Lunchtime List No.35

~ The best and most relevant stuff in today’s papers and on the web ~

Friday 27th February, 2009

Over 2,000 people are now following our editor @derekdraper‘s Tweets, and 250 the more basic @LabourList Tweets. Decide which is for you, and get following!

COMMENT OF THE WEEK:

“I’d urge everyone not to spend too much time worrying about Melanie Phillips. She is the Hyacinth Bucket of columnists – she thinks nobody is as clever, tasteful, moral, intelligent well-informed as she is. She doesn’t like anybody or anything. She is a professional misanthrope.” Alan Giles

Congratulations, Alan! You win a bottle of House of Commons champagne!

ON LABOURLIST NOW

OLD MATES ALASTAIR CAMPBELL AND JOHN PRESCOTT JOKING ON VIDEO ABOUT OUR EDITOR’S “DOWNFALL”.

Alastair blogs for us in more detail about last night’s London Labour event at Canary Wharf.

The Prime Minister speaks out against Fred the Shred’s “unacceptable” pension.

University of London Human Geography expert Jane Wills says there’s never been a better time for the Living Wage.

Claude Moraes MEP outlines the stark differences between Labour and the Tories in Europe.

The Comunication Workers Union boss Billy Hayes says No to the Government’s Royal Mail policy.

Essex Councillor Julian Ware Lane asks if low turnout means our democracy is dying.

We’ll have more posts going up throughout the day, so stay posted.

If you’re new to LabourList, have a dig around some of our earlier articles under the ‘Recent Posts’ section, or under each contributor.

*** Make sure you comment on the posts that interest you and if you want to post let us know. ***

WHAT A BANKER

Yesterday we called for Fred the Shred’s pension bonanza to be clawed back.

Today, so is everyone else.

Read his arrogant letter in full.

ROYAL MAIL

The Communication Workers’ Union steps up its campaign against Royal mail part-privatisation.

Billy Hayes, General Secretary of the CWU, says the government is wrong.

Steve Richards is unconvinced by the government’s case but also has harsh words for the unions.

The unions outlined their case yesterday.

And Peter Mandelson outlined his.

The background is here.

The author of the recommendations asks the unions for a better suggestion.

FINALLIST

Caroline Flint warns unions and leftwing MPs not to unintentionally aid the BNP, in the next edition of Progress.

Jack Straw defends the government’s record on civil liberties, and the Justice Secretary gives a revealing interview to the Mail.

Mary Honeyball, in her brilliant newly launched site The Honeyball Buzz, shames Boris for trying to squash democratic debate.

Martin Kettle looks back at Mrs. Thatcher.

The lady in green.

Britain did hand over prisoners for rendition.

Liam Byrne says Twitter is more important than the Daily Mail.

Despite the headlines, the government’s teenage pregnancy strategy is working.

The truth about our national debt, from the head of the Audit Commission.

Paul Routledge raises questions about the Tories’ dodgy donations.

HERO of the day: Brendan Barber for his wise words about Facebook sacking.

ZERO of the day: Americans and “bathroom” toilet habits.

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