Ed’s inbox – March 16th

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

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

The greatest lesson from New Labour is that winners have no time for nostalgia – Labour Uncut
by Tom Watson

It is not true, as some uncharitable colleagues have said, that the people who run Progress are a defeated faction in need of a cause. I think, though, it’s fair to say they belong to a very different organisation to the one that Derek Draper, through sheer willpower, fused into a powerful force at the heart of the Labour party, whose influence endured for more than a decade.

I am one of the few people who has seen the confidential strategy document presented in 1995 to Tony Blair, John Prescott and funder David Sainsbury that led to the creation of the organisation. – Read more.

Could Egypt intervene in Libya? – Liberal Conspiracy
By Adam Ramsay

There is no consensus on the left about intervention in Libya. And both sides of the argument are pretty persuasive.

On the one hand, the rebels in Libya are being bombed. They are calling for our support. It is heart wrenchingly difficult not to heed their calls.

On the other hand, when we hear talk of a No Fly Zone alone, we should remember that there is almost certainly no such thing. Whereas Iraq in the mid 90′s had few air defences, Libya is well protected. – Read more.

Why was Dave so unprepared on the NHS? – Political Betting
By Mike Smithson

A victory for EdM this week

As predicted here last night Ed Miliband used his PMQ opportunity this week to open the potential split within the coalition on the NHS changes and put Cameron on the spot over what’s being proposed.

The PM’s lack of response to Miliband’s point about the NHS being opened up to EU competition law was very telling. It appeared that he was not up to speed on what’s in the government’s bill. – Read more.

In defence of Number 10′s top civil servant in face of FT gossip column – Alastair Campbell
By Alastair Campbell

Sue Cameron is a journalist on the Financial Times who specialises in painting a picture of senior mandarins as all-knowing and jolly clever and so much better than those terrible politicians they have to work for. As a succession of Cabinet Secretaries have found, her column is something of a guarantee of reputation-building for life, with Robin Butler today’s favoured former Numero Uno in a little item giving his assessment of Mrs Thatcher, John Major and Tony Blair. – Read more.

Europe: Time For Britain To Decide – Left Futures
By Mark Seddon

I am old enough – just – to remember Britain’s one and only referendum on whether we should remain a member of what was then called the Common Market, back in 1975. Having decided that we should, Britons watched as the Common Market became the European Economic Community, then the European Community, and finally the European Union. – 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.