political bombshell by accusing Peter Robinson, his long-time deputy and successor as Northern Ireland’s First Minister, of involvement in a plot of depose him. Mr Paisley and his wife Eileen both levelled extraordinarily caustic criticisms against the leaders of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the Free Presbyterian Church, both of which he founded and led for half a century.” – The Independent
“Children should not watch television in the morning or spend too much time playing video games, David Cameron has suggested as he revealed the domestic rules at Number 10. The Prime Minister, who has three children with his wife Samantha, said the couple limit their “screen time” and encourage them to lead “very active” lives…The 47-year-old said Nancy, nine, Elwen, seven and Florence, three, watch nature programmes rather than cartoons, take part in sport and play music.” – Daily Telegraph