“Tory MPs will challenge David Cameron over Romanian and Bulgarian migrants today – urging him not to throw open Britain’s borders from next year. Backbench support is coalescing around a plan to extend restrictions on new arrivals from the two eastern European countries, due to expire on January 1, for a further five years. Dozens of Tory MPs are likely to back the measure and put huge pressure on the Prime Minister to defy the European Union over its cherished free movement rules” – Daily Mail
>Today: Sir Andrew Green: Romania and Bulgaria – what can be done?
“No one should be allowed to claim more than £20,000 a year in benefits, an influential group of Tory MPs said yesterday. Members of the Free Enterprise Group of Conservative MPs issued a unanimous call for the flagship welfare cap to be reduced from its current level of £26,000. MPs said it would help raise cash to pay for middle-class tax cuts, as well as sending out a powerful message that the unemployed should not be able to live a comfortable life on benefit” – Daily Mail
“Blundering hospital bosses are to be barred from working in the NHS. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt will today unveil plans to prevent a ‘merry-go-round’ of executives who move from job to job despite disastrous performances. Senior managers will also be assessed according to the success of their hospital – making it easier to sack failures without giving them huge pay-offs” – Daily Mail
>Yesterday: Nick de Bois MP: We need a real national health service, not a national illness service
“Rural voters opposed to new planning rules are killing off the chances of young people achieving the ‘dream of home ownership’, insists David Cameron.The Prime Minister accused grassroots Conservatives and countryside groups that oppose building on greenfield land of putting their own interests before the country’s. Echoing Sir John Major’s calls for the Coalition to do more to boost social mobility, Mr Cameron insisted the plans should be viewed ‘in the round’ because more houses have to be built” – Daily Mail
Husbands should get wives’ permission to access online porn at home, David Cameron suggested yesterday… The PM insisted the decision to block porn should be a joint one between couples. Asked what would happen if they disagreed, he said: ‘Well, they’re going to have to have a discussion, aren’t they?’” – Sun
“Foreigners blamed for inflating the London property market are set to be hit with new tax raid, Nick Clegg indicated yesterday. The Deputy Prime Minister revealed Chancellor George Osborne is actively considering imposing Capital Gains Tax on foreign oligarchs, who are currently exempt from the charge when they sell a home in the UK” – Daily Mail
“Former Conservative Party donors have given almost £750,000 to the UK Independence Party, figures have disclosed. Seventeen Tory supporters who between them gave over £5 million in donations now appear to have switched their allegiance to Nigel Farage’s Ukip, giving almost £750,000 to the Eurosceptic party” – Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday: Paul Sykes wants UKIP to win the European elections – but to what end?
“Blunt hailed his “thumping” victory in the ballot of about 400 members – by a margin of five to one – and called on opponents who forced the vote to consider their positions on the association’s executive council. “I was astonished by the irrational and unexpected action of the executive council in September,” the former army officer said as he suggested they should ask how best they can unite the party.” – The Guardian
Yesterday: ToryMPs – “A triumphant vote for tolerance”: Crispin Blunt reselected by grassroots members
“Declining North Sea oil revenues and a rapidly ageing population mean an independent Scotland would face much greater pressure on government finances than the UK as a whole, a leading think-tank has warned. The analysis from the Institute for Fiscal Studies throws a spotlight on spending and taxation plan touted by Scotland’s ruling Scottish National Party as it campaigns for a “Yes” vote in next September’s independence referendum” – Financial Times
“The Church of England is just ‘one generation away from extinction’, the former Archbishop of Canterbury said yesterday. Lord Carey laid the blame at the feet of Church leaders who he said should be ‘ashamed’ of their failure to bring youngsters into their services. His stark message was echoed by the Archbishop of York, who told the General Synod that compared to the need to attract new worshippers, ‘everything else is like re-arranging furniture when the house is on fire’” – Daily Mail
“Ed Miliband held private talks in his Commons office with the disgraced Co-op Bank boss embroiled in a drugs scandal, it emerged last night. The revelation left the Labour leader facing potentially damaging questions about his relationship with the Reverend Paul Flowers. Flowers is being investigated by the police after being caught on film apparently buying hard drugs, including crack cocaine and crystal meth” – Daily Mail