Power to the People? - 8 in the morning, February 17th

8am By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982

* Why has empowerment become such a dry, empty, derided word? Because politicians use it but don’t mean it, say Jim Murphy and James Purnell.

* The assisted death debate may soon come to the Commons, as Patricia Hewitt says it’s time to have the discsussion.

* Daniel Finkelstein on the dangers on negative campaigning.

* MPs, Sir Ian Kennedy and the 60 minute housing expenses challenge.

* The Tory pledge to local Government just doesn’t ad up, writes David Hetherington.

* Nick Griffin says the heavy-heanded ejection of a journalist from its meeting on Sunday shows the BNP has “not gone soft”.

* Richard Branson has backed Government spending cuts in 2010.

* The Tory marriage policy is based on “mostly rubbish” research, says one Tory official.

Alex Smith

Alex is the founder and CEO of The Cares Family. He was editor and first director of LabourList in 2009-2010, during which time he established the site as the number one Labour blog, and later an aide to Ed Miliband.

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Power to the People? – 8 in the morning, February 17th

Alex Smith

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