Morning Report: March 8th

After his interview on Marr at the weekend, David Miliband continues his return with a lecture at the LSE tonight on the future of the Left in Europe. To trail that speech,David has written an article for the Times (£) on why the Left is losing across Europe. In it David advances many of the “Blue Labour” arguments – especially that Labour is too big on government and not big enough on community – suggesting that the elder Miliband is still trying to guide the party ideologically. This speech will be one to watch.

Dan Jarvis, Labour’s newest MP after last week’s Barnsley by-election, will be sworn in today. Ed Miliband will be holding a late morning photocall to welcome Dan to parliament. Expect enterprising journalists to ask Dan his views on Afghanistan, and also probably Libya too.

Today is of course International Women’s Day – of which more on LabourList this afternoon. Yvette Cooper has come out fighting, attacking the Home Secretary for “treating women like fools” over “devastating cuts” that could see as many as 70,000 women suffering from domestic abuse lose their support. Women’s Aid says 60% of refuge services and 72% of outreach services had no funding arrangements after April 1st this year.