Leading Conservatives in David Cameron’s shadow cabinet are taking money to run their private offices directly from commercial companies with vested interests in the portfolios they hold. But will Guido Fawkes blog these pigs at the trough?

The Fixed Term Parliaments Bill, introduced by David Howarth MP, receives its second reading debate in the House of Commons this Friday. LibdemVoice urges readers to get active.

A survey on LabourHome has found that just under a half are motivated enough to campaign for the party. “Shoring up the core vote” seems to be the most popular policy going forward. Is the party top-brass listening?

The personal tax allowance is to be raised by £600 this year in an emergency measure to compensate those who lost out by Gordon Brown’s decision to scrap the 10p tax band, the Chancellor announced today.

“… but tragically Brown seems incapable of escaping from the neo-liberalism straight jacket he and Blair donned after the crushing defeat in 1992 which meant the interests of the market would always come first”, writes Neal Lawson of Compass in today’s Independent.

While the government pretends nothing is wrong, David Cameron’s new Conservatives are staking out ground that once belonged to the left, argue Jon Cruddas and Jonathan Rutherford in today’s Guardian.

In a diary extract published by the Daily Mail, Brian Paddick reveals himself to be fairly critical of the lack of support from the Libdems and offers other mishaps he faced during campaigning.

The engrossing London mayoral elections failed to help the London Evening Standard, which saw its circulation drop again last month. We’re shocked to hear the newspaper’s ‘fair and balanced’ coverage wasn’t appreciated more.

When someone says they can “put an end to extinction,” you tend to listen to them. That’s exactly what a group of Norwegians claimed earlier this year, when they placed 100 million food crop seeds in a “Doomsday vault,” built into the side of an Arctic mountain.

BAE Systems, the arms giant accused of making corrupt payments worldwide to win lucrative contracts, has admitted it acted unethically in the past.

The home secretary will today stress the dangers of more potent strains of cannabis, and expected to defy medical opinion, by announcing the drug will be upgraded from class C to class B.

Ministers have paved the way for further concessions on plans to hold terrorist suspects for up to 42 days without charge in an attempt to avert another rebellion by Labour MPs, reports The Times.

A bill outlawing the possession of “extreme pornography” is set to become law next week. But many fear it has been rushed through… Stephen has more thoughts.

Dave Hill finds that Libdem’r Simon Hughes, “urged voters to cast their second preference for someone who had served London already”. He’s advocating Paddick as first choice of course, but does that mean Ken should be no. 2?

Gordon Brown today vowed to press ahead with plans to extend detention without trial beyond 28 days.

Writers from English PEN are protesting agains Tesco’s action in Thailand as an attack on freedom of speech. Tesco doesn’t care.

The latest monthly ComRes survey for The Independent, published today, will show that the Tories have doubled their lead since last month from seven to 14 points.

Richard Littlejohn, that paragon of enlightened thinking, wants his readers to vote Boris. Almost as bad as a BNP endorsement? Via SB.

The Liberal Democrats are better placed at this point in the electoral cycle than at any time in their history, the party leader, Nick Clegg, claimed today.

The candidates for Mayor of London have outlined their policies on gender violence to End Violence Against Women (EVAW). But they say Boris Johnson is out of line with national party policy. Press release follows. Continue reading…