Embarrassment for Tories in Europe
‘A controversial right-wing Polish MEP became the main voice of the Conservative Party in Europe yesterday, a further embarrassment for David Cameron’s new group of eurosceptics.’ – David Charter, The Times
‘The Conservatives have been forced to forfeit the leadership of their new Euro-sceptic grouping in the European parliament in order to prevent it from falling apart in its first few days.’ – Ian Traynor, The Guardian
‘If it were not funny, it would be tragic. The UK Conservative party’s decision to quit the European People’s Party (EPP), the main centre-right political group in the European Parliament, is backfiring on the Tories in spectacular fashion. The decision was always daft – a bit like the right wing of the US Republican Party splitting off and forming a minority group in Congress – but it now looks more short-sighted than ever.’ – Brussells Blog, Finanical Times
A low carbon future
‘Ambitious plans to generate one third of UK electricity from renewables by 2020 form the centrepiece of government plans for a low carbon future.’ – BBC
‘The ambition is remarkable, even if much of the detail in the paper is familiar to experts. But it is reasonable to ask whether it can be met in only 10 years, during a period of sharply falling government spending, dependent on technologies that have not all been invented and decisions that have not all been taken.’ – Editorial, The Guardian
Douglas Alexander interview
‘Douglas Alexander has perhaps the noblest job in politics – and the most unenviable. As Secretary of State for International Development, he heads the British government’s charge against global poverty and takes justified pride in leading the country towards meeting the United Nations target for international aid from donors. But in his other role as Labour’s election co-ordinator, he is responsible for masterminding the party’s general election campaign. With Labour so far behind in the polls, it’s not an easy job.’ – Mehdi Hasan and James Macintyre, New Statesman
Eco-towns
‘The Government today announced the go-ahead for a handful of eco-towns across England.
The successful bids, which will still have to go through the planning process, were named as Rackheath, Norfolk, Whitehill Bordon, East Hampshire, north west Bicester and the China Clay Community scheme near St Austell, Cornwall.’ – Emily Beament, The Independent
More university places promised
‘The Prime Minister has said there will be extra university places for the next academic year.’ – BBC