Tories dropping married tax break makes sense

With marriage now a middle-class perk it is economically sensible for David Cameron to reduce tax breaks for married couples

Mandy, ray of sunshine in the bleak midwinter

Lord Mandelson brought good news of the Diamond Jubilee to the Lords, while outside the chamber all was doom and gloom

Downing Street blunders over plane bomber

No 10 spokesman forced to back down over claim MI5 warned US about the alleged Christmas Day attacker

Tories in retreat over marriage tax break

Conservatives forced to clarify commitment to £5bn measure after David Cameron softens pledge in interview

Iceland blocks payment of £2.3bn to Britain

President vetoes Bill that would have repaid Treasury the billions of pounds given to savers hit by collapse of Icesave

Cameron stumbles over tax breaks for marriage

Labour claimed that the Conservatives are in disarray over their pledge to recognise marriage through the tax system

Why Cameron is Labour’s friend (sometimes)

The Conservative Party is in the habit of voting for Gordon Brown's legislation, but support is rarely unqualified

Campbell will give evidence to Iraq inquiry

Tony Blair’s former spin doctor is expected to face questions regarding intelligence on weapons of mass destruction

Labour would keep 50p tax rate

Chancellor makes admission on controversial rate as party accuses the Tories of £34 billion in unfunded promises

Big Dave is watching you: call the Samaritans

David Cameron channels the spirit of Kim Jong Il as he launches his election campaign with a huge poster of himself

'We're being outgunned by Tory machine'

The Labour MP Andrew Slaughter claims that the Conservatives spent £200,000 last year on campaigning in his seat

Why party promises neeed independent scrutiny

The current system of costing manifesto claims is tarnishing the reputation and impartiality of the Civil Service

Bonds allow companies to sidestep the banks

The reason for the surge in bond finance is that the crippled banks have been shut out of the lending market

Council's no-frills service falls foul of law

Barnet is forced to drop pioneering proposals to give residents a choice about services — in some cases by paying for them

Bankruptcy cloud hangs over Labour campaign

Party treasurers say it is going into the general election at a massive financial disadvantage as its finances face meltdown

Tories’ NHS pledges vanish from manifesto

The Conservative Party draft manifesto on the NHS appears to downgrade, change and omit several key promises

Mrs Cameron's vision of a future prime minister

A determined-looking Tory leader will be staring out at drivers in a two-week poster campaign aimed at marginal seats

Do your own sums, civil servants tell parties

A civil service union leader wants a moratorium on the practice of asking Whitehall officials to cost Opposition policies