Lunchtime List No.47

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

Tuesday 17th March, 2009

COMMENT OF THE DAY:

We’ll be announcing our favourite Faux Tory Logo in the next 24 hours, so today is your last chance to enter. Check out some of the great entries we’ve already had.

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ON LABOURLIST NOW

Grace Fletcher-Hackwood looks at the Guardian special (below) and warns: Labour must learn from the mistakes of the 80s.

Former Blair man Adrian McMenamin celebrates St Patrick’s Day by remembering his childhood – and looking forward.

Labour Friends of Iraq’s Gary Kent welcomes the Conservatives to the alliance.

Trade Union man John Gray assesses the importance of the Unions in managing the downturn.

Photograph: David Levene/Guardian

TOWARD THE ELECTION – CAN LABOUR WIN?

Gordon Brown says he takes “full responsibility” for the decisions made in the run up to the downturn.

And he explains why it’s essential Labour wins the next election.

The Guardian assess the funding and membership levels of the Labour Party over the last 15 years.

What can we all do online to help the party’s fortunes?

Steve Richards looks at the political liklihood of a hung Parliament, and a Lib-Lab coalition. (More in the Ongoing Debates section at the bottom of the page).

Dominic Lawson on why “Sorry” is a waste of time.

FINALLIST

LabourList editor Derek Draper defends the government’s plans for pyscotherapy in the Daily Mail.

Tony McNulty on why he thinks the welfare reforms being voted on today are enabling.

John McDonnell disagrees, and says the plans target lone parents.

James Purnell gives the inside view in this excellent FT interview.

Dave Cameron’s plans to freeze funding to the BBC meets a very frosty recepetion.

After we broke the story of the Tory alliance in Europe last week, The Mirror calls Cameron an “inept amateur unfit for high office”.

Rachel Sylvester says that these shifts to the right will alienate Cameron’s supporters.

A rise in fees and in admission requirements could cut off the best universities to state school pupils even further.

The Times says it’s a new way for privilege to assert an already unfair advantage.

Ed Miliband’s civil servants are reportedly hampering his work on the environment.

Boris Johnson asks “what’s the good of Conservatism?”

The recession in America could end in 2009, the Fed Chair has said.

But more than a million more jobs could be lost across Britain before there are real improvements here.

Jessica Asato asks “is it always trivial to talk about clothes in politics?”

HERO of the day: Gordon Brown, for swatting the apologists aside and looking to the future.

ZERO of the day: All of those in the elite universities who would deny opportunity to all by increasingly cunning means.

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