Amy Mollett, Avery Hancock and Paul Rainford take a look at the week in political blogging.
Saturday 22nd January and Sunday 23rd January
Political Betting think that the Labour re-shuffle promoting Ed Balls to Shadow Chancellor will have a lasting impact on the opposition. Left Foot Forward scrutinise Balls’ vow to put employment and economic growth at the heart of Labour’s alternative plan for the economy.
Tim Montgomerie at thetorydiary blogs on the possible replacements for Andy Coulson, suggesting that David Cameron should take the opportunity to refresh his whole communications operation. Left Futures notes that Coulson’s departure will not mark the closure of the phone hacking scandal, as more journalists are sacked and new victims of phone hacking come forward.
Next Left believe that the government’s plans to sell off England’s forests could be their least popular policy yet. On another green issue, ResPublica look at some unconventional incentives to recycle including ‘nudge’ policies.
Monday 24th January
On the day that the government publish plans for new regulations on Sure Start Maternity Grants, Liberal Conspiracy note that poorer women and their children have much to lose.
Left Foot Forward suggest that the Palestine Papers revelations spell the end of peace talks and negotiation in the region, as British intelligence is also identified as having played a central role in plans to destroy Hamas.
Women’s Views on News cover the sexist remarks made by Sky Sports presenters Andy Gray and Richard Keys and focus on the widespread sexual discrimination in football media.
Labour Uncut identify the ‘principal delusion’ afflicting David Cameron: his belief that he is ‘the heir to Blair’.
Iain Martin at the Wall Street Journal blog discusses Ed Balls’ reputation as a ‘killing machine’ but also believes that George Osborne will not back down quietly.
Tuesday 25th January
As the coalition plans to announce changes to control orders legislation, The Staggers considers whether David Davies will lead a Lib Dem and Conservative rebellion against the vote.
The UK Independence Party (UKIP) is currently polling higher than the Lib Dems (8 per cent to 7 per cent) amongst 18-24 year old voters; ouch, says Liberal Conspiracy.
The ONS announced a 0.5 per cent contraction in the UK economy partly as a result of ‘freezing weather.’ According to the FT’s Westminster Blog the government will now be ‘terrified’ about the threat of a double-dip recession, even though the chancellor insists that cuts and the VAT are not to blame. According to Iain Smith, Ed Balls is winning the war of the soundbites.
Charlie Beckett questions the wisdom of Jeremy Hunt, who told the House of Commons that he would block Murdoch’s Newscorp BSkyB deal.
Wednesday 26th January
As George Osborne’s plans for growth are attacked from all sides following the announcement of yesterday’s terrible GDP figures, thetorydiary offers a six-point plan for the chancellor to stay the course.
Meanwhile, the Bank of England’s Mervyn King gave an uninspiring speech outlining rising inflation and unemployment, while Stumbling and Mumbling questions whether falling wages are really the inevitable price to pay for the financial crisis.
Stuart Weir defends Baroness Warsi’s recent comments that Islamaphobia has become increasingly acceptable in British society and must be resisted.
As the world’s banking elite convene in Davos, Liberal Conspiracy looks at Cairo and wonders whether the world’s economy is really looking up.
Thursday 27th January
Paul Krugman outlines the economic warnings that Osborne and Cameron ignored and Jon Snow wonders why there is no discussion of tax havens at Davos.
Liberal Democrat Voice outlines the party reaction to the new control orders, with Liberal Conspiracy less than impressed. Thetorydiary emphasises that addressing the root causes and not just the symptoms of extremism is the key.
The Staggers notes a three year high for Labour in the polls, although the Party Lines Blog suggests that this is despite Ed Miliband and not because of him.
The Institute for Government blogs on a bad week for the big society.
Liberal Conspiracy comments on the British Medical Journal’s attack on Cameron’s plans to reorganise the NHS.
In the case of the dispute between Rupert Murdoch and Ofcom, Left Foot Forward looks at why ownership matters.
Friday 28th January
Tribune looks at warnings that the coalition’s policies pave the way for a corporate takeover of the health service.
Will Straw argues that Cameron has betrayed 60,000 families as 250 Sure Start centres are shut, while Lambeth launches the first co-operative council.
John Redwood rants about trees and Michael White blogs on gender wars.
The Party Lines Blog suggests that David Cameron has risked antagonising his own party with his speech at Davos.
Iain Martin argues that the coalition’s cuts have downgraded the big society to the medium society.
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