Morning Report – May 10th

An unusually quiet day in national politics today (although we’re probably tempting fate by saying that). There are a few overblows “rows” within the coalition today, most of which can be filed under “controlled explosions”. But there’s one that’s a little more interesting than the others because it involves two would-be Lib Dem rebels who have fallen on hard times – Vince Cable and Chris Huhne. Seemingly they are at odds over cutting carbon emissions. This is the greenest government ever, remember?

Something of a furore is building over proposals that would allow wealthier students (who are able to pay fees up front) extra places at top universities. The government have already made a total mess of raising the cost of tuition fees (with a large proportion of universities planning to charge £9k), and this is likely to further offend people’s sense of fair play. Expect Ed Miliband to say that this will be taken as a snub to the squeezed middle.

Is there a “progressive majority” in British politics? And if there is, does it include the Lib Dems? Mary Riddell sweeps aside such questions in the Telegraph this morning, and argues that Miliband and Clegg must “kiss and make up” of the left faces “extinction”. Scenario that is unlikely? Check. Apocalyptic outcome? Check. Use of strained romantic metaphor? Check. I think that’s a full house in columnist controvery bingo…

And IDS’s former think tank the Centre for Social Justice have given the government just 2/10 for dealing with family breakdown (because they haven’t brought in a marriage tax break). Predictably the Daily Mail focuses on the criticisms from the think tank, despite the fact that the CSJ (and the Mail, presumably) have got most of what they wanted from the government’s social agenda.