Tories admit they were wrong on spending cuts – 8 in the morning, February 1st

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982

* Osborne and Cameron have confirmed their U-turn in budgetary policy, prompting accusations from Mandelson and Cable of confusion in Tory ranks.

* The Chilcot Inquiry is to summon Tony Blair back to give more evidence in both public and private.

* The Conservative leadership is accused of being “evasive and obfuscatory” over Lord Ashcroft’s tax status.

* The PM will commit an extra £1.5 billion to the Afghanistan war effort.

* Gordon Brown may remain Labour leader after a potential Labour defeat, unless the Tory victory is a landslide, the Times reports.

* Harriet Harman says she has “ruled out” a leadership bid.

* Jackie Ashley writes an interesting but premature eulogy of New Labour.

* Tension between the US and Iran worsened with the disclosure that President Obama is deploying a missile shield to protect American allies in the Gulf from attack by Tehran.