Heron's Eye: 10/08/08

Unions and MPs back 'dream ticket'
A powerful coalition of mainstream Labour MPs and leaders of Britain's biggest unions is backing a right-left 'dream ticket' of Alan Johnson and Jon Cruddas to lead the party into the next general election, having given up on Gordon Brown's premiership. [Guardian]

Rise up to curb knife culture, PM urges at book festival
Gordon Brown called yesterday for communities across Britain to 'rise up' and help end the spiralling violence of knife crime by making the carrying of weapons socially unacceptable. [Guardian]

Darling backs away from stamp duty cut
The chancellor, Alistair Darling, is prepared to disappoint millions of would-be home buyers by ruling out proposals to revive the housing market, Treasury insiders warned last night. After a chaotic week of claim and counter-claim about Treasury plans to suspend stamp duty for first-time buyers, Darling has hardened his stance against the move, which he believes could cost billions to little positive effect. [Guardian]

The perfect Sunday menu: grilled minister, or something over easy?
After last month's final edition of ITV's The Sunday Programme, its weekly early morning current affairs show, the channel that once produced Weekend World and Walden was left without any specifically political output. It scrapped The Sunday Edition, co-hosted by The Observer's Andrew Rawnsley, at the end of last year, leaving the BBC, which has to cover Westminster under the terms of its licence fee, as the only major broadcaster to offer extensive political coverage. [Guardian]

Rich-poor education gap wider under Labour, claim Tories
The Conservatives today set out their credentials to become the champions of social equality in a document outlining the education gap between rich and poor, which they claim has widened under the Labour government. [Guardian]

A Lib Dem tax revolution?
Michael White analyses Nick Clegg’s party leadership and his new direction for the Lib Dem’s tax policy. [Guardian]

Scramble for tickets to Tory conference
The Tories have begun planning for a record-breaking party conference this autumn which will aim to portray David Cameron as a statesmanlike future leader amid signs that the political and corporate establishment is shifting toward the Conservatives. [Guardian]

Transport: London still gridlocked despite congestion charge
The London congestion charge is losing its battle against gridlock after it was revealed that the capital's streets are as gridlocked now as they were before the levy was introduced. [Guardian]

Labour to offer 'birth to school' childcare
Parents could be offered a seamless system of state-organised childcare from birth to school under proposals being discussed within the government in the battle to win parents' votes. [Guardian]

Click here to read more information on Mr Grimsdale, King Heron and Mobius