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| Labour demand Cameron statement on Hunt: Politics live blog | Labour demand Cameron statement on Hunt: Politics live blog |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 9.45am: The Ken Livingstone campaign have issued this statement on the Evening Standard poll. (See 9.13am.) | |
| The election is neck and neck and going all the way to the final vote cast on Thursday. With soaring fares, police cuts and double-dip recession Londoners have the opportunity this week to ensure the Tories don't get away it. The Tory Mayor has stood by and made things worse in difficult times, and Londoners will be better off with a Labour mayor. | |
| 9.30am: I think there may have been a problem with the comments earlier. Sorry about. They should be working normally now. | |
| 9.19am: The Lib Dem MP John Pugh wants David Cameron to make Vince Cable chancellor. He's explained why in an article for PoliticsHome. | |
| There are at least three reasons why it would benefit the coalition in current circumstances to have Vince Cable as chancellor. He recognises the coalition needs a clear industrial and financial strategy, he identifies the need to take a more aggressive approach with the banks and he is acutely sensitive to the downside risks of deficit reduction. He was also of course right about Murdoch. There is too a widespread,unmatched faith and confidence amongst the general public and in commercial circles in his ability in matters economic. He would be the people's choice even if not first on the No10 dinner party list. | |
| Pugh also says that the overall number of Lib Dem ministers should be cut to compensate for Cable having the second most important job in government. | |
| Of course, George Osborne will not be worrying about Cable nabbing his office. It's not going to happen. But he might be mildly concerned about the fact that at the weekend the Daily Mail was speculating about him being sent to the Foreign Office, with William Hague taking his job in a reshuffle. | |
| 9.13am: Boris Johnson is increasing his lead over Ken Livingstone, according to a YouGov poll in today's Evening Standard. It says that, when second preferences are taken into account, Johnson is leading Livingstone by four points - 52% to 48%. | 9.13am: Boris Johnson is increasing his lead over Ken Livingstone, according to a YouGov poll in today's Evening Standard. It says that, when second preferences are taken into account, Johnson is leading Livingstone by four points - 52% to 48%. |
| 9.01am: Labour's Emily Thornberry (pictured), the shadow attorney general, has said that David Cameron should "man up" and sack Jeremy Hunt. According to PoliticsHome, this is what she told ITV's Daybreak. | |
| We're accusing the prime minister of not doing his job properly. We think that he is responsible for the behaviour of his ministers, that's what it says in the ministerial code. He needs to man up a bit and do his job ... He should get rid of this minister [Hunt], he should move on. | We're accusing the prime minister of not doing his job properly. We think that he is responsible for the behaviour of his ministers, that's what it says in the ministerial code. He needs to man up a bit and do his job ... He should get rid of this minister [Hunt], he should move on. |
| 8.45am: Labour want David Cameron to come to the Commons today to explain why he has not ordered an immediate inquiry into claims that Jeremy Hunt broke the ministerial code. Patrick Wintour has the details in a frontpage story in today's paper. | 8.45am: Labour want David Cameron to come to the Commons today to explain why he has not ordered an immediate inquiry into claims that Jeremy Hunt broke the ministerial code. Patrick Wintour has the details in a frontpage story in today's paper. |
| In a lengthy interview with the BBC's Andrew Marr programme, Cameron admitted he had got too close to the Murdoch empire, but said there had been "no grand deal" in return for the support of News International at the last election. | In a lengthy interview with the BBC's Andrew Marr programme, Cameron admitted he had got too close to the Murdoch empire, but said there had been "no grand deal" in return for the support of News International at the last election. |
| He vowed to make the same denial under oath to the Leveson inquiry. | He vowed to make the same denial under oath to the Leveson inquiry. |
| But Labour, facing a dilemma over whether to focus on the economy or Murdoch in the three days running into local election polling day, will press Cameron to come to parliament. They want him personally to explain why he is perverting the original purpose of the Leveson inquiry when he has a custom-built method of examining Hunt – the independent adviser on the ministerial code, Sir Alex Allan. | But Labour, facing a dilemma over whether to focus on the economy or Murdoch in the three days running into local election polling day, will press Cameron to come to parliament. They want him personally to explain why he is perverting the original purpose of the Leveson inquiry when he has a custom-built method of examining Hunt – the independent adviser on the ministerial code, Sir Alex Allan. |
| A Labour source said: "Cameron is trying to hide behind the Leveson inquiry. With parliament breaking up on Tuesday, Cameron must come to the Commons and explain to the British people why he is ducking his responsibilities to enforce the ministerial code." | A Labour source said: "Cameron is trying to hide behind the Leveson inquiry. With parliament breaking up on Tuesday, Cameron must come to the Commons and explain to the British people why he is ducking his responsibilities to enforce the ministerial code." |
| Cameron could decide to give a statement voluntarily, but this seems unlikely. If he doesn't, it will be up to the Speaker, John Bercow, to decide whether or not to grant an urgent question (UQ) on the subject. Normally the Speaker doesn't like granting UQs to MPs who publicise their intention to call for one in advance, and Hunt himself has already given his own Commons statement on this, and so I would guess that Bercow is likely to say no. But, equally, you should never underestimate his willingess to stir things up. We'll find out for sure what's happening before lunch. | Cameron could decide to give a statement voluntarily, but this seems unlikely. If he doesn't, it will be up to the Speaker, John Bercow, to decide whether or not to grant an urgent question (UQ) on the subject. Normally the Speaker doesn't like granting UQs to MPs who publicise their intention to call for one in advance, and Hunt himself has already given his own Commons statement on this, and so I would guess that Bercow is likely to say no. But, equally, you should never underestimate his willingess to stir things up. We'll find out for sure what's happening before lunch. |
| Otherwise, it's relatively quiet. Here's the agenda. | Otherwise, it's relatively quiet. Here's the agenda. |
| 10am: Ed Miliband and Ed Balls host a Q&A in London. They intend to talk mostly about the economy and living standards. | 10am: Ed Miliband and Ed Balls host a Q&A in London. They intend to talk mostly about the economy and living standards. |
| 12.30pm: Frank Field gives a speech to Policy Exchange on child poverty targets | 12.30pm: Frank Field gives a speech to Policy Exchange on child poverty targets |
| Around 3pm: Peers begin a debate on Lords reform. | Around 3pm: Peers begin a debate on Lords reform. |
| As usual, I'll be covering all the breaking political news, as well as looking at the papers and bringing you the best politics from the web. I'll post a lunchtime summary at around 1pm. | As usual, I'll be covering all the breaking political news, as well as looking at the papers and bringing you the best politics from the web. I'll post a lunchtime summary at around 1pm. |
| If you want to follow me on Twitter, I'm on @AndrewSparrow. | If you want to follow me on Twitter, I'm on @AndrewSparrow. |
| And if you're a hardcore fan, you can follow @gdnpoliticslive. It's an automated feed that tweets the start of every new post that I put on the blog. | And if you're a hardcore fan, you can follow @gdnpoliticslive. It's an automated feed that tweets the start of every new post that I put on the blog. |