Can I axe you a question..

One day cock of the walk, and next a featherduster? The feelgood factor around the Autumn Statement in yesterday's papers has turned somewhat sour.

"Osborne rattled by figures that expose plans for 'colossal' cuts" is the Guardian's splash; "Osborne plan hides 'colossal cuts' ahead" the Scotsman's. . "Osborne accused of creating 'black hole" is the headline in our Business section and "Five years of cuts: It will be grotesque, warns think tank" is our take on the IFS estimates of the scale of fiscal retrenchment required if George Osborne's spending targets are to be met. 
Elsewhere, the row between the Conservatives and the BBC has turned acrimonious. "Tories at war with 'biased BBC'" is our splash. "Tories Go To War With BBC Over Cuts" is the Mail's. "Anyone who has to explain politics and make it interesting at that time of the morning is entitled to a little licence," argues Andrew Sparrow over at the Guardian. (Or a handfluff of typos, say I.) 
It has to be seen in "the wider context of BBC bias" our leader argues. "The licence fee is the same price for people of all political persuasions who wish to watch television - so it is appalling that the coverage they are compelled to finance should be so blatantly biased". 
The row will rumble on and will doubtless colour relations between the Corporation and the Conservatives both in the run-in and after the election. But it's the Indy and the i that should really worry Downing Street and the Treasury. "Revealed: Osborne's debt time bomb" is the Indy's splash, and "Credit Card Nation" leads the i.  The OBR's reports reveal that an unprecedented level of personal debt underpin the deficit reduction plans. Even assuming a far looser level of deficit reduction than that outlined at the moment, we know that household debt and government borrowing are high and getting higher. As Fraser Nelson notes in his column, the era of low interest rates could extend for decades - and we simply don't know what the consequences of that will be.




THE MAGNIFICENT 0.7 
The House will vote on legislation to enshrine the 0.7% target into law today. It's feared that Conservative backbenchers who are hostile to the law will talk out the Bill with a series of spurious amendments, Matt Holehouse reports. Among the amendments: that contributions to the EU budget and the welfare bill be counted as foreign aid. Labour say they will require the presence of at least 50 Coalition MPs in order to muster the 100-vote quorum necessary to break a filibuster on the law.

BROWNED OFF
Nick Clegg's absence from the Autumn Statement will hurt the Liberal Democrats, Jeremy Browne told a TPA-IEA fringe. "We should not run away from our record, because we will not get the credit and continue to get the blame," Mr Browne said. We need to be "unambiguously associated with the Government that we are members of", he continued. Georgia Graham has the story. 
INQUIRY LATEST 
The inquiry into the handling of allegations of child sexual abuse is "not fit for purpose" a group of 24 child abuse victims and professionals have said in a letter seen by Jack Blanchard in the Mirror.  Theresa May insists that the "once-in-a-lifetime" probe will continue as planned.

FANCY A THREEWAY?
Ukip have held the council ward of Aveley & Uplands in the Conservative-held constituency of Thurrock, which is shaping up to be a genuine three-way fight between Ukip's Tim Aker, Labour's Polly Billington and the incumbent, Jackie Doyle-Price. The Conservatives had come under fire for leaflets using Mr Aker's full Turkish name of Timür Aker on leaflets.

JUMPING THE SHARK
I've been enjoying listening to "Polling Matters", the podcast about - you guessed it - polling with pollster Keiran Pedley and Leo Barasi. Episodes so far have discussed the Green surge, the difficulties of polling Ukip, and the consequences - or lack thereof - of Ed Miliband's personal ratings on Labour's standing. I was the guest this week as we discussed the rise of marginal polling and its use to political debate. You can listen to all the episodes here. 
ANNOUNCEMENTS (1)
Rising Labour stars Lisa Nandy and Rachel Reeves have both announced that are expecting children in April (Ms Nandy's first) and June (Ms Reeves' second). It's a disaster for Ed Miliband, says Dan Hodges. (Not really. It's the Liberal leader in Dan's sights this morning.)
ANNOUNCEMENTS (2)
Jeremy Thorpe, the Liberal leader largely remembered for the scandal that ended his career, has died. Tim Stanley plays tribute here, and you can read his obituary here. Upon losing his seat in the 1979 election, Mr Thorpe quipped that the allegations against him had "hardly helped" his campaign, but it's helped the Liberals keep some perspective in tough times. "At least no-one's shot a dog yet," one Liberal MP quipped during the last days of Charlie Kennedy's leadership.

You can get in touch with me by pressing "reply" or on Twitter. Our cartoon is the work of Christian Adams - a gallery of his work is available here.  

HOW HAVE THE POLLS MOVED IN THE LAST MONTH?



Conservatives 31% Labour 33% Liberal Democrats 8% Ukip 16% Green 6%  (Ashcroft-ComRes-Populus-TNS-YouGov, 27.11.2014-05.12.2014)

LATEST POLLS:

YouGov: Con 31% Lab 32% LD 7% Ukip 15% Green 8%

TOO MANY TWEETS...

@rafaelbehr: Keep seeing Osborne described as "a very political Chancellor." Isn't that like describing Steven Gerrard as a "very footbally midfielder"?

COMMENT

From the Telegraph

Fraser Nelson - George Osborne is addicted to debt. So are the rest of us.

Michael Deacon - Russell Brand puts his foot down  George Osborne has sealed Ed Balls' fate
Rupert Myers - The Right needs to wake up; climate change is real, and we're causing it
From elsewhere

Gaby Hinsliff - This obsession with inheritance shows how much we've lost confidence in the future (Guardian)

Philip Collins - Osborne can't get away with this blatant spin (Times)
Keiran Pedley and Leo Barasi  - The Rise of Marginal Polling (Polling Matters)
AGENDA 
0930 LONDON: Healthcare Financial Management Association conference. Simon Stevens, NHS England chief executive, to speak.   
TODAY IN PARLIAMENT 

Commons

Commons - 0930:

International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Bill - report stage.

Specialist Printing Equipment and Materials (Offences) Bill - report stage.

Convicted Prisoners Voting Bill - second reading.

Household Safety (Carbon Monoxide Detectors) Bill - second reading (Day 2).

Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill - second reading.

Off-patent Drugs Bill - second reading (Day 2).

Counsellors and Psychotherapists (Regulation) Bill - second reading.

Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill - second reading.

Road Traffic Regulation (Temporary Closure for Filming) Bill - second reading (Day 2).

Illegal Immigrants (Criminal Sanctions) Bill - second reading (Day 2).

House of Lords (Maximum Membership) Bill - second reading.

EU Membership (Audit of Costs and Benefits) Bill - second reading.

Wild Animals in Circuses Bill - second reading.

A short debate on economic growth in London.

Lords

A debate on the role of soft power and non-military options in conflict prevention.

Exit stage left..

It's all Chancellors and reannouncements today, as Labour continue to put the Autumn Statement under the spotlight and Westminster digests Gordon Brown's confirmation that he will quit Parliament at the next election. 

"Brown stands down after vow is fulfilled" is the Scotsman's splash. "Sarah's tears as Gordon bows out of politics" is the Scottish Mail's take. "Family first: Brown bows out of politics" is the Guardian's line, accompanied with the same photograph of the Browns and their sons. 

David Cameron and Ed Miliband both sound a note of somewhat qualified praise for their predecessor. The PM talks of his "huge amount in terms of public service", while Ed Miliband dusts off that same turn of phrase he used of Margaret Thatcher: "a towering figure" is his line. (Do buy Rob Hutton's Would They Lie To You? if you, too, want to master the art of qualified praise) 

"He was complex, deep, unhappy, as a Rachmaninov symphony," is Quentin Letts' verdict in the Mail. He had "a seriousness out of keeping with the age". In the Guardian, his last PPS, Alison McGovern, writes powerfully about Mr Brown's personal generosity. 

But the Sun isn't joining in the love-fest in their leader. Mr Brown was "notable for his failures more than his successes". His "judgement as Chancellor was often disastrous". But, they add, "he should be remembered too for leading the global response to the recession - and for his key role in keeping Scotland in the Union".

Ultimately, it's too early to accurately judge Mr Brown one way or another. He might go down in history as the man who saved the Union and prevented a global economic collapse - equally, both of those achievements could be undone very quickly. As for his own role in his party; it's still wholly plausible that after the next election all four of the great offices of state will be occupied by Brownites (Ed Miliband, Ed Balls, Douglas Alexander and Yvette Cooper). But it's equally possible that the electoral consequences of Brownism will be the same as that of Brown: a Conservative government.  

WE BUILT THIS CITY

A garden city in Bicester, Oxfordshire, will be announced in the Autumn Statement tomorrow, Peter Dominiczak reports. It will be funded with close to £100 million of public spending and government-backed loans to businesses and will be the second garden city identified by the government after the new city to be built in Ebbsfleet. Elsewhere, the FT reports that George Osborne will give Northern Ireland control over corporation tax, allowing the province to compete with the republic and potentially easing the way to a post-election pact with the DUP.

STITCHING KIPPERS

Ukip are growing up. They have two MPs and now the sine qua non of an established party - a controversy over fixing up selections. Alexi Mostrous and Billy Kenber have the scoop in the Times. More than a dozen activists have resigned from the party, saying that the MEP selection process has been rigged by the leadership. The claims around fixing are made in a series of e-mails obtained by the Thunderer. In one, Neil Hamilton, now Ukip's deputy chairman, warns that the list of MEP candidates "contained manifest absurdities" "As you can imagine, I'm not pleased with the MEP selection process," Mr Hamilton chuntered. 

I'VE SEEN THIS MOVIE BEFORE

Speaking of fixing up selections...Unite are under fire for issuing a mock ballot with instructions on how to fill it out including literature from their preferred candidates, Neil Findlay and Katy Clark, the far-left candidates for leader and deputy leader, Sam Coates reports in the Times. It's "desperate stuff", Labour sources tell the Herald. It's reminiscent of the same tactic used by Unite and the GMB in the Labour leadership contest, when Ed Miliband triumphed over his brother with union support. 

CAR WARS

Labour's war on motorists is over, Michael Dugher has declared. Mr Dugher has conceded that governments have long seen motorists as a "cash cow", in what Jason Beattie terms "a significant shift in policy". Mr Dugher says he wants to represent "white van man, women drivers, small businesses and any other road user".

THEY WILL NOT GROW OLD
Today's Telegraph carries a tribute to the 453 soldiers who died in Afghanistan during the "long war" of 2001-2014. It can be viewed in its entirety here. 

NATIONALISE EVERYTHING!

Majorities of voters support the renationalisation of gas, electricity and the railway industries, according to a YouGov poll for the Times. 56% of respondents favour renationalising the utilities while 59% support renationalising the railways.  A reminder of the utility of this sort of poll - as Sex, Lies and the Ballot Box reveals, 15% of people had an opinion about the Monetary Control Bill - no such bill exists. Brian Wheeler at the BBC has his favourite picks from the book. 

You can get in touch with me by pressing "reply" or on Twitter. Our cartoon is the work of Christian Adams - a gallery of his work is available here.  

HOW HAVE THE POLLS MOVED IN THE LAST MONTH?

Conservatives 31% Labour 33% Liberal Democrats 8% Ukip 16% Green 6%  (Ashcroft-ComRes-Populus-YouGov, 25.11.2014-02.12.2014)

LATEST POLLS:

Ashcroft: Con 30% Lab 32% LD 7% Ukip 16% Green 6%
ComRes: Con 28% Lab 31% LD 9% Ukip 18% Green 7%
Populus: Lab 35% Con 32% Ukip 14% LD 9% Green 5%

YouGov: Con 32% Lab 32% LD 8% Ukip 15% Green 6%

TOO MANY TWEETS...

@JonAshworth: We would never have had a Labour Govt without Gordon Brown - a towering figure & crusader against poverty. I'm proud to have worked with him

COMMENT

From the Telegraph

Dan Hodges - Andrew Mitchell had no chance in his Plebgate libel case

Iain Martin - Would Ukip send Paddington Bear back to darkest Peru?

From elsewhere

Janan Ganesh - Will the liberal Osborne please stand up?  (FT) 
Zoe Williams - Does Britain really want to become a country no-one wants to migrate to? (Guardian)
AGENDA
0900 EDINBURGH: Conference examines Smith Commission proposals. The line-up of speakers at the Scotsman Conference includes Professor John Kay, BBC special correspondent Allan Little and Ben Thomson, chair of Reform Scotland.
0930 LONDON: Charity football match. The game will be played between the Football United Against Domestic Violence team and MPs. 
1115 LONDON: Justice Secretary Chris Grayling gives evidence to the Commons Justice Committee on crime reduction policies.
1400 CAMBRIDGE: Danny Alexander, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury will make a major housing announcement.
1530 LONDON: Trade unionists and health campaigners demonstration, with a giant wheel of fortune, to warn MPs that 'Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) is putting patients at risk by silencing whistle blowers'.
1730: Nigel Farage takes part in a Leaders Live show. The Ukip leader takes part in the Bite the Ballot Leaders Live Q&A aimed at young voters.
1730 LONDON: Protest organised by the People's Assembly ahead of the Chancellor's Autumn Statement. Dozens of 'George Osbornes' will descend on Downing Street.
1830 LONDON: Mary Creagh speech at launch of Social Market Foundation document on international development.
TODAY IN PARLIAMENT

Commons

Foreign Office Questions.

A Ten Minute Rule Motion: Overseas Voters (15 Year Rule).

Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill - second reading.

A short debate on Government policy on tackling corruption.

Westminster Hall:

0930: Benefit sanctioning.

1100: Government policy on the assistive technology sector.

1430: Wessex route study and passenger capacity.

1600: Government support for textile manufacturing.

1630: Control of anti-freeze products and protection of animals.

Lords

Questions.

Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill - second reading. 

A road runs through it..

Just five months to go until the next election and three days before the 'Autumn' Statement. Among the announcements: the freeze in petrol duty extended until after the election, £1 billion worth of government land sold off, air passenger duty for the under-12s abolished, an extra £2 billion for the NHS and £15 billion to improve major roads.

It's the latter two that dominate the headlines this morning."Osborne's £15bn for new roads to boost poll hopes" is our splash."Osborne tees up roads plan in drive for good news around Autumn Statement" is the FT's take. The Coalition's big guns are around the country today announcing road improvements including a £1bn tunnel underneath Stonehenge. That some 42 of the 65 road improvements will run through Coalition constituencies has caught the eye of Chris Hope and Georgia Graham, with the seats of Nicola Blackwood, David Laws, and Ben Gummer among the beneficiaries. It's "another desperate pre-election con," rages Michael Dugher, the Shadow Transport Secretary. 

It's the row over that £2bn for the NHS that grabs the Guardian's interest: "Osborne under fire over £2bn NHS pledge" is their take. The Chancellor's announcement of an extra £2bn for the Health Service includes £750m of unspent money from the Department of Health: "spin" sighs Andy Burnham.

But it's the frontpages of the Indy and the i that sum up the problem. "Osborne's £75bn budget bombshell" is the Indy's splash, and "British borrowing to rise by £75bn" is the i's (£75bn is rendered in an alarming shade of red). The books are not balanced and there are further cuts to come, not least once the £7 billion of tax cuts are taken into account. That the jobs boost is not having the expected boost to revenues due to low pay and the threshold raise means that, far from signalling the end of belt-tightening, the best we can hope for is a slight pause. 

YOU'RE NICKED

More than half  of the 41 police and crime commissioners have already been investigated by the policing watchdog, Fiona Hamiltonreports in the Times. New figures show that the Independent Police Complaints Commission has looked into more than 40 complaints of wrong-doing by 23 of the 41 elected commissioners. "This is a very disappointing total," says self-effacing lawmaker Keith Vaz. A "fiasco" is the Times' verdict in their leader. The IPPC must be strengthened and the right of recall must be extended to PCCs. "If there is one way to guarantee that elected police commissioners attract derision," the Thunderer argues, "it is to protect mediocrities in office." 

A DISEASE, OR A FACT OF LIFE?

Politicians talk about immigration as "though it's some kind of disease that needs to be treated, rather than a fact of life that has to be coped with" Pat McFadden, Labour's new shadow Europe minister, tells this month's Progress Magazine, and warns that the PM is heading towards "Brexit by default". Patrick Wintour has the story in the Guardian.  

NOTHING TO FEAR?

New First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has moved to damp down concerns about her administration's intentions towards business with an interview with Mure Dickie in the FT. Saying that business has "got nothing to fear from me", Ms Sturgeon continues"I am a social democrat, I believe in pursuing greater equality, and tackling social justice, but you can't do that unless you have got a strong economy". It comes as the Scottish Liberal Democrats have accused Ms Sturgeon of plotting to decrease the personal allowance for Scots. 

THE EAGLE HAS LANDED

Maria Eagle fought a rearguard action to prevent abortion law being devolved to Holyrood amid fears that women's rights would be compromised by the move. Ms Eagle reportedly described the proposals as "outrageous", banging the table in anger, and described the Smith Commission as "a bunch of men deciding on women's rights to abortion". 

COUNT ME OUT, SAYS JOHNSON

Alan Johnson has revealed that he turned down an offer from Ed Miliband to return to the Shadow Cabinet in an interview with GQ. Mr Johnson tells Alistair Campbell that he was reluctant to enter the Shadow Cabinet in the first place, but Mr Miliband's surprise offer of the post of Shadow Chancellor changed his mind: "I took it because I thought, what an extraordinary gesture that he wants me there...but my heart wasn't in it. I was not up for it. I did it for seven months but I didn't like the job." He would be happy to have a greater role in campaigning on the ground, however. Chris Hope has the story.

YIKES!

The Government's requirement that landlords and letting agents check the immigration status of their tenants will "drive discrimination", encouraging "otherwise fair-minded landlords" to let only to "white tenants with British-sounding names, just to reduce the likelihood of additional bureaucracy from the Home Office", Natalie Bennett and 17 others have argued in a letter to the Telegraph. 

LISTEN WITH BERCOW

Radio 4 listeners will be able to recover from their Christmas hangovers to the pleasant tones of John Bercow, who will be the Today programme's guest editor on Boxing Day. 

You can get in touch with me by pressing "reply" or on Twitter. Our cartoon is the work of Christian Adams - a gallery of his work isavailable here.  

HOW HAVE THE POLLS MOVED IN THE LAST MONTH?

Conservatives 31% Labour 34% Liberal Democrats 8% Ukip 16% Green 6%  (Ashcroft-Populus-YouGov, 24.11.2014-01.12.2014)

LATEST POLLS:

YouGov: Con 32% Lab 34% LD 7% Ukip 15% Green 6%

TOO MANY TWEETS...

@helenlewis: Hang on, have the Tories been on a year-long bet with their mates to get the phrase "long term economic plan" into every media appearance?

COMMENT

From the Telegraph

James Kirkup - The immigration speech that Cameron should have given

Boris Johnson - Indonesia adores the Brits, so why aren't we trading there?

From elsewhere

Matthew Parris - Watch out! The mob will come for you next(Spectator) 

Zoe Williams - Does Britain really want to become a country no-one wants to migrate to? (Guardian)

AGENDA

1515 LONDON: Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and Business Secretary Vince Cable give evidence to the Commons Committees on Arms Export Controls.

1945 LONDON: Turner Prize winner announced. The ceremony begins at 1915 and the award will be announced by Chiwetel Ejiofor live on Channel 4 at 1945. 

2235: Danny Alexander among the guests on Tom Bradby's The Agenda.

TODAY IN PARLIAMENT

Commons

Education Questions.

Criminal Justice and Courts Bill - Consideration of Lords amendments.

A short debate on the jurisdiction of the Serious Fraud Office and 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup bids.

Lords

Questions.

Modern Slavery Bill - committee of the whole House.

A short debate on the report of the all party parliamentary inquiry into electoral conduct.

Chasing polls, chastising Poles..

It's David Cameron's big day: one last major address on immigration before the focus turns to the economy next week with the Autumn Statement. Migrants will face a four-year wait for benefits - both social security and in-work benefits - and will be expelled if they do not have a job in six months. Benefit outflows to children living abroad and other family benefits will also be curtailed. 

It's a far cry from some of the more ambitious pledges on emergency brakes or moratoriums, neither of which would have been achievable while remaining within the European Union. It's a victory for the cautious heads around George Osborne, who were keen to avoid upsetting business - already jittery enough about the coming referendum as it is - although, as the PM will say, the exit door remains firmly ajar should things not go his way.

"I'm ready to lead Britain out of Europe if migrant reforms fail" is our splash. "Cameron: cut all tax credits to migrants to keep UK in EU" is the Guardian's take. "Cameron plans benefits block to stem flow of EU migrants" is the FT's take. "Cameron in tough migrants crackdown" is roars the Times. "Migrants: At Last PM Acts" is the Mail's splash, while the Express opts for "Migrants: Four Year Benefits Ban".  

The odd thing is, it's hard to find many people who think that this speech will really change all that much. The PM seems to be giving a speech...because, well, that's what Prime Ministers do. While our European allies have been squared - a far cry from only a few weeks ago, when diplomats were privately despairing that Britain was on the verge of leaving - the speech doesn't, to my eyes, look to be enough to satisfy the hardline Outers within the Tory fold, let alone win back many Ukip voters.

It may be that the latter is impossible. In the Times, Lucy Fisher reports on research by the British Election Study showing that Nigel Farage's recruits are the most committed of all voters - just a quarter of its voters feel "not very strongly" committed to the party. 

We know, of course, that the PM can give a bravura performance from the podium when he has to. That speech in Manchester - which, yes, mentioned immigration in passing, but ranged freely into traditional Labour territory as well as bringing out the greatest hits of popular Conservatism - did lasting damage to the Opposition's standing in the polls. Those are the applause lines that the Tories have to get back to if they're to overhaul Labour. But the PM's best lines - opportunity "no matter who you are, no matter where you're from", the party "of the first pay cheque, the first chance, the first home" - look distinctly less convincing once you add the rider "but not for Poles". 

 

THE RILED THORNBERRYS

"My sister's no snob, says 'Red Van' Ben" is the splash of the Islington Tribune. Emily Thornberry's truck-driving builder brother Ben has come to his older sister's defence in an interview with her local paper.  The fuss says more about the people making it, Mr Thornberry, "rather than the person who took a pic of a house that looks like the one they grew up in". Elsewhere, a survey for LabourList reveals a clear majority of its readers believe that Ms Thornberry should have kept her job by 53% to 44%. 

EVEL DEEDS

The PM will push forward with his plans to introduce English votes for English laws, including the setting of English rates of income tax, in what Labour say is a breach of the deal struck by the Smith Commission. 

FAREWELL, FARAGE?

The latest round of Lord Ashcroft's seat-by-seat polling finds that Nigel Farage has a fight on his hands if he is to enter Parliament next may. The Conservatives lead Ukip by five points with 34% to 29%, Georgia Graham reports. As I noted back when the Conservatives selected Craig Mackinlay as the candidate in Thanet South, it takes time for a third party to chip away at a majority, and Mr Farage's delay in declaring his intentions may hurt him, just as his ill-conceived attempt to take on John Bercow flopped in 2010.  

HE FOUGHT THE LAW. THE LAW WON.

Andrew Mitchell has lost his libel cases against the Sun and PC Toby Rowland, with Mr Justice Missing ruling that "on the balance of probabilities" that Mr Mitchell "did speak the words alleged or something so close to them as to amount to the same, including the politically toxic word pleb", Martin Evans reports. "Right Said Pleb"is the Sun's splash.  

WHAT'S WRONG WITH KARREN BRADY?
Tory figures are wooing Jeremy Paxman to keep hold of City Hall in 2016, Sam Coates reports in the Times. But CCHQ has yet to throw its weight behind the efforts to recruit Mr Paxman. 
GIVE GRAMPS A HAND
Working grandparents should be allowed to use their children's parental leave allowance to care for grandchildren, Bright Blue, a think-tank aligned with Conservative modernisers, has suggested in a wider report into what Tory priorities on welfare should be. Chris Hope has the story and the full report is available here. 

THE WALKER DIET

Ed Balls sits down with Paul Waugh in the House Magazine. It's not the Autumn Statement, but his Grade 4 piano exam that's keeping the Shadow Chancellor up nights. And Mr Balls reveals something about how Labour - and he - are approaching the difficult task of cutting down. As far as departmental spending is concerned, it's "start from zero and justify every pound". His approach to his weight isn't quite as severe, but he reveals that he drew inspiration from a Telegraph diary item highlighting his, Ken Clarke and Eric Pickles' increased tums after the recess. "I've now lost over a stone on the Pickles diet, reading that diary story every day," Mr Balls says.

You can get in touch with me by pressing "reply" or on Twitter. Our cartoon is the work of Christian Adams - a gallery of his work is available here.  

HOW HAVE THE POLLS MOVED IN THE LAST MONTH?

Conservatives 32% Labour 34% Liberal Democrats 8% Ukip 16% Green 5%  (Ashcroft-Opinium-Populus-YouGov, 20.11.2014-27.11.2014)

LATEST POLLS:

YouGov: Con 31% Lab 31% LD 8% Ukip 17% Green 6%

TOO MANY TWEETS...

@JoeMurphyLondon: Andrew Mitchell should have talked to kids from Brixton - they know it's seldom worth challenging a police officer's word

COMMENT

From the Telegraph

James Kirkup - Let's try not to enjoy Andrew Mitchell's downfall too much
Con Coughlin - We must tackle the source of the jihadists' threat: Syria 

From elsewhere

Philip Collins - Beware the march of IDS and his gothic folly (Times)
Tim Bale - Suppose they gave a war and no-one came?
AGENDA
0930 WEST MIDLANDS: The Prime Minister will give speech on immigration.
1030 CANNOCK: UKIP's national day of action against road tolls.
TODAY IN PARLIAMENT

Commons

Tenancies (Reform) Bill - second reading.

Low Pay Commission (National Minimum Wage) Bill - second reading.

Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill - second reading.

Road Traffic Regulation (Temporary Closure for Filming) Bill - second reading (Day 2).

Illegal Immigrants (Criminal Sanctions) Bill - second reading (Day 2).

House of Lords (Maximum Membership) Bill - second reading.

Wild Animals in Circuses Bill - second reading.

A short debate on the compulsory purchase order in relation to Shepherds Bush Market and the surrounding small businesses.