Ed’s inbox: February 15th

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

If Ed Miliband could only read five blogposts each day, he’d read these ones…

The lessons Labour should learn for any future coalition negotiations – Left Foot Forward
By Matthew Sowemimo

Labour is well ahead in the opinion polls but the spade work has to be done now so the party is well-positioned for the possibility that the next election will result in another hung parliament. As Professor John Curtice has argued, electoral trends, such as the shrinking number of marginal seats, greatly increase the chances that Labour may need to form a coalition to govern again. – Read more.

Is Labour’s future conservative? – donpaskini
By donpaskini

Marc Stears argues that Labour’s emerging new identity, championed by people like Jon Cruddas and Lord Glasman and supported by Ed Miliband “is encouraging the Party towards a celebration of tradition, locality and even some forms of social conservatism. It is urging a shift away from the focus on the left on material redistribution and the need for public services always to be delivered directly by the state.

The emerging new identity, on this account, will be more localist and less statist than we have been used to. It will also be more focused on questions of belonging and identity and less concerned with issues of material equality.” – Read more.

Labour councils cutting more jobs than Tory? – Liberal Conspiracy
By Sunny Hundal

The Guardian today is running a story today with the headline: Labour councils shed 50% more jobs than Tory areas.

It goes on to say:

“Figures appear to bolster coalition claims that Labour councils are making bigger cuts for politically motivated reasons”

But immediately below that it states:

“Labour councils are shedding on average 50% more posts than Conservative authorities as they deal with funding cuts that significantly outstrip those of their Tory and Liberal Democrat neighbours, the Guardian has found.” – Read more.

Rank Hypocrisy from the Liberal Democrats – THE HONEYBALL BUZZ
By Mary Honeyball MEP

The Liberal Democrats in north London have been asking people to sign a petition against Camden Council’s proposed library closures.

As a Camden resident I was particularly concerned to be contacted by a constituent. They informed me that last Saturday they had been approached outside the Tesco on England’s Lane, Belsize Park, by a member of the Lib Dems who had asked them to sign the petition. – Read more.

Twickenham Academy: does exactly what it says on the tin – Political Scrapbook
By Political Scrapbook

In contrast with the Latin of Toby Young’s free school, Twickenham Academy ensured that they spelled their motto correctly by keeping it idiotically simple. The new facility for 11-16 year olds, owned by private Swedish company Kunskapsskolan, describes itself as “a learning school”. – Read more.

Our suggestions for Ed’s inbox are limited by what we read – so if you’ve seen a blogpost that should be in Ed’s inbox, let us know.