The Staggers

1. If the cuts are to be derailed, there must be an alternative (Guardian)

Seumas Milne warns that trade unions will need allies if resistance to coalition slash-and-burn is to succeed. They will also need Labour to shift its ground.

2. We don't need new laws to call Crow's bluff (Times) (£)

Anti-strike legislation could split the coalition, says Camilla Canvendish. But there ... read more

David Cameron's father Ian has sadly passed away after suffering a stroke and heart complications while on holiday in France. The 77-year-old died several hours after the Prime Minister reached his bedside.

In a statement, Downing Street said:

It is with deep regret we can confirm that Ian Cameron died earlier this afternoon.

He passed away shortly after the Prime Minister arrived at the hospital in France where he was undergoing treatment.

The Deputy ... read more

1. Has Clegg just green-lighted a Tory rebellion?

Paul Waugh draws attention to a misguided comment by Nick Clegg towards the end of PMQs.

2. Will Hague and Clegg deliver on their pledge to the Chagossians?

Over at Left Foot Forward, Keiran Roberts discusses the plight of the Chagos Islanders, and the likelihood of the coalition sticking to its promises.

3. read more

When the New York Times broke the significant "MetGate" allegation of an improper relationship between the Metropolitan Police and News International, commentators and politicians went in two directions.

Some, confusing a demand for an investigation or an inquiry with a call for an arrest, a prosecution, or a conviction, just repeated a mantra about the need for new or fresh evidence.

However, this was misconceived.

What is needed ... read more

The Independent reports today that Glenn Mulcaire, the private detective jailed in the News of the World phone-hacking scandal, had planned to write a book detailing his work with the newspaper.

The book was never written, because Mulcaire signed an £80,000 confidentiality agreement with the newspaper after he sued for wrongful dismissal following his conviction. But he did write a detailed, five-page synopsis of the book, ... read more

A retired politician is promoting a publication to those who may wish to purchase it.

This is not some extremist politician, but a former mainstream, democratic politician.

And this is not just any former mainstream, democratic politician, but the only UK party leader to have won a decisive general election with a sustainable majority since 1987.

But that politician cannot do any events. The events are being cancelled. Is this a cause for ... read more

Hillary Clinton has added her name to a long list of those who have condemned plans by a Florida church to burn copies of the Quran on the anniversary of 9/11 as "a warning to radical Islam".

The burning is planned to take place at the Dove World Outreach Centre, a 50-member evangelical Christian church in Gainesville, Florida. Its pastor, Rev Terry Jones, told CNN that he is taking the widespread ... read more

Forget the phone-hacking scandal and the Lib Dem party conference. The news we've all been waiting for has broken: it has been confirmed that Ann Widdecombe will appear on the next series of the BBC's primetime show Strictly Come Dancing.

This follows weeks of speculation (seriously) since the Daily Mail first reported the story in July.

As ... read more

1. Bankers are Masters of the Universe again (Times) (£)

It's a paradox, says Anatole Kaletsky, but the unfocused rage against financiers is one reason for their sudden rehabilitation.

2. Two years on and all we get from the banks is two fingers (Guardian)

Deborah Hargreaves argues that the appointment at Barclays of Bob Diamond, risk-taker par excellence, throws down the gauntlet over ... read more

For those of us who are merely secular or anti-clerical rather than militantly atheistic, there is something rather off-putting about the possible scale of the impending protests at the papal visit.

It would appear that there is a fear that the protests will be such that the papal tour will be disrupted.

This fear is so serious that it is reported that there is to be a meeting at Scotland Yard between ... read more

1. Why did no senior Tories back Nick Clegg?

Benedict Brogan notes that no senior Conservatives were present on the front bench as Clegg opened the second reading on AV.

2. Rather a big if . . .

The UK Polling Report notes a leap of logic in the BBC coverage of today's poll of Labour councillors.

3. Infrastructure

Paul ... read more