Newsnight (1980) : 2011x94

Recent polling by Lord Ashcroft suggested that there is a growing rift between the Conservative party and the public on the issue of crime. Tonight we look at whether the outcry over Ken Clarke's comments about rape and the row over Theresa May's proposals to cut the police budget are the latest signs that the Conservatives are out of touch on law and order. Also, when David Cameron came into power he adopted a chairman style of leadership, giving his ministers a large dose of autonomy and not micro-managing every department - but is this approach now getting the coalition into difficulties and does he need to tighten his grip? Plus, we follow the story of a man who has voluntarily had an impaired hand amputated so he can be fitted with a bionic limb and we will be discussing elective amputations with a man who has been fitted with a similar prosthesis. And we speak to David Brooks, New York Times columnist and author of "The Social Animal", a current hot read in Whitehall.