Ed’s inbox – May 3rd

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

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

Jacob Rees-Mogg: you would be “bonkers” to vote for me – Political Scrapbook
By Political Scrapbook

Tory toff Jacob Rees-Mogg told viewers of Politics Show South West this weekend that a teacher or lollipop lady would be “bonkers” to vote for him:

Sadly, we witnessed not a moment of honesty but a slip-up from the North East Somerset MP. Despite David Garmston generously offering Rees-Mogg the opportunity to correct himself, however, he stubbornly blames the presenter, claiming “You meant Conservative but you said Labour.” – Read more.

The AV referendum result – Labour Uncut
By Dan Hodges

The No campaign has won. On Thursday, the bid to change Britain’s voting system will be swept aside on a tidal wave of apathy. Babies, soldiers and policeman will sleep safely in the their beds once more.

To those Yes supporters lunging towards your keyboards, save your energy. Your moral outrage at the nature of the No campaign is wasted on me.

You wanted this stupid referendum. You were the ones convinced a grateful nation would make a small change and usher in a big difference. That sweeping away our venal, corrupt Parliamentary system would be as easy as one, two, three.

You blew it. – Read more.

Secret sympathy for Clegg opens my mind to viewing AV on merits – which means voting Yes – Alastair Campbell
By Alastair Campbell

Fiona and I discovered almost simultaneously on Sunday that we were thinking and feeling the same thing. It is a thought and a feeling that dare not speak its name, other than in the confined circumstances of a close and long-standing relationship like ours. I cannot remember which one of us said it first, but out it popped …

‘I’m beginning to feel sorry for Nick Clegg.’ … ‘Oh, so am I.’

We felt so much better when we had said it. We could admit to each other we had been harbouring these thoughts for some time. I kicked him as hard as anyone over tuition fees, but it was when I realised that he seemed to be taking all of the kicking, and that his Tory masters were virtually unscathed, that I felt a teeny weeny bit sorry for him. He does seem to take a lot of hits for the Tories. – Read more.

The influence and legacy of Osama Bin Laden – Left Foot Forward
By Patrick Bury

Symbolic significance of Al-Qaeda leader’s death has far reaching geo-political implications. While the symbolism of killing Osama Bin Laden is a major victory for the West in its long war against Jihadi terrorism, “decapitation” of a Hydra-like organisation is as futile as trying to ‘kill’ an idea, writes former Army Captain Patrick Bury.

Killing Bin Laden is important for three reasons: firstly, the rough justice it serves to victims of the 9/11 bombings. Secondly, the unequivocal message it sends to international terrorists for whom each day Bin Laden remained at large was a propaganda victory: that the US can, eventually, find you and kill you, even if you are being protected by a so called ally. And thirdly, it denies the much degraded jihadi movement its symbolic figurehead and one of its strategic planners. – Read more.

3 Claimants die after being found “Fit for Work” – Diary of a Benefit Scrounger
By Sue Marsh

http://afteratos.org/2011/05/01/3-claimants-die-fit-work-atos-bastards/

The examples given in the report above are not unusual. 3 people died before their ESA tribunals could be heard having been found “fit for work”. Not only were seriously (well, it turned out terminally) ill people found “fit for work” by ATOS, but even when the decisions were overturned at appeal, ATOS continued to harass them them with further assessments.

“….When his support worker appeared at the appeal tribunal she had to report her client could not be there because he was dead. The appeal was upheld and the backpayment will become part of his estate.” – 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.