MPs’ expenses published
‘The expenses claims of every MP for the past four years have been published, but with some key details blacked out.’ – BBC
‘More than a month after The Daily Telegraph began disclosing details of members’ use of public money, the House authorities have published their own, edited version of MPs’ claim forms and the receipts they submitted.’ – James Kirkup, Daily Telegraph
‘More than a million printed documents and receipts have been scanned electronically over the last year in a major publishing operation to make information on MPs’ allowances freely available to the public online. These relate to MPs’ claims dating back to 2004/05 and up to 2007/08.’ – parliament.uk
‘The publication today of the details of MPs’ expenses will make uncomfortable reading for the Westminster officials who signed off hundreds of lavish claims.’ – Nigel Morris, The Independent
Kitty Ussher loses ministerial post
‘Gordon Brown received a blow on the eve of the publication of MPs’ expenses when he was forced last night to sack Kitty Ussher as a junior Treasury minister in the face of evidence that she “flipped” her homes for a month to avoid paying thousands of pounds in capital gains tax.’ – Patrick Wintour and Nicholas Watt, The Guardian
‘Kitty Ussher, the Burnley MP who only got her latest ministerial job last week, has quit her Treasury post following more revelations. She’s also announced that she won’t be standing again at the general election.’ – Mike Smithson, politicalbetting.com
Speaker race enters final days
‘Conservative MPs will support Margaret Beckett, the former Labour leader, over one of their own for the Speaker’s chair amid signs that the race is showing a form of inverted tribalism and party whips are playing an increasingly central role.’ – Sam Coates, The Times
Mansion House speech
‘In his key Mansion House speech last night, Mr Darling allowed a rare moment of smugness to shine through. His ridiculed forecasts for a return to growth this year have proved surprisingly prescient. He is not, he pointed out, the “wild-eyed optimist” that many painted him. Mr Darling is occupying the high ground of economic sage, which, undeserved or otherwise, has been vacant since Mr Brown moved next door.’ – Leader, The Times
‘The Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, yesterday clashed with the Chancellor at the Mansion House dinner over the right approach to fixing the regulatory failures that saw the first run on a British bank in over 150 years and the near collapse of the entire financial system.’ – Sean O’Grady, The Independent
Climate change forecasts
‘Detailed forecasts of how climate change may affect the UK during this century are to be released by the government later.’ – BBC
‘The threat to Britain posed by floods, heat waves and coastal erosion is far more serious than previously thought, according to a group of experts appointed by the Government.’ – Francis Elliott and Robin Pagnamenta, The Times
Turmoil in Iran continues
‘More mass protests are expected in the Iranian capital after presidential challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi urged followers to observe a day of mourning.’ – BBC
‘The screens have gone blank. The voices have been silenced. One by one, the foreign journalists invited to Iran to cover its election have been expelled. The Government has accused the foreign press of being the “mouthpiece of rioters”, distorting the country’s image, and has decided to expel the messengers in the hope of changing the message. It is a foolish, cowardly step, unbecoming of a country wanting to show a new face to the world, and a violation of the hospitality offered to the hundreds of media organisations eager to show Iranian democracy in action.’ – Leader, The Times
Iraq inquiry
‘Gordon Brown is considering a startling U-turn over the official inquiry into the Iraq war which could see witnesses give evidence in public rather than behind closed doors.’ – Andrew Grice, Kim Sengupta and Nigel Morris, The Independent
Obama healthcare plans
‘While British voters can look forward only to the squirming of a lame-duck Prime Minister and a discredited House of Commons, America is starting one of the most important policy debates in its modern history. Barack Obama describes his promise to create a system of healthcare that would guarantee to all Americans the basic medical treatment taken for granted in other advanced democracies around the world as the defining issue of his presidency.’ – Anatole Kaletsky, The Times