Chris Gilson, Danielle Moran and Paul Rainford take a look at the week in political blogging.

Aftermath of UK riots

Owen Jones, writing at The Staggers, compares David Starkey – with whom he had a disagreement on Newsnight due to the latter’s insistence that the riots were caused by black culture – to a mix between Enoch Powell and Alan Partridge.

Peter Watt, blogging at Dale & Co looks at the challenges that David Cameron currently faces as Political Scrapbook brings to light a possible Conservative split on riot policy. Jonathan Scott at Labour Uncut says that both the left and the right need to look into their hearts for the causes and solutions to the riots, but Iain Dale suggests that we need to take a leaf out of John Major’s book and understand less but condemn more.

Paul Goodman at thetorydiary says that we should not forget prisoner rehabilitation at times like these. Anton Howes at the Adam Smith Institute’s blog says that ‘retribution’ style justice towards the rioters is unhealthy and The Staggers reports that Iain Duncan Smith has warned the Prime Minister against attempting to ‘arrest his way out’ of this mess.

Over at Dale & Co Charles Crawford wonders if the world’s moral order is weakening – and it might even lead us to World War 3 – while Ewan Hoyle at Liberal Democrat Voice reckons our drug laws are to blame for the riots. Michael Meacher at Left Futures makes a close comparison between the rioters and bankers.

George Eaton at The Staggers outlines the key features of the government’s inquiry into the riots and calls it as a victory for Ed Miliband. Conservative Home’s Tim Montgomerie asks Cameron to make two uncomfortable choices to tackle the problems at the root of the social disorder.

The police

The Staggers argues that Dave and Boris are picking the wrong fight if they continue their war of words with the police and The Coffee House notes that US Supercop Bill Bratten has agreed to become an advisor to the government. The Guardian’s Michael White is not keen on US style policing for the UK.

John Redwood writes in favour of police independence from political control, but says they do sometimes need to work collaboratively with politicians.

The economy and the debt crisis

The BBC’s Paul Mason explores what options would be available should the UK slide into a double dip recession, and Robert Peston wonders if Britain and the US are turning Japanese (as does Channel 4’s Faisal Islam). Duncan Weldon tries to identify what killed the UK’s economic recovery, as John Redwood muses on why governments find controlling spending so difficult. Matthew Barrett at thetorydiary blogs on the government’s newly announced tranche of Enterprise Zones.

Left Foot Forward fears we are on course for a wasted decade, while Sunny Hundal at Liberal Conspiracy writes that the government is losing credibility on its economic plans. However, Matthew Barrett at Conservative Home thinks that George Osborne will have a spring in his step with news that public borrowing was better than expected last month.

Unemployment figures

Anjum Klair at the TUC’s Touchstone Blog says that the UK’s ‘jobs gap’ now numbers 158,000 and on Wednesday, The Staggers’ George Eaton has some further bad news from the just latest unemployment figures. Scarlet Harris notes that unemployment amongst women is now at a 23 year high.

The higher than expected unemployment figures prompt Left Foot Forward to analyse the regional effects of the Chancellor’s ‘jobless recovery’, while Dave Hill’s London blog, sets out the upward trend of London’s jobless figures.

Phone hacking

On Tuesday, a letter surfaces which alleges that phone hacking was discussed in meetings with the editor of the News of the World and Downing Street advisor Andy Coulson. Political Scrapbook has a good breakdown of what the release of this letter means.

And finally…

Mike Smithson at politcalbetting.com tracks the ‘race’ between the pro and anti death penalty e-petitions on the Number 10 e-petitions website.

Joseph Willits at thetorydiary looks at the expected 8% rise in rail fares which are ‘essential’ according to Transport Minister Theresa Villiers.

Jim Pickard at the FT’s Westminster Blog likes the idea of another Ed – Eddie Izzard – at the top of the Labour Party as London Mayor.