Amy Mollett, Avery Hancock and Paul Rainford take a look at the week in political blogging
Saturday 29th January and Sunday 30th January
As anti-cuts protesters filled the streets of London and Manchester on Saturday, Liberal Conspiracy covers the alleged incidents of police brutality.
Political Betting breaks down the latest YouGov leadership ratings polls, noting that Nick Clegg has his best ratings since November 19th, shortly before the tuition fees controversy sent his ratings sliding down.
The Spectator considers the tensions between Francis Maude and Boris Johnson, and also gives a ten-point round up of Ed Balls’ first interview since being made Shadow Chancellor.
Monday 31st January
Left Foot Forward blogs on the warning given by YouGov president Peter Kellner that “Labour should be doing better”.
On her blog Lynne Featherstone highlights how the cuts in the Labour-led Haringey council will affect the old and the vulnerable, but receives criticism from her readers for not taking responsibility for the implementation of such cuts as a key coalition minister.
Sunny Hundal at Liberal Conspiracy discusses the fall in David Cameron’s net satisfaction rating in the Ipsos-Mori polls, noting its 18 point fall since December.
Left Foot Forward reflects on the role the government play in facilitating global tax evasion, noting that the City of London is a central player in funnelling money out of the UK.
Women’s Views on News takes a closer look at the ways in which Labour attempted to tackle violence against women, concluding that it is unlikely that the coalition will confront problematic policy areas any time soon.
Tuesday 1st February
ToryDiary applauded the creation of a new crime-mapping website which allows the public to see street-by-street crime statistics, but apart from crashing early in the morning, Michael White wonders if it will only widen the information gap between the rich and poor.
Chancellor George Osborne is encouraged to develop a Plan B for the economy and delay some of the austerity programmes, while The Staggers warns that the ‘economic right’ encourages even more draconian cuts
A deal was finally struck in the House of Lords over the upcoming Parliamentary Voting and Constituencies Bill when the government agreed to reinstate public inquiries in some boundary review processes. At the ‘other place’, Dizzy Thinks finds that the expenses scandal hasn’t really improved transparency at all.
Iain Martin has an idea why the new shadow chancellor Ed Balls hasn’t responded to the strong UK manufacturing figures released today.
Touchstone’s ‘Cuts Watch’ series takes a look at the charity sector in Scotland, which is facing massive job losses while being urged to make efficiency savings.
Left Foot Forward notes the campaign to save libraries has stepped up a gear with ‘read-ins’ planned across the country this weekend and campaign groups ready to take legal action against the culture secretary Jeremy Hunt.
Wednesday 2nd February
Nat Wei, the Big Society Czar is cutting down his government role from three days to two after being told his role would be voluntary and unpaid, according to Next Left.
The government’s forest sell-off plan will be debated today, with Our Kingdom encouraging citizens to sign a ‘Save Our Forests’ petition.
Left Foot Forward lines up a few of the organizations which supposedly support Cameron’s NHS reform plans and finds they might not be so supportive after all.
The Westminster Blog wonders if the new ‘civilised’ PMQs are here to last with Cameron and Miliband calmly discussing the situation in Egypt, and points out that Mubarak seems be trying the Gordon Brown departure method.
Rumours that the Conservatives may plan to ‘assist’ the Lib Dems over electoral reform has caught the eye of Liberal Conspirancy, and Political Betting thinks we might be seeing an Oldham East and Saddleworth-type move to ‘help Nick’.
Thursday 4th February
Next Left offers some solutions that might save the big society, as news breaks that the government’s big society tsar, Lord Wei, has quit his position due to time and money pressures, and one of the four flagship pilot councils pull out due to funding problems.
Left Foot Forward suggests that the government has chosen the wrong path with legal aid.
The Staggers shows how the bankers got away with minimal pain following the crash, as Simon Chouffot at ResPublica argues that we are not all in this together- yet.
The Coffee House investigates Britain’s skills crisis and how it may be fixed and thetorydiary lays out a pathway to lower taxes.
Sally Bercow at Labour Uncut calls for an end to exploitatively high cost lending.
Labour List takes a look at Labour’s new battleground and highlights competing visions between the ‘what matters’ vs. ‘what works’ camps. There is good news for the party however as UK Polling Report shows them streaking ahead by 8 points in the polls.
Liberal Democrat Voice celebrates the fact that MPs with mental illnesses will no longer be automatically disqualified.
Friday 5th February
Tribune notes the IFS’s prediction of slow growth in the UK and reiterates the demand for George Osborne to unveil a Plan B. The BBC’s Robert Peston highlights the main points of the government’s plan for growth as outlined by Nick Clegg this morning.
Michael White finds reasons for cheer in landlady Karen Murphy’s victory over Sky Sports.
The Westminster Blog comments on Ed Miliband’s warning to Britain’s youth that things are only going to get worse. Following Miliband’s speech, The Staggers reminds the Labour leader that the most equal countries are the most socially mobile.
Sally Hunt at Left Foot Forward argues that university funding cuts will be a disaster for the economy. Hopi Sen suggests that in the coming chaos, the Tory right could become Labour’s best friends.
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