Archived entries for Fab 5

Fab 5: Monday 8 February 2010

A new week, a new Fab 5:

  • Alastair Campbell blogs on an emotional weekend.
  • Rachel Younger of Sky’s Boulton & Co. focuses on the hand-picked audience in David Cameron’s speech today, rather than the speech itself. Meanwhile, Paul Waugh of the Evening Standard spots a potential flaw in one of Cameron’s proposals.
  • Political Betting have a very interesting post from statistician Andy Cooke on whether the Tories can achieve a majority with less than a 9% swing at the next election (the marker required for a majority when applying a national uniform swing).
  • Finally, Thierry Schaffauser – a sex worker – argues on the Guardian’s Comment Is Free that sex workers should be allowed to advertise.

    • Fab 5: Friday 5 February 2010

    Your final Fab 5 of the week:

  • In this week’s leader article, The Economist subject the Tories’ claim that Britain’s society is broken to scrutiny, and find evidential support “thin”.
  • Mark Thomson and Will Straw blog at Left Foot Forward about the expenses scandal. They find that the worst offenders tended to be those in the safest seats. (Ed – it’d be interesting to see if the results were statistically significant). Meanwhile, Michael White ponders in the Guardian what Parliament will look like after the next election.
  • Paul Waugh of the Evening Standard reveals Tony Blair is going to be given a “central” role in the forthcoming election campaign.
  • Finally, Shamik Das, Young Fabian executive member, posted on this blog last week about Tony Blair’s appearance at the Chilcot enquiry. His post prompted a response from Adam White at the Though Cowards Flinch blog. Read Adam’s response here and Shamik’s original post here.

    • Fab 5: Thursday 4 February 2010

    Here are your Fab 5 for today:

  • Quite a bit on expenses today following the news that MPs are being forced to repay over £1m collectively. No, we’re not pulling your Legg. (Couldn’t resist). Hopi Sen believes bigger fish got away And Adam Boulton points out that the value-for-money on the Legg review might not quite have been as high as hoped.
  • Emily Bell, of Guardian fame, thinks the Tories’ bark is worse than their bite when it comes to the BBC.
  • Alex Smith at LabourList thinks David Cameron is being less than honest about his voting record on gay rights.
  • Finally, and we’re not necessarily agreeing with the hypothetical outcome at the next election, Mike Smithson at Political Betting thinks Brown and Balls will make the best leadership team for Labour in opposition.

    • Fab 5: Wednesday 3 February 2010

    Here are five carefully selected articles or web posts you may wish to read today:

  • It’s clear the economy will loom large in the forthcoming general election. Today the IFS released their Green Budget – usually one of the most authoritative independent reports on UK fiscal policy in the run up to the Budget. The BBC’s Stephaine Flanders believes that the distinction between the two parties is less than is made out by some. Meanwhile, The Economist’s Bagehot writes on the changing policy position taken by the Conservatives.
  • Martin Bell, writing for The Guardian, believes we should take time to recognise the reservists in the army.
  • Alastair Campbell picks up an article by Jonathan Freedland on how the mainstream media are treating the Tories.
  • Finally, Clifford Singer – of mydavidcameron.com fame – shares his thoughts on the lessons learnt from the campaign.

    • Fab 5: Tuesday 2 February 2010

    Another Fab 5 for you today:

  • The Pope has caused controversy today with his comments about homosexuality and the UK equalities bill. Simon Jenkins, writing for the Guardian, believes the views to be odious but agrees with the substantive point about freedom vs. equality. Meanwhile, Daryn McCombe, writing for Left Foot Forward, disagrees, suggesting natural law and UK equalities legislation are consistent.
  • FreethinkingEconomist tackles some of the issues relating to high UK gross debt and economic growth in a technical post on the matter, although nonetheless worth reading for its rebuttal of some right-wing claims.
  • Paul Waugh has an interesting post about how the major parties are fighting the BNP in Barking, East London.
  • Finally, Luke Akehurst was disappointed by Channel 4′s Tower Block of Commons, and the MPs who featured in it.

    • Fab 5: Monday 1 February 2010

    A new month, a new week, a new Fab 5 for your consumption:

  • Nick Robinson, the BBC’s political editor, has learned that Parliament will vote next week on taking some initial steps towards an overhaul of the British electoral system.
  • The Guardian reprints the text of an address Pope Benedict XVI gave to the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales in which he criticises the UK’s equality laws.
  • Iraqi President Jalal Talabani writes for the Guardian on his thoughts about the old Iraq, and the new.
  • Tom Harris MP thinks the latest poll figures have spooked CCHQ and the blogosphere right.
  • Finally, Paul Waugh blogs about the increasing importance of the female vote in the forthcoming national poll.

    • Fab 5: Thursday 28 January 2010

    Another day, another selection of web articles we recommend you read:

  • Sara Mojtehedzadeh writes for the Sky News Boulton & Co blog on women in Afghanistan.
  • Diana Smith writes for Labourlist on the cuts we don’t see – those at the local authority level.
  • Is it time to allow broadcast bias in the UK? – that’s the question Hopi Sen ponders today.
  • Will Straw of Left Foot Forward highlights a report by the IFS into the impact of fees on higher education participation, suggesting it will fall if fee increases are not matched with commensurate increases in grants and loans.
  • The economic crisis in Greece continues, threatening the whole Euro project. The Economist’s Charlemagne reports that European leaders are working out how they can bail-out the country, rather than focussing on whether or not they should.

    • Fab 5: Wednesday 27 January 2010

    Your Fab 5 for today:

  • Tom Harris writes about today’s reports that the inequality gap in the UK is at its highest in several decades, focussing on the top end of the income bracket, rather than the bottom.
  • Meanwhile, Zoe Williams, writing for the Guardian, thinks the results of the latest Social Attitudes Survey imply the main legacy of New Labour is that we’re all conservatives now.
  • Mike Smithson of PoliticalBetting sets out pollsters’ views on the winning margin the Conservatives are expected to achieve at the next general election.
  • Lib Dem Voice argues that MPs shouldn’t be spending their time debating whether or not Councils should publish their own newspapers.
  • And Chris Dillow argues against Tom Harris’ views on the causes of voter apathy.

    • Fab 5: Tuesday 26 January 2010

    Five articles you may want to read today:

  • GDP figures released today show the UK is technically out of recession. The BBC’s Economics Editor, Stephanie Flanders, provides the IMF’s take on UK growth prospects. Will Straw of Left Foot Forward highlights rising GDP per capita since 1997, and a new campaign to end the “fixation” with economic growth.
  • PPC Liz Kendall, writing for Progress, gives her views on Cameron’s “social recession” remarks from the front line.
  • Luke Akehurst ponders, amid the ongoing Chilcot enquiry, about the legality of wars.
  • Finally, The Economist’s Charlemagne wonders why Baroness Ashton took the new EU Foreign Policy portfolio given the increasing volume of briefings against her.

    • Fab 5: Monday 26 January 2010

    Your Fab 5 for today:

  • David Cameron’s “social recession” jibe has prompted a leader from the FT criticising aspects of Tory tax policy. Meanwhile, The Economist’s Bagehot contrasts the leaders of the two main parties.
  • Meanwhile Chris Dillow has four questions for George Osborne.
  • Alexandra Kemp argues on Labourlist that extending free school meals could reduce child poverty by 50,000
  • Finally, Charlie Brooker believes everything tastes better covered in Cadburys.

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