The ShortList: August 1st, 2009

From @LabourList

This is the LabourList ShortList, bringing you a weekly digest of the best content on the site over the last week and keeping you up to date with some of the current thinking in the Labour movement. This week, still on the front page, there are also lots of good new ideas for party policy, commissioned by Jessica Asato who was guest editor on Friday. Do have a read of those too.

Debate with ConservativeHome:
In the first in a series of debates on policy with ConservativeHome, Alex Smith replies to Tim Montgomerie’s first prompt. Tim has since offered a second in the series. Keep your eye out for Alex’s next response on Monday morning.

PPC Profile: Rebecca Rennison
Rebecca talks about what inspired her to get into politics, and her plans for what she will do in Parliament.

Save Vestas:
In a few hours, over 100 activists co-signed Alex Smith’s letter to Ed Milband and Peter Mandelson asking the government do what it can to save the Vestas factory. No response from Peter yet, but…

Ed Miliband replied explaining the government’s work on the matter…

Is communal ownership the answer?:
Chris Cook looks at the John Lewis model and asks is Venture Comunism the way forward for Vestas?

Big support for referendum and new voting system:
Check out the full results of the LabourList poll on the voting system and whether we should have a referendum.

NEC feedback:
NEC Vice Chair Ann Black reports from last week’s NEC gathering.

The economic consequences of David Cameron:
Anthony Painter assesses what might have happened had Cameron been in charge.

Time for CLPs to wrest control of their campaigns from Victoria Street:
Labour candidate Cath Arakelian is highly critical of the campaign tactics in Norwich North.

Cameron must be challenged on his new friends in Europe:
Mike Katz of the Jewish Labour Movement looks at the new Tory group in Europe.

Orwell, curries and socialism:
Former government advisor Paul Richards on culture, life and what we should stand for.