The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog


Morning Call: pick of the papers

Ten must-read pieces from this morning's papers.

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1. Cameron should beware the Australian master strategist (Sunday Telegraph)

Peter Oborne sees weakness and panic in the plan to hire the architect of Michael Howard's 2005 campaign.

2. A tip for Labour about planning for power: listen to the Tories (Observer)

It isn't hard to guess how the Conservatives will attack Miliband and Balls in a campaign, says Andrew Rawnsley. They're practising their lines already.

3. Alex Salmond - both an asset and a challenge to the 'yes' cause (Scotland on Sunday)

Euan McColm finds volatile tension between confidence and arrogance in Scotland's First Minister.

4. Only a radical childcare strategy will meet our needs (Observer)

Editorial calling on the coalition to embrace the idea of universal state-funded childcare.

5. Gang violence cannot be solved by enforcement alone (Observer)

Nothing of substance has been done to tackle the root of the problem since last year's riots, says Patrick Regan

6. How the tax facts get in the way of the Tory story (Independent on Sunday)

Cameron and Osborne's claims that richest are contributing the most tax sound dodgy because they are, John Rentoul discovers.

7. British crime is none of the EU's business (Sunday Telegraph)

Tory MP Dominic Raab sees talks on European policing cooperation as a practice run for wider renegotiation of Britain's relations with Brussels. 

8. The misery index that spells joy for Number 10 (Sunday Times

Dominic Lawson sees relief for the coalition in low unemployment and falling inflation.

9. Barack Obama for re-election (New York Times)

Editorial in venerable, mostly liberal US paper endorses the incumbent. 

10. Dear Madam, we've axed your child benefit ... (Mail on Sunday)

The Tories are bracing for an industrial scale backlash against middle class welfare cut, notes James Forsyth.