Ouch! I fear for the poor Nokia that is going to get the brunt of the reaction to this.

I have to say that I am getting quite angry with the Central Party for their constant changing of message on this issue. How, in all that is Holy, are we meant to cut the bulk of the deficit by 2014 if, as DC was reported as saying over the weekend, we will NOT cut as deeply as we need to do in 2010, we WILL protect the Public Health budget and we WILL protect DfID. I don't particularly want to see massive cuts in DfID, as long as the Party's Green Paper actually becomes a reality, but if we don't cut now, and cut deep, there won't be a DfID budget in future as we won't have the cash. Please, for god's sake get a coherent message together. I will vote Tory because I believe they can do the job, however there are so many voters I talk to who are hesitating because of the constant mixed messages and appearance of not wanting to do the tough thing and cut. That is costing us votes in Yorkshire, in places we can win, places we should win. People want a solid, honest, tough message, they do not want percieved lack of clarity and resolution on vitally important policy.

The problem with International Aid is primarily who gets it. I'm not just talking about the fact the the Unions get a chunk of the budget to do "international work", it's more the fact that we currently give to Despotic National Governments and the people who the aid is intended for, never actually see it. Andrew Mitchell's reforms should deal with much of the barmy policies that DfID currently pursue. I for one like the fact that some of MY hard earned money goes to International Development, what I do not like is that some of that money goes to Unions, some goes to China, some goes to Russia and a very large part goes to corrupt Third World Government officials.

I have to say that George's statement makes me... uneasy, to say the very least. I cannot see how this idea would have prevented the current crisis and as such why it is needed. The problem, I thought, was that Banks could buy debt with no history behind it, thus not having the full facts of where the debt came from or how risky it was. Have I got this oh so horribly wrong? If so, I hold my hands up, however, if I have not then this appears to be Political posturing of the most terrifying kind. Would it be bad for the nation to have a few local banks that dealt exclusively with "over the counter" customers and not in investment banking? No, I don't think so, many people liked using that system for a good many years. However, this doesn't mean that Government of any shade should legislate for it.

"I'm surprised to see banning of Hizb ut-Tahrir in a list of 100 day priorities." As am I. Starting off by banning an organisation is not why I will be voting Conservative. Banning groups like this misses the point. If you want to get rid of them then work with the community, debate with the groups and let the general public see what they stand for. Banning something will make some people feel good for a while, but won't make the problem go away, it could in fact make it worse.

To do this Cam and George HAVE to listen to their incoming backbenchers. It will be MPs from Bradford, Leeds, the Manchester Area, the Midlands and Wales that are in the constituencies seeing the realities of the downturn every week. That message has to get through, if it is ignored we could very well be politically, as well as economically, dead in five years. On the issue of the new Junior Senator for Massachusetts, I will be very interested to see how he works in D.C. His ability to work with people from both parties and conduct himself using Moderate language whilst fulfilling his Fiscal Conservative promises and not enraging the GOP or independants in Massachusettsare are the key to his re-election. Forget trying to ride two horses in the same race, he's going to be riding three. Very good luck to the man.

"Ninety percent of Commons seats are safe constituencies in which the sitting MP stands no real chance of being voted out of a job." So we should all go home and not bother fighting the election, as according to your received wisdom, we will never tip enough Labour MPs out to gain a Commons majority. I advise someone to telegram CCO.

Surely the better way to protect suppliers would be to deal with the mess that is CAP...

This is surely a matter for the British courts. Whilst I approve of the ruling, I very much do not approve of the fact that it was a Foreign Court which has effectively enforced it.

This is going nowhere fast. If a Cabinet Minister does not resign quick then H&H will only have gained the achievement of looking stupid. Sadly.

Congratulations to Margaret. I met her some 5 years ago and she encouraged me to run for Council in Bradford whilst she was still leader. The help and advise she gave was brilliant and I will always be grateful for her encouragement.

Besides, I don't think he would anyway.

He would surely have crossed the floor in the summer if he was going to do so...

Indeed, and whether they were actually charged in the end.

There is a move away from long distance road haulage to delivery by Rail. Stobarts have recently announced a highspeed rail delivery network between Britain and Spain. Also I think Tesco's are going this way. I suspect that in future trucks will be used more for short trips as one of the major issues Road Haulage firms have are roads such as the M1.

Er no. Decade is 2001 - 2010 Do you count 0 - 9 or 1 - 10...? Just as the start of the new Millenium was 2001 and not in fact 2000.

Indeed, they still go down as an "S" on the canvas card.

Dear god, how I hope it is earlier in the year. It makes me feel ill to think that bunch of incompetents will be in Downing Street until May, or god forbid, June….. It is simply beyond the pale. We need Brown to just go, NOW.

Malcolm, I could have this wrong but as I remember it Fox did in fact say something along these linesas far back as 2007, but got hauled in over the comments.

CCO won't show its hand because every time it does Labour steal the best of the stuff and pass it off as their own. However, we are now in a position where actually we do need to stamp into the publics mind what we are going to be doing in Government. This should, as has been suggested above, be after the Christmas break. At this point DC has got to get out on the doorstep meeting every voter he can, he badly needs momentum to convince people he is their choice and not "the other man". If he can do what DC does best, which is to connect to the voter in an alarmingly astute fashion, whilst driving a revolutionary policy agenda, people will vote for it.

As much as I would like to agree with you on Angus Reid, I'm not sure I can. Anthony Wells pointed out that the A.R. poll was also somewhat likely to be displaying inflated numbers (albeit in our and the LD favour). However, if the A.R. numbers are indeed a true reflection of public mood then that is all to the good, however I suspect that the numbers are as Wells says likely off by 3ish points. This comes back into line with the polls carried out by YouGov and ICM. Mori seem to be doing some fairly loony stuff polling-wise at the moment. There is a reason their last Party Poll got such a lot of media, it simply came out of left field and does not stack up against the evidence coming from other firms. This poll on public spending is in the same vein.

Pitiful stuff.

Interesting result in Doncaster... and with three independants standing.

Good luck to Dominic Raab, a damn good man.