Amy Mollett and Paul Rainford take a look at the week in political blogging
NHS reforms
The Coffee House suggests that Nick Clegg is seeking to secure a key strategic victory by forcing Andrew Lansley to rethink his NHS reforms, and Political Betting wonders whether such a victory would help to ‘save’ the Liberal Democrats.
Liberal Conspiracy questions claims that Cameron is being ambushed into making a U-turn on health reform, but The Coffee House believes that the whole issue has turned into quite a mess and changes are on their way. Labour List provides the key text of Ed Miliband’s speech on the issue as Nick Pearce of the IPPR asks whether the Labour leader can both save and reform the health service.
Social mobility and unpaid internships
Mark Pack at Liberal Democrat Voice wonders what the real objective of social mobility is, as Nick Clegg outlines the government’s strategy to tackle the issue (a five point guide is provided by The Coffee House). However The Staggers argues that social mobility can’t be increased without decreasing inequality and David Davis claims that the coalition’s education policies will actually make social mobility even worse
The Westminster Blog senses a whiff of hypocrisy about the Deputy PM’s championing of social mobility as Guido Fawkes unveils details of the Liberal Democrats’ unpaid internships scheme. Jennifer O’Mahony at Liberal Conspiracy laments the fact that debates over internship pay always have a London bias and Mark Ferguson at Labour List urges Ed Miliband to show leadership on this issue.
The economy and the eurozone crisis
Left Foot Forward comments on the report by the Treasury Select Committee that urged for the break-up of the banks, and Labour Uncut argues that Osborne’s fear of credit rating agencies is costing Britain jobs.
Political Scrapbook believes that Gregg Barker’s comments that the coalition are implementing cuts that Margaret Thatcher could ‘only have dreamed of’ highlight the ideological motivation behind the government’s economic agenda. Will Straw provides some inconvenient truths for the right wing supporters of the rally against the debt and Sunny Hundal asks why the economy is doing so badly. Tony Dolphin provides a full update.
Robert Peston blogs on Portugal’s financial troubles (asking just who pays for the mess) and John Redwood wonders how we should account for loans to Ireland and Portugal. Faisal Islam argues that the eurozone’s stress level has just risen again, although Left Foot Forward shows that comparisons between stricken EU countries and Britain are false.
AV referendum and constitutional reform
Liberal Conspiracy provides a video and Liberal Democrat Voice a flow chart to show how AV works. Warrington MP David Mowatt becomes the first Conservative MP to hint at breaking ranks with his party to support electoral reform, but there is better news for NO to AV supporters as new data from Populus shows that they currently enjoy a six point lead in the polls.
The Staggers blogs on news that Nick Clegg has failed to secure a resolution on a fully elected House of Lords.
Foreign Policy
Left Foot Forward provides the latest news and analysis from Libya, Next Left wonders what the international community should do about the Ivory Coast and Kieran Roberts outlines why Britain owes Kenya an apology.
And finally…
Tim Montgomerie at thetorydiary argues that Cameron should express frustration at Coalition compromises on crime, Europe, defence and the family. Tom Griffin at Liberal Conspiracy outlines ten ways for the opposition to put pressure on the coalition.
Will Straw and Nick Anstead at The Staggers offer up four ideas to renew the Labour brand, while Ian Silvera at Labour List argues that there is nothing new about ‘Blue Labour’.
Sue Marsh at Left Foot Forward argues that the right wing press are ignorant of the facts when they attack those on incapacity benefit.
Following a bomb attack on a policeman in Northern Ireland, The Staggers explains why dissident groups are only doomed to fail if they resort to violence.
