1. The left should learn about plain speaking from George Galloway (Independent)

The right is better at communicating because it uses stories so much, writes Owen Jones.

2. All good Tories should support a mansion tax (Times) 

The job of a pro-free market party should not be unquestioningly to defend the interests of the super-rich, says Tim Montgomerie.

3. Why the free market fundamentalists think 2013 will be the best year ever (Guardian)

As communists once did, today's capitalists blame any failures on their system being 'impurely' applied, writes Slavoj Žižek.

4. Obama is right to resist the Syria hawks (Financial Times)

The president’s lack of diplomatic creativity, rather than his sense of caution, is his real Achilles heel, says Edward Luce.

5. We shouted loudest over Sri Lanka’s abuses. Three years on and we’re arming the regime (Independent)

No matter how much red tape we put in place, we have no control over how such weaponry is used, writes Jerome Taylor.

6. Politicians and income tax: 10p or not 10p - that is the irrelevant question (Guardian)

Politicians of all parties often claim income tax cuts are the solution to many problems, but true progressives need to be much smarter, says a Guardian editorial.

7. Europe’s budget deal is flawed (Financial Times)

I cannot and will not accept what amount to unbalanced budgets, writes the president of the EU parliament, Martin Schulz.

8. I'd be overjoyed if this was the end of the foreign criminals fiasco- but don't hold your breath (Daily Mail)

Theresa May is just tinkering with the detail of human rights law, says Melanie Phillips. 

9. Labour shows its true colours with this spiteful tax on homes (Daily Telegraph)

If the two Eds get their way, an Englishman’s home will not be a castle, but a leaky ruin, says Boris Johnson.

The Tories aren't meant to be the nice party, they are meant to be the competent party, writes Geoffrey Wheatcroft.