Sunday Paper Review 11 March 2012 - The Play Your Cards Right Edition

Our Review Of The Sunday Papers - Vince Plays His Cards Right

Flicking through the Sunday papers it's fairly obvious that a row is brewing between Tories and the Lib Dem Business Secretary, Vince Cable, who on Saturday launched an attack on the right-wing "backwoodsmen" within the coalition.

As usual with these coalition spat stories, those doing the mud-slinging don't want to go on-record, but one MP tells the paper that Cable spends "more time hatching plots to promote himself than devising an effective policy on business."

Hard to argue with that, given Cables' speech to the Lib Dems' spring conference was dominated by attacks on the Tories?

It seems as though some coalition players are going to come out of next week's 2012 Budget the losers, with the papers suggesting that there's no way all of the Lib Dems are going to be happy. The Observer reports on an internal rift in the party - possibly going right to the top of the leadership.

Vince Cable still wants a mansion tax on the biggest properties, even though it's fairly obvious the Tories are deeply opposed to the idea. Nick Clegg's now pushing a separate "Tycoon Tax" - something he's floated at the party's conference this weekend. The Observer reports on bickering between the two mens' advisers. Given George Osborne has irate Tories to simmer down, it's impossible for him to please both Cable and Clegg when he stands up at the dispatch box next Wednesday.

Cleggy might get some glowering looks when Cabinet meets on Tuesday, particularly among his female colleagues. The Sunday Telegraph reports on a bit of difficulty the DPM found himself in last Thursday at an International Women's Day Event. Apparently he didn't know how many women attended Cabinet. The correct answer is five. Clegg thought it was three.

Meanwhile there's a bit of embarrassment for top female Cabinet minister Theresa May in the Mirror, which reports that a Bangladeshi curry house which

the home secretary opened with much gusto has been raided by immigration officials. Apparently it's the second time a restaurant in May's Maidenhead seat has been raided after a visit from the Home Secretary. Is it part of an elaborate sting operation, we wonder?

Echoes of the "right to buy" scheme from the 1980s in the third edition of the Sun on Sunday, which reports on government plans to allow council house tenants to buy their homes at up to £75,000 off the market price. Housing minister Grant Schapps is quoted, attacking Labour for failing to continue the trend of getting people off council lists and into home ownership.

Away from politics, daytime TV watchers everywhere will be baffled by a Mail on Sunday story which suggests that gameshows like Deal or No Deal and Play Your Cards Right could be taken off-air because they will fall foul of new gambling laws.

Apparently these shows might not be broadcast before 9pm after the changes come into effect because they don't contain any element of skill. Fair enough with Deal or No Deal... but Play Your Cards Right? Higher than a seven? Surely a bit of maths is required.

Here's the rest of the Sunday front pages...

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