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| Politics live blog: Tuesday 29 May | Politics live blog: Tuesday 29 May |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 10.10am: Here's the full statement from the CPS explaining the decision not to charge Amelia Hill and the unnamed police officer. | |
| 10.06am: The Crown Prosecution Service has announced that it will not charge the Guardian journalist Amelia Hill and an unnamed police officer in relation to allegations about the leaking of information relating to the phone hacking investigation. | |
| 10.05am: Theresa May is giving evidence to the Leveson inquiry now. You can follow the proceedings on our Leveson live blog. | |
| 9.48am: There are two polls around today. Here are the figures. ComRes in the Independent | 9.48am: There are two polls around today. Here are the figures. ComRes in the Independent |
| Labour: 42% (down 1 from ComRes last month) Conservatives: 34% (up 1) Lib Dems: 11% (no change) | Labour: 42% (down 1 from ComRes last month) Conservatives: 34% (up 1) Lib Dems: 11% (no change) |
| Labour lead: 8 points YouGov for the Sun | Labour lead: 8 points YouGov for the Sun |
| Labour: 44% (up 1 from YouGov in the Sunday Times) Conservatives: 33% (up 2) Lib Dems: 8% (no change) Ukip: 7% (down 1) | Labour: 44% (up 1 from YouGov in the Sunday Times) Conservatives: 33% (up 2) Lib Dems: 8% (no change) Ukip: 7% (down 1) |
| Labour lead: 11 points | Labour lead: 11 points |
| Government approval: -39 | Government approval: -39 |
| 8.47am: Kenneth Clarke (pictured) was on great form on the Today programme this morning. Not only has he earned the heartfelt gratitude of Westminster lobby journalists by getting the Tory Euro war (part 1,793) up in the headlines again on a slow news day, he has also provided (as usual) a masterclass in how to sound like a self-confident politician able to think independently and communicate clearly. (It should be easy, but most politicians are so pre-occupied remembering the "line to take" that they can't do it.) | 8.47am: Kenneth Clarke (pictured) was on great form on the Today programme this morning. Not only has he earned the heartfelt gratitude of Westminster lobby journalists by getting the Tory Euro war (part 1,793) up in the headlines again on a slow news day, he has also provided (as usual) a masterclass in how to sound like a self-confident politician able to think independently and communicate clearly. (It should be easy, but most politicians are so pre-occupied remembering the "line to take" that they can't do it.) |
| Ian McKenzie, the Labour former special adviser who now runs the People's Pledge campaign for an EU referendum, has taken to Twitter to express his admiration | Ian McKenzie, the Labour former special adviser who now runs the People's Pledge campaign for an EU referendum, has taken to Twitter to express his admiration |
| Ken Clarke is wrong about an EU referendum but my, what a class act! If the Tories could cloned him a dozen times, Labour would never win. | Ken Clarke is wrong about an EU referendum but my, what a class act! If the Tories could cloned him a dozen times, Labour would never win. |
| — Ian McKenzie (@iMcKenzied) May 29, 2012 | — Ian McKenzie (@iMcKenzied) May 29, 2012 |
| Here are the key points from the Today interview, and another interview Clarke has given to BBC News. I've taken some of the quotes from PoliticsHome. | Here are the key points from the Today interview, and another interview Clarke has given to BBC News. I've taken some of the quotes from PoliticsHome. |
| • Clarke said the government would lose an election if it were held now. But he did claim that government has suffered worse problems mid-term, and he claimed that the public understood the need for tough decisions. | • Clarke said the government would lose an election if it were held now. But he did claim that government has suffered worse problems mid-term, and he claimed that the public understood the need for tough decisions. |
| I have seen, mid-term, much greater turmoil than this. I've been in governments having much more trouble than this. I'm amazed that the government is retaining the support it is ... There's not a government in Western Europe could win an election at the moment. Strong governments have to do unpopular thing. I think it's a credit to the public, actually. They realise we have to do unpopular things. | I have seen, mid-term, much greater turmoil than this. I've been in governments having much more trouble than this. I'm amazed that the government is retaining the support it is ... There's not a government in Western Europe could win an election at the moment. Strong governments have to do unpopular thing. I think it's a credit to the public, actually. They realise we have to do unpopular things. |
• He said that holding a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU would be silly and a "total irrelevance". David Cameron is not proposing one now, but there is increasing speculation that he will propose one in the next Consevative manifesto. Clarke made it clear he thought this would be barmy. | • He said that holding a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU would be silly and a "total irrelevance". David Cameron is not proposing one now, but there is increasing speculation that he will propose one in the next Consevative manifesto. Clarke made it clear he thought this would be barmy. |
The idea that because we've having a rough old time ... that you turn to a total irrelevance, a referendum on our membership of the European Union, where you create turmoil on a great subject, you throw absolute confusion over our continued involvement in the European Union, I cannot think of anything sillier to do. | The idea that because we've having a rough old time ... that you turn to a total irrelevance, a referendum on our membership of the European Union, where you create turmoil on a great subject, you throw absolute confusion over our continued involvement in the European Union, I cannot think of anything sillier to do. |
| He said that Britain had a referendum in 1975 and that one problem with referendums was that those who lost - the anti-Europeans, in that case - just ignored the result. | He said that Britain had a referendum in 1975 and that one problem with referendums was that those who lost - the anti-Europeans, in that case - just ignored the result. |
| It would settle nothing. Particularly it would settle nothing with the more frenzied Eurosceptics who keep believing that European bogeys are under the bed every time we get into any problem. | It would settle nothing. Particularly it would settle nothing with the more frenzied Eurosceptics who keep believing that European bogeys are under the bed every time we get into any problem. |
| He also said there was no public support for a referendum. | He also said there was no public support for a referendum. |
| [If you were to consult voters] the idea that they are all demanding a referendum on the European Union would be regarded as ridiculous. It would be out of sight as a public demand, a public priority. It's a demand of a few rightwing journalists and a few extreme nationalist politicians. | [If you were to consult voters] the idea that they are all demanding a referendum on the European Union would be regarded as ridiculous. It would be out of sight as a public demand, a public priority. It's a demand of a few rightwing journalists and a few extreme nationalist politicians. |
| • He said it was silly to accuse the government of peforming U-turns on secret courts and the budget. | • He said it was silly to accuse the government of peforming U-turns on secret courts and the budget. |
| Public consultation is public consultation – I rather approve of it. We're going through a rather silly, cliché phase where every time the government modifies proposals it's been consulting on, it's accused of having a shambles and a U-turn ... Personally I rather like the process of going out and asking people and then modifying what you've done. | Public consultation is public consultation – I rather approve of it. We're going through a rather silly, cliché phase where every time the government modifies proposals it's been consulting on, it's accused of having a shambles and a U-turn ... Personally I rather like the process of going out and asking people and then modifying what you've done. |
| • He claimed that the changes to the secret courts bill amounted to a clarification. | • He claimed that the changes to the secret courts bill amounted to a clarification. |
What I've done is clarify what I've always argued, that this applies to spies and national intelligence. No country in the world allows them to give evidence in court; you'd have terrorists in the public gallery, lining up making notes. | What I've done is clarify what I've always argued, that this applies to spies and national intelligence. No country in the world allows them to give evidence in court; you'd have terrorists in the public gallery, lining up making notes. |
| • He said his secret courts plans would allow claims for damages against the intelligences services to be tested in court. At the moment the intelligence services often settle because they judge that preferable to having their intelligence revealed in open court. | • He said his secret courts plans would allow claims for damages against the intelligences services to be tested in court. At the moment the intelligence services often settle because they judge that preferable to having their intelligence revealed in open court. |
| The reason I'm on the side of the argument I am - and I think a few million pounds being paid out when the defendant is still saying these claims are unfounded is a bit worrying - is the reputational thing. I would like to know, like to see, the intelligence agencies clear their reputation and win a case. As a member of the public, I would like to know what the judge's opinion is. He's heard the plaintiff, and he's heard the intelligence services explanation. We can't have a massive judicial inquiry in every case; we can in some cases. And I'd quite like a court, a judge, in a civil action, to listen to what the argument for the defence is. | The reason I'm on the side of the argument I am - and I think a few million pounds being paid out when the defendant is still saying these claims are unfounded is a bit worrying - is the reputational thing. I would like to know, like to see, the intelligence agencies clear their reputation and win a case. As a member of the public, I would like to know what the judge's opinion is. He's heard the plaintiff, and he's heard the intelligence services explanation. We can't have a massive judicial inquiry in every case; we can in some cases. And I'd quite like a court, a judge, in a civil action, to listen to what the argument for the defence is. |
| • He joked about the picture of himself on the front page of today's Guardian apparently sleeping at Trent Bridge. "My young friends me tell me its callled chillaxing," he said, referring to the recent reports about Cameron's expertise at chillaxing. "I've not encountered that before." | • He joked about the picture of himself on the front page of today's Guardian apparently sleeping at Trent Bridge. "My young friends me tell me its callled chillaxing," he said, referring to the recent reports about Cameron's expertise at chillaxing. "I've not encountered that before." |
| 8.40am: Misfortunes come in threes, according to the old saying. And so to government U-turns. Over the last 12 hours, as the Guardian reports in its splash, ministers have announced a pasty tax climbdown, a concession on the caravan tax and a retreat on plans to include inquests in the secret courts bill. On his blog Guido Fawkes has helpfully published a list of those government U-turns in full. He's got it up to 27. | 8.40am: Misfortunes come in threes, according to the old saying. And so to government U-turns. Over the last 12 hours, as the Guardian reports in its splash, ministers have announced a pasty tax climbdown, a concession on the caravan tax and a retreat on plans to include inquests in the secret courts bill. On his blog Guido Fawkes has helpfully published a list of those government U-turns in full. He's got it up to 27. |
| As Nick Robinson pointed out on the Today programme, the latest U-turns don't just involve the dropping of unpopular policies. They also show the government openly kowtowing to the conservative tabloid press. The Sun describes the repeal of the pasty tax as "a spectacular victory" for its own campaign on the issue and quotes George Osborne, the chancellor, saying that he listened to Sun readers. And Kenneth Clarke, the justice secretary, has written an article for the Daily Mail saying that its campaign against his proposal for inquests to be included in the secret courts bill was "a service to the public interest". | As Nick Robinson pointed out on the Today programme, the latest U-turns don't just involve the dropping of unpopular policies. They also show the government openly kowtowing to the conservative tabloid press. The Sun describes the repeal of the pasty tax as "a spectacular victory" for its own campaign on the issue and quotes George Osborne, the chancellor, saying that he listened to Sun readers. And Kenneth Clarke, the justice secretary, has written an article for the Daily Mail saying that its campaign against his proposal for inquests to be included in the secret courts bill was "a service to the public interest". |
| Clarke was on the Today programme at 8.10 explaining his plans. It was vintage stuff, with Clarke admitting that the government would lose an election now and describing calls for a referendum on EU membership as "totally irrelevant". I'll post a full round up soon. | Clarke was on the Today programme at 8.10 explaining his plans. It was vintage stuff, with Clarke admitting that the government would lose an election now and describing calls for a referendum on EU membership as "totally irrelevant". I'll post a full round up soon. |
| Later today Clarke is publishing his justice and security bill. Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, is speaking at a seminar on constiutional reform. And Michael Gove, the education secretary, and Theresa May, the home secretary, give evidence to the Leveson inquiry. | Later today Clarke is publishing his justice and security bill. Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, is speaking at a seminar on constiutional reform. And Michael Gove, the education secretary, and Theresa May, the home secretary, give evidence to the Leveson inquiry. |
| 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 and another in the afternoon. | 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 and another in the afternoon. |
| 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. |