>> JOIN US AT 8PM FOR A LIVE BLOG OF THE DISPATCHES PROGRAMME ON KEN LIVINGSTONE
6.30pm: Liam Fox has submitted his first post to CentreRight.com:
"We now know that 68 MoD laptops were stolen in 2007, 66 in 2006, 40 in 2005, and 173 in 2004. What on earth is going on? How much information on our service personnel is floating around out there? Most importantly, why has nothing been done about it given that it has been happening for years? Unbelievable!"
6.15pm PlayPolitical Video: Obama accuses Bill Clinton of "contradicting the facts" (well that wouldn't be the first time!)
4pm CentreRight updates:
- It's law and order stupid! Robert Halfon notes The Sun's full-throttled campaign on crime.
- Tim Montgomerie on The Danny Finkelstein-Stephan Shakespeare disagreement
- Jim McConalogue: “Not to honour the referendum … is to treat the people of this country like fools”
1.45pm Parliament: Angie Bray AM writes about excessively noisy tube lines
Interviews: Any questions for Andrew Lansley?
Seats and candidates: Cambridgeshire North East - The vital statistics:
There were two big selections over the weekend for Tory-held seats: Helen Grant for Maidstone and Steve Barclay for NE Cambs. Also Gareth Hughes was adopted for Wrexham.
LondonMayor: Live blog at 8pm tonight - Help us try out our new software
Darling's rescue plan for Northern Rock unveiled
"Under the proposed solution, the £25bn Bank of England loan made to the troubled bank will be converted into bonds and sold to investors. The bonds would be guaranteed by the government to encourage a private buyer to come forward." - BBC
"The Treasury had originally hoped that private sector bidders would be able to pay off up to £15bn of the lender's Bank of England debts up front, but would-be rescuers have struggled to raise financing following the credit crunch." - Sky
EU Treaty debates begin in Parliament
"Despite the fact that 638 out of 646 MPs were elected on the basis of a manifesto commitment to a referendum, two of the three main parties have since performed a nauseating volte-face. Labour and the Lib Dems were in favour of a plebiscite until it became clear that they would lose it; now, they are suddenly making pompous declarations about Parliament being the proper place to consider such measures." - Telegraph leader
"I do not know what the longer- term impact of ratifying without the promised referendum would be. It would certainly embitter politics. There are many Eurosceptics who feel very angry, who feel betrayed. Voters would become more cynical about politicians, and might regard them all as untrustworthy. The young Eurosceptics are as angry as the older." - William Rees-Mogg in an article entitled 'They Lied Yesterday, They Will Lie Tomorrow' in The Times
The Sun begins crime campaign
The Sun prints a reader's words on its front page:
"We're witnessing the downward spiral of Britain. Decent members of the public are being murdered by feral youths on our streets. MPs just give us sad eyes and soundbites."
The Sun Says: "This Labour Government is in its 11th year of power. Yet every time there is a new example of Britain’s descent into lawlessness they come up with new fixes — and little happens. And where are the Tories’ bright ideas after a decade with nothing to do but come up with solutions?"
The newspaper lists Labour's 'flop pledges' on crime.
Meanwhile The Telegraph calculates that each detected crime costs £10,000 and detection rates have fallen 1.5% since 1997 and reports: "The Tories blamed the low rates on officers spending too much time on red tape and "box-ticking". David Ruffley, the shadow police minister, said: "One hour of every five hours of officers' time is spent on patrol. The Government needs to take action to cut red tape.""
And, of course... "Jacqui Smith suffered a barrage of criticism yesterday after admitting she would not feel safe walking the streets after dark." - Daily Mail
Commons Environment Committee calls for end of biofuels target
"Committee chairman Tim Yeo said: "Biofuels can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from road transport - but at present most biofuels have a detrimental impact on the environment overall." - BBC
How Labour's tax system punishes couples for being married - Daily Mail
Des Browne to be questioned over laptop loss - ePolitix.com
M25 Britain and the rest
"The chief executive of Marks & Spencer believes the UK is fast becoming a very divided nation: the rich who live inside the M25 - and the rest." - Guardian
Scottish Tories launch effort to save rural schools - BBC
Brown backs India's ambition for UN Security Council place - Guardian
Brown complains about noisy PMQs - Independent
Barack Obama attacks Bill Clinton's statements as "troubling" and "inaccurate" - ABC News
Stephen Glover accuses Andrew Neil of sidelining Matthew d'Ancona at The Spectator - Independent
Please use this thread to highlight other interesting news and commentary...