David Cameron gave a government advisory post to Conservative donor Lord Ashcroft despite objections from Nick Clegg, the BBC understands.

The peer and former Tory deputy chairman will lead a review of the UK’s military bases in Cyprus.

But he has come under fire from Labour and Lib Dem MPs, including the deputy prime minister, over his tax status.

A source said Mr Clegg made it clear he was “not keen” on the appointment, but the prime minister chose to go ahead.

In a statement, Defence Secretary Liam Fox confirmed that Lord Ashcroft would undertake the role of senior independent advisor to the review of the Cyprus bases.

He will work alongside Conservative MP and former Army officer Patrick Mercer.[...] Read more in Cyprus Now

DISY chief Nicos Anastasiades said yesterday the people had “honoured his party” in Sunday’s elections, as the main opposition party savoured an electoral victory which gave them two extra seats in the 56-seat legislature.

Ruling AKEL was in second place while abstentions reached record-breaking levels with one in five staying away.

The results saw 18 new MPs elected.

DISY managed to gain the support of around 10,000 more people than in the previous parliamentary elections in 2006 – a 3.75 per cent rise and two extra seats – that saw the party first past the post with 34.27 per cent of the vote and 20 MPs. The party registered its highest level of support since 1996.

DISY chief Nicos Anastasiades said the people had “honoured his party with their vote”, adding that it was time to unite forces in a bid to tackle the important problems faced by the country.[...] Read more in Cyprus Now

“The Swedes, interest, ideas, and activism on Cyprus are admirable, but their timing is off.”

A wikileaks cable sent from the US Embassy in Nicosia in 2007, highlights international frustration with a Swedish attempt to become involved in the Cyprus issue and the lack of progress at establishing peace talks after the July 8th agreement.

During 2008 Sweden announced that they could ‘constructively contribute’ to the solution of the problem, with the Swedish FM saying his country maintained close communication with the parties involved and other players such as the UN.

However the cable, shows that the United States and UK were not pleased by the Swedish efforts to ‘help’ in the Cyprus matter: “Our UK counterparts share our skepticism about the timing of Sweden’s emerging proposal on Cyprus,” the cable said. “A formal proposal at this stage runs the risk of backfiring and allowing President Papadopoulos and the other candidates in the presidential race to shift to the international community the onus for a solution, as well as the blame for the lack of progress under the UN-brokered July 8 agreement.”[...] Read more in Cyprus Now

Μνημείο απόδειξης ότι η έγνοια τους δεν είναι ο τόπος, αλλά το κόμμα, αποτελεί η δημοσιογραφική διάσκεψη που παραχώρησε ο Χριστόφιας για τη συμπλήρωση τριών ετών στην προεδρία του κράτους.

Στο μόνο που αποσκοπούσε ο Χριστόφιας ήταν να δώσει την εικόνα ότι όλοι είναι εναντίον του, για να κτυπήσουν το ΑΚΕΛ, με απώτερο βέβαια στόχο τη συσπείρωση των ψηφοφόρων του κόμματος του.

Καταθλιπτικές επισημάνσεις

Αυτό που έκανε αλγιεινή εντύπωση, είναι η αποτυχημένη προσπάθεια του κ. Χριστόφια να καλύψει τον αυταρχισμό του και την μανία του όταν επικρίνεται, με τον μανδύα του λαϊκού ηγέτη. «Λαϊκός ηγέτης» δεν εννοούμε τον ηγέτη του λαού, αλλά τον πολιτικό, ο οποίος «κατεβαίνει» στο επίπεδο του απλού λαού, είτε με τη γλώσσα και το λεξιλόγιο που χρησιμοποιεί, είτε με το στήσιμο του και τις κινήσεις του.[...] Read more in Cyprus Now

- Citizens send message to the government, says DISY President

- AKEL pleased with increased share of the vote

- DIKO will lead the centre, says party leader

- EDEK maintains share of the vote, says party leader

- Ecologist Movement: election results have not met expectations

The main opposition party, the right wing Democratic Rally (DISY), topped the polls in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, gaining 138,614 votes and a comfortable lead of 34.27% against the ruling left wing AKEL party, which rallied in second position with 132,163 votes and 32.67%.

Both parties have increased their share of the vote, compared with the corresponding percentage in the 2006 parliamentary elections.

DISY’s percentage in the 2006 parliamentary elections was 30.52%, gaining 3.75% in today’s poll. In the same poll in 2006, AKEL got 31.31% share of the vote, registering 1.36 in today’s poll.

The biggest upset of the night was the number of abstentions, reaching 113,282 or 21.32%, an unprecedented development in parliamentary elections.[...] Read more in Cyprus Now

NICOSIA – Sunday’s elections have brought 17 new people to the House out of a total of 56 MPs, while some big names across the political spectrum failed to be reelected. Disy came first party with 20 seats, followed by Akel with 19 seats, Diko with 9, Edek 5, Evroko 2 and the Green Party 1.

Most of the changes occurred in Limassol with 6 MPs taking a seat for the first time. Adamos Adamou, a former EuroMP, Christos Mesis, Andros Kafkalias and Costas Costa were elected with ruling Akel, leaving out Aristos Aristotelous and Dinos Hadjinicolas. Yiannos Lamaris was reelected.

Opposition Disy parliamentary spokesman Christos Pourgourides, who also holds an important post in the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, failed to keep his seat, as did another Disy MP here, Andreas Themistocleous.[...] Read more in Cyprus Now

ΛΥΣΣΑΡΙΔΗΣ: Το ραντεβού μας με την ιστορία

Ο Γιατρός μας, κος Βάσος Λυσσαρίδης προειδοποιεί για τον ξεπεσμό στο Κυπριακό και δίδει την δική του φρέσκα πνοή στον αγώνα του λαού μας ενάντια στα Νεο-Ανανικά σχέδια που κάποιοι προσπαθούν να μας ξαναφέρουν.

Μια ομιλία που αναπτερώνει το ηθικό ακόμα και του πιο απαισιόδοξου πατριώτη.

Από την προεκλογική εκδήλωση της ΕΔΕΚ,
Λευκωσία 19.05.11[...] Read more in Cyprus Now

Νικόλας Παπαδόπουλος * “Καθαρές Θέσεις”
(Αντιπρόεδρος ΔηΚο)

Ολόκληρη η Προεκλογική Ομιλία εφ’ όλης της ύλης.

Ας μιλήσουμε επιτέλους:

- Η κρίση που δεν μας έπιασε , αλλά από την οποία καταφέραμε να βγούμε.

- Ο καταστροφικές ευέλικτες προσφορές του Προέδρου Χριστόφια στο Κυπριακό, που ακόμα περιμένει να δει τι κερδίσαμε.

- Τα δύο “δίδυμα αδέρφια” που σχεδιάζουν την μοίρα ενός ολόκληρου λαού.

Αυτά και πολλά άλλα από την Προεκλογική ομιλία του Κου Παπαδόπουλου,[...] Read more in Cyprus Now