"Now - the mug. And I'm not referring to Roy Hattersley."
"I will make the film and see what reaction it creates."
"England is a memory now"
"The gates are flooded"
"Everybody come into my house, sit on the bed, have what you like."
"politics is a fickle game and the Conservatives are only a scandal or two away from plummeting in the polls."
"The best answer is for the main parties to spend less on national campaigns, and to accept less from individual donors... I do not take pleasure from this latest funding scandal, even though it is a Labour one. All the time we have big money politics, all parties are vulnerable to temptation or to misunderstanding about donors and donations."
"The punditieri have been longing for Labour slip-ups after having to praise us for so long. It's not a tipping point. Just a retour à normal. Stay serious. Show concern but not panic."
"...a man with a plan, fresh ideas and new energy who captured the mood of the country."
"...despite outwards appearances, this now concerted campaign is not about funding our Armed Forces for their campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those are adequately funded and thus, contrary to assertions made by the "fighting five", troops are not going to be dying for lack of funding to buy equipment. The reality of this campaign is that it is aimed at protecting the full spectrum of "big ticket" equipment programmes, in the face of the anticipated cuts.
...whatever else might be motivating the former defence chiefs, it should not escape attention that much of the projected "big ticket" spending is devoted to fulfilling Blair's undertaking to equip the Armed Forces as a fully-fledged "expeditionary force", ready to take a full part in the European Rapid Reaction Force. Even though no one talks about this, the ERRF is still there, and British commitments stand. The fact that arch Europhile General Lord Guthrie is playing what appears to be a lead role in the current campaign for more spending may not, therefore, be a coincidence (and is it then a coincidence that the BBC is so interested?)."
The Guardian: '...the results contain warnings for the Conservatives too, suggesting they have failed to take advantage of Brown's most recent woes, that voters are yet to be convinced by David Cameron and that there remains a powerful anti-Tory majority among the electorate.'
"Immigration figures, MRSA in hospitals, the mishandled Northern Rock crisis, the 25m bank details on a CD which may now be hanging off a beanpole somewhere as a bird-scarer. We may be near or at the moment when the voters make a mental note that it just won't do. In 1997, millions of people who had never voted Labour did exactly that. Folk who would rather have picked the Monster Raving Loonies are becoming comfortable with the once unthinkable notion of voting Conservative."
Philip Hammond, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury:
Hansard: "This is a very small Bill, with one operative clause, although after the Chief Secretary's speech I am grateful that it does not have 30 clauses. That one operative clause contains, however, the single biggest spending commitment in the whole of the Government's legislative programme. It is a £7.4 billion bill, addressed to the British taxpayer, and an hour and six minutes of obfuscation from the Chief Secretary has not changed that.
This is a stealth Bill, sneaked in without a mention in the Queen's Speech and completely ignored in the Prime Minister's speech in the debate that followed. Far from being something of which the Government are proud, it is a Bill that dare not speak its name. The Prime Minister has done with this Bill exactly what he always does with bad news: he has tried to slip it in under the radar in the hope that nobody will notice it."
Hansard: "Many of us are and always have been in favour of expansion and of contributing money to the new accession countries, but why is France the biggest recipient of funding from the EU budget? The Chief Secretary, the present Chancellor and the present Prime Minister should not get the blame for this appalling document, because we can all agree that a bad boy did it and ran away."
Hansard: "Does he [Chief Secretary to the Treasury] not agree that this is, in fact, not a particularly good deal for us? Does he not agree that while we are in favour of expanding the EU there is no reason why we should pay for it disproportionately, and that we have effectively been taken to the cleaners?"
"I shall now proceed to my conclusion, Madam Deputy Speaker" - [HON. MEMBERS: "Hooray!"]
Boulton & Co: "the government has set itself the long term goal of getting some 1 million Britons off welfare. Very long term, it seems. Even if the new plans succeed it will take some 50 years before they get there."
'On the website, he says: "I first saw the Dead in the mud at Bickershawe in 1972 and was so knocked out....I have been a Deadhead ever since.'
John Swinnney: "We are in a tough financial climate and we will not be able to deliver on all of our commitments."
"my student debt stays... however, I kind of excepted as much from the SNP administration who tried to again go
"Ah but if the oil money was ours!"
They knew what they were doing all along... if it goes one way it makes them look good or the other it makes people angry about how a pledge was "denied by labour".
Is it any wonder why people don't seem to trust politicians?"
"The crux of the matter is the fact that we only get the cash to freeze council tax if we agree to deliver the SNP manifesto. I am not even sure that that is legal far less morally or democratically acceptable."
"I have not heard a speech like that in this place since the 1980s, so I am feeling quite nostalgic. The right hon. Member for Oldham, West and Royton (Mr. Meacher) was making the same speech back then, when I first came to this place. The difference is that there were then about 350 Labour MPs making that sort of speech, whereas now he is the lone and authentic voice of those days."
Daily Telegraph: 'he (Sarkozy) is planning to use his turn at the EU's rotating presidency, in the second half of next year, to call for new European powers in highly sensitive areas such as defence.'
President Sarkozy: "...we have got to resolve the political issues and to broach them without fear. We have got to debate them without taboos. Budgetary policy, trade policy, monetary policy, industrial policy, taxation, all policies, any policies."
"I'm pleased to see someone of the stature of Paddick standing for us. He isnt a celebrity "drafted in" - anyone who saw his policies during his time in the job could see he was clearly a Lib Dem at heart."
Times Online: 'The gay former policeman likely to be confirmed today as the Liberal Democrat candidate for London mayor will publish a "tell-all" autobiography three weeks before polling day, The Times can reveal.'
"I received representations from an area called Norton in my constituency, which wanted a parish council. I said, "If you want a parish council, have a plebiscite." They did. The people turned it down; they did not want a parish council. People in Billingham said that they wanted a parish council. I told them to have a plebiscite. They did, and it was approved. They now have a parish council. I seem to remember that a gentleman who used to be Deputy Prime Minister had one on the north-east regional assembly, which went down. If we can have referendums on parish councils and regional assemblies, why on earth cannot we have a referendum on this point and trust the electorate, if we get the message over?"
'International Development Minister Shahid Malik is said to have "overseen and directed" up to 200 Asian Labour activists to help secure victory for a Muslim councillor. The men are said to have breached electoral rules by escorting voters to the polling station while telling them in Urdu to choose the Muslim Labour candidate.'
Doh! 
'The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) Forces Help is the leading national charity committed to helping and supporting those who serve in our Armed Forces, those who used to serve, and the families of both.'
'My Remembrance Day allows you to create a permanent tribute to a loved one. Simply choose a day to remember, it could be a birthday, anniversary or any day that is significant to you. With My Remembrance Day you can create a permanent page dedicated to the person you want to remember, for as little as £2 a month. You can also invite family and friends to make donations into the special Tribute Fund, which is automatically set up with your tribute page. All donations will help The Royal British Legion's work with ex-Service men and women and their dependants.'Simon Jenkins, Guardian: "Monday's pre-legislation speech by the head of MI5, Jonathan Evans, was pure Musharraf. It was a classic "frightener", reminiscent of Alastair Campbell rolling the pitch for a headline-grabbing initiative."
"Time your paternity leave to coincide with every unpleasant duty. A black baby to cancel Condi - Jack Straw tried being nice to her and look what it did for him. Next an Iranian baby to stop the bombing. Nothing from Chad though. You don't want Sarkozy to have to save you."
'...the surgeon advised her not to go ahead, telling her the flies were "terrible" in the operating theatre.'
"The worst of it was an elderly patient from an old people's home who had Alzheimer's and a chest infection. He was lying there with his mouth open and there were flies crawling in. It was disgusting."
"Last night when I told my brother-in-law that I was responding to a debate on this topic, he said he felt that in terms of long recesses we were not doing very well. He is a university professor and I think that they have 16 weeks to do their non-teaching work."
"It is planned that the recess in 2008 should be 75 days long. That is a shorter time than in each year between 1998 and 2002, when we had more than 80 days on recess."
"The fact that it will be 75 days next time, instead of 80, is not something that I would boast about much outside this place, if I was her."
"I'm amazed that this issue hasn't been cleared up conclusively, particularly since he's now playing such an active role in British politics."
Lord McNally, Lib Dem leader of the House of Lords.
Point of Order 11.12 am
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh) (LD): "On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I wish to apologise to you and to the House for remarks made on "Newsnight" the other evening, in which I suggested, incorrectly, that you were asleep during proceedings on the Queen's Speech debate. It was wrong of me to draw the Chair into a matter of political dispute and I hope that you will accept that I intended no personal offence and fully withdraw my comments.
Mr. Speaker: "I thank the hon. Gentleman. It was too noisy to fall asleep that day. The matter is now finished."
"They'd run naked down the street if they thought it meant being interviewed on your programme."
"While I am on my feet, may I tell the Home Secretary that I said earlier that she was the human and attractive face of the Home Office? She was not here at the time, so I must add that I was making a comparison with her predecessors."
'Wark, darling of the soft Left and pin-up of London's metropolitan elite, has become embroiled in a vicious legal battle in which her husband is accused of committing industrial espionage to protect his career. ... But what is this latest row about? It will hardly surprise you to know that there hasn't been so much as a whisper about it on the BBC or in the Left-wing media - despite the fact that police have launched an investigation into Wark's television producer husband of 20 years, Alan Clements, over complaints of industrial espionage.'
Daily Telegraph: 'The new Conservative Co-operative Movement will be chaired by Jesse Norman, the Tory candidate for Hereford. She will be charged with producing research and advice on how to run a co-op in a variety of fields.'
Independent: David Cameron is facing a grassroots rebellion over his decision to force the resignation of a Tory parliamentary candidate who declared that Enoch Powell was right on immigration.
Telegraph: 'David Cameron is facing the prospect of an embarrassing battle with activists in Halesowen and Rowley Regis in Birmingham. They may seek to reinstate Nigel Hastilow as prospective parliamentary candidate after he was removed for backing Enoch Powell's views on immigration.'
I thought he already had?Gordon Brown: "If he, if he, if he, if he, if he, if he will just let me finish, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker, if he, if he, if he...."
Mr Speaker: "Order! The Honourable Members opposite must allow the Prime Minister to speak. Prime Minister."
Gordon Brown: "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you Mr Speaker. Erm, Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker...."
'Monday's pre-legislation speech by the head of MI5, Jonathan Evans, was pure Musharraf. It was a classic "frightener", reminiscent of Alastair Campbell rolling the pitch for a headline-grabbing initiative. "As I speak," intoned Evans with full dramatic effect, "terrorists are methodically and intentionally targeting young people and children in this country, radicalising, indoctrinating and grooming young, vulnerable people to carry out acts of terrorism." Note the sexual connotation of "grooming".'
Climate change is 'World War Three' according to Labour Peer, Baroness Young of Old Scone, the £163,000 a-year head of the Environment Agency and a Trustee of Labour's favourite think-tank the Institute of Public Policy Research. 
Boulton & Co: "Is this just a government conspiracy to make me feel thick, or is Ed Balls a bit addicted to policy-speak right now?"
BBC: 'speaking to ITV1's Sunday Edition, shadow home secretary Mr Davis said the comments were "very unwise" and the constituency party should "think very hard" about how they expected their candidate to behave. "You cannot just stumble around throwing out comments which are insensitive or inflammatory," he said.
Britain Besieged: "HUNCHED down in wasteland near French channel ports, a flock of illegal immigrants wait their turn to be sneaked into Britain."
"David Cameron was drawn into a row over race last night after a candidate in a high-profile Parliamentary seat praised Enoch Powell for his notorious 'rivers of blood' speech, which warned that Britain was 'literally mad' to allow widespread immigration."
'MORE than 80 per cent of the jobs created in the past 10 years have gone to foreigners - many more than the government admitted last week - according to statistics presented by the Treasury to parliament.'
"By muffing this one, Brown has let the Conservatives back into contention not only on immigration but also on welfare reform."
"Unsurprisingly the number of groups listed doesn't quite add up to 250 and there appears to be some double and triple counting. For example - the Royal College of Midwives are a luckly lot as they apparently have met him three times."
"A friend of mine who applied to the TGWU recently was sent all the application forms, but not the opt-out form. He had to ask specifically for it, and it certainly looks like an old post card that hasn't seen the light of day for many years!"
"I reply to most lobbyists' letters with a standard abusive reply. It explains to them that lobbying organisations are an ugly, anti-democratic and corrupting incubus that haunts the British body politic."
"Not one word about profligate government spending on public sector consumption, public sector unfunded pension black hole, horrendous (and still growing) public sector deficit, gross over-taxation, gross waste on nearly every public sector project you can think of, ballooning BOP deficit. This useless government may not be responsible for the sub-prime crisis itself but it has made damn sure that, when the pain comes as it inevitably will, UK plc is not in very good shape to deal with it. Brown and his neocomms are directly responsible for that and the only thing to look forward is to see Brown wriggling like a maggot stuck on a hook as he tries to tell us what a great job he's done when the proverbial really hits the fan.
And you've got the utter cheek to criticise the Conservatives? Last time I looked it up, they haven't been in power for over 10 years."
'Mayor of London Ken Livingstone today said that the politicians calling for Sir Ian Blair to resign were playing political games regardless of the impact on the Metropolitan Police Service’s ability to deal with terrorism. He added that he "wouldn't put the irresponsible politicians attacking the police Commissioner within a million miles of running the kind of anti-terror operations London has had to deal with over the last few years."
"Can anyone remind me what is New Labour's position on detention without trial and more importantly detention without charge? I think they want to increase it from 28 days to 56 days. I wonder what Mr Malik's attitude is to this now based on his new "experience"?"
As Gordon Brown orders his Navy to the Gulf, his advisers are said to have requested 'the mother of all dodgy dossiers' on Iran's nuclear capabilities. Which might explain why JK Rowling was seen entering Downing Street recently. Not that it will do any good. The last time Ms Rowling assisted the PM was back in April 2006 when she was enlisted by Brown 'to help spell out his vision for the future of Britain.' Enough said. 
Something tells me that Chris Huhne might be regretting his decision to accept an invitation from Lib Dem Voice to explain his views on Trident. He's getting a right kicking.
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