Chris Gilson, and Paul Rainford take a look at the week in political blogging.
Party politics
The Tory Diary notes that Cameron is gearing up to blame the Liberal Democrats for the failure to fulfil his immigration policy promise, and the continued existence of the coalition beyond 2015 is becoming ever more remote.
The Tory Diary contemplates the Tories’ failure to gain traction in the North, and fears that the party will become locked in its southern enclaves. UK Polling Report also show that the Conservatives are struggling to earn women’s votes too.
Left Foot Forward outlines Ed Miliband’s challenge to the Labour party to become a genuine social movement, and The Coffee House believes that there is actually quite a lot of substance to what the opposition leader is saying. Liberal Democrat Voice is far from convinced, however, that he should do away with shadow cabinet elections, and Mark Ferguson suggests that the Party would be better off tackling its funding crisis. Neil O’Brien at The Staggers looks at how Blue Labour can outflank the coalition.
Political Betting wonders why the Green Party aren’t doing better, given the seeming difficulties being faced by the bigger parties.
Labour wins the Inverclyde by-election on Thursday, but it’s been a very bad night for the Liberal Democrats.
Public sector pension strikes
Nigel Stanley at the False Economy blogs deconstructs the flimsy arguments being used to justify the cuts to public sector pensions, and Richard Murphy accuses Cameron of hypocrisy in stating his desire to tackle inequality but failing to support unions who are intrinsic to such a process.
The Coffee House tracks Michael Gove’s ‘tenacious’ attack on the education establishment but Political Scrapbook accuses him of hypocrisy as a picture emerges of the Education Secretary on the picket line. Left Foot Forward also notes that he has been savaged on Mumsnet for calling on parents to act as strike breakers.
Nicola Smith at Liberal Conspiracy says that new research shows that due to low wage growth, inflation and the pensions squeeze, nurses and fire-fighters will lose as much as 10 per cent in pay. Shamik Das at Left Foot Forward unpacks claims that teachers will retire with an £500,000 pension pot, and Alice Smith at Liberal Conspiracy debunks the myth that public sector pensions are gold plated. John Redwood wants the government to continue to push the affordability line in talking about the costs of pensions.
Daniel Elton at Left Foot Forward has a summary of the state of play at the start of Thursday’s strikes. Steve Middleton at Liberal Democrat Voice blogs on why he feels that the strike is wrong. Political Scrapbook has pictures of the ten best signs at the protests. Dan Whittle at Left Foot Forward has three suggestions of how unions could renew their public image.
The economy
Liberal Democrat Voice discusses Nick Clegg’s call for the British public to be given shares in the bailed out banks, as the squeeze on incomes continues apace. Left Foot Forward argues that is the poor and the sick who are paying the biggest price.
The Westminster Blogs mulls over Cameron’s ‘pandas for pigs’ deal with Chinese premier Wen Jiabao (a full list of deals concluded this week is available here), as Michael White ruminates on human rights.
As Greece teeters on the brink, Richard Murphy of Tax Research UK urges politicians to adopt a new stance and show no fear to the scaremongering of the banks.
Foreign Aid
The Coffee House ponders public perceptions on foreign aid, as Deborah Doane at The Staggers argues that aid itself doesn’t hinder development, but free-market capitalism does.
And finally…
The Westminster Blog reports that Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has taken a robust stand on high speed rail.
The Staggers notes that the British Medical Association has called for the health bill to be withdrawn, suggesting that Cameron is still failing to win the backing of doctors.
Left Foot Forward blogs on rising crime and falling police numbers.
David Marquand at openDemocracy discusses the true challenge of a European demos.
