Ed’s inbox – June 7th

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

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

Ed Miliband: even pandas need to pander – guardian.co.uk
By Michael White

I took a chance on the news channels staying with Ed Miliband’s press conference for more than a few minutes and watched it on TV. How’s he doing? How do the news channels think he’s doing? Better than conventional wisdom currently suggests, I think.

As the tireless Andy Sparrow reports here, Labour’s own live feed faltered. But Sky News stayed with the Labour leader for the best part of half an hour, though the BBC’s coverage switched to the Queen opening the new Welsh assembly at Cardiff Bay. – Read more.

Here’s how Ed can improve his speeches – Left Foot Forward
By Asher Dresner

Everyone has a view on how well Ed Miliband is doing so far. But I haven’t seen much analysis of his actual speeches. There’s no question he can be a great speaker; if you’ve seen the video of his speech at his old school you would know that. But he could better. The speechwriting literature is full of insights which he could use.

For example, neuroscientists have shown that people make most of their political decisions based on their emotions. Brain scans show that when people make political choices, it’s the parts of the brain which regulate emotion which light up, not the rational part. – Read more.

What is Labour localism? – ProgLoc
By Sarah Hayward

With the Localism Bill in the Lords this week it seemed a good time to ask what Labour’s view of localism is.

Back when David Miliband was secretary of state for Communities & Local Government he developed the rather wonkish sounding concept of ‘Double Devolution’. He never got time to add the meat to the policy and subsequent Labour secretaries of state approach the issue of local involvement in different ways. We never really had a holistic policy of how to involve local people and communities in decisions or services. – Read more.

UKIP’s remarkable ability to shed MEPs -THE HONEYBALL BUZZ
By Mary Honeyball MEP

David Campbell-Bannerman who defected last month from UKIP to the Conservatives has written an interesting justification on Conservative Home. He argues that the Conservatives are the best placed party to secure Britain leaving the European Union:

‘I believe it is only the Conservative Party that can realistically offer a way out of the EU, through a future manifesto or through support for an In/Out referendum.’

I do wonder when he applied for membership which David Cameron category of UKIP member he was listed under – fruitcake/loony/closet racist? – Read more.

This slowdown is entirely of Osborne’s making – Liberal Conspiracy
By Sunny Hundal

George Osborne may have been gloating yesterday after the IMF’s full-throated (but worried) endorsement, but he should wipe that smile off his face. The BBC reports today:

“Retail sales dipped in May as a result of customers’ unwillingness to spend, say retailers. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said May sales values, taking out the effects of closures and new stores, fell 2.1% compared with 2010. It said rises in previous months were a “distortion”, owing to a late Easter, an extra bank holiday and good weather.”

You know those huge risks that the IMF was praying wouldn’t materialise? They are.

The BBC further reports the BRC’s Stephen Robertson as saying households’ disposable incomes were being squeezed by high inflation and low wage growth. – 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.