Tories hunt for 'switchers'

The hunt is on in parliamentary corridors for what the Daily Telegraph is describing as "switchers".

Not some new breed of bird or strange insect but those Conservative MPs who might be prepared to change their allegiance in Thursday's second leadership vote.

Quentin Letts, writing in the Daily Mail, says Tory MPs have been "beseeched, menaced and all but bribed" for their votes by the five campaign teams.

"In the members' tea room at the Commons, the scene was like something out of 'Allo Allo', he adds, with spies stalking the tea tables gathering information on how MPs plan to vote.

Portillo doubts

The Mail believes it knows what grassroots' party opinion wants, and it is not Michael Portillo.

The paper has carried out a survey of Conservative Constituency chairman and MPs' agents and claims the vast majority do not want the shadow chancellor to win.

The Mail says many reject Mr Portillo's permissive views on issues such as compulsory all-women shortlists.

However, in an interview in the Telegraph, Mr Portillo counters accusations that he no longer stands for core Conservative values.

Brian Groom, writing in the Financial Times, believes Iain Duncan-Smith now has a fair chance of winning the contest and the Independent agrees that he is the "man of the moment".

Commons reforms

Robin Cook was a "man of the moment" as foreign secretary in Labour's first administration.

And he is trying to keep up that momentum as Leader of the Commons.

He tells The Times he wants to introduce a series of reforms, including extra pay for senior MPs and more family-friendly hours.

Marks and Spencer was once "shop of the moment" but no more after further poor trading results.

And the Mirror has added to shareholders' woes by reporting that the company is spending a quarter of a million pounds flying staff on trips to New York to look for new ideas.

Environmental concerns

A 2,000 page United Nations report on global warming is highlighted on the front of the Independent.

The document, drawn up by some of the world's leading scientists, warns the earth is warming up faster than at any time in the past 1,000 years and that human activity is almost certainly to blame.

The government is facing protests from environmentalists over the disclosure that it is considering backing another controversial dam project in Turkey.

The Guardian says a British construction company, Amec, is part of a consortium seeking to build a dam on the Coruh river in the north east of the country, a project that could force thousands of people from their homes.

The government recently signalled plans to withdraw its support from a similar project - the Ilisu Dam.

Space gremlins

Finally, a leaked document from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) space agency has shown that life on board the International Space Station has been beset by problems.

The Express says a log written by the American astronaut Bill Shepherd, who lived on the station earlier this year, paints a picture more in tune with a Carry On film than a multi-billion dollar project.

The Guardian says the astronauts had to contend with American gadgets that would not fit Russian plugs, velcro pads that stuck to everything, including their food, and a computer system for reporting breakdowns, which broke down.