Pick of the week

How Cameron should respond to the 'Tory cuts' jibe

The Tories need to protect themselves against the coming Labour charge, however bogus it may be, that Tory plans would require schools and hospitals to be shut. The best way to do this is to pledge not to cut funding for these services in 2010-11. After all, this is only the first year of a Tory government and Tory education reforms will probably require a short-term increase in education spending anyway.

• Cameron can slow NHS spending
• A subdued exchange

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‘Sarah Palin backfired — shot herself in the foot.’

Arts

Putting criminals on stage

Danny Kruger explains how his theatre company helps offenders to go straight

Books

Books Of The Year

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Politics

Want to cut taxes? First cut spending. Here’s how

After a week of clamorous competition between the parties over tax cuts, Fraser Nelson offers a guide to paying for them: a programme of spending cuts that would preserve core services but shave off the fat of the Brown years. All that is needed is political will

Style & Travel

Put a brave face on it

It’s official: make-up is recession-proof, says Lindy Woodhead