What's happening

Today Ken Clarke opens the first day of the Brighton conference on the future of the European Court of Human Rights

Today Housing minister Grant Shapps launches new online portal to provide independent information to prospective self builders at No 10 Downing Street

Today Acas hosts discussions between Tube Lines management and the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers union in an attempt to avert a 72-hour strike planned by maintenance staff from 4pm on 24 April

Today MP Tom Watson MP and journalist Martin Hickman release a book about News International entitled Dial M for Murdoch: News Corporation and the corruption of Britain. They hold a press conference about it in Westminster at 10.00

10.00 Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg and Cabinet Office minister Mark Harper appear at a political and constitutional reform committee hearing on the recall of MPs

10.30 Justine Greening takes transport questions in the Commons

12.30 The Commons continues to debate and vote on the Finance Bill

17.00 FCO officials represent the UK at a 'Friends of Syria' meeting in France, hosted by Alan Juppe, French foreign minister. Hillary Clinton and foreign ministers from Turkey, German, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

19.30 John McDonnell MP speaks at public meeting held by GMB and Unite to discuss the government's proposed closure of Remploy factories for disabled workers

20.00 Boris Johnson, Brian Paddick and Ken Livingstone take part in a Sky News London mayoral debate

What's been said

The prime minister is besieged by Conservative critics oblivious to the man on the street, says Peter Oborne in the Daily Telegraph

The heat is on - we need decisions on energy, but ministers are sitting on their hands, says CBI director-general John Cridland in The Times (£)

It's no accident that the wheels have come off the government, says Steve Richards in The Independent

If the Socialists win in France it will create a new, if limited, pole of influence, says Martin Kettle in The Guardian