Is Big Tobacco blowing smoke in Cameron’s eyes?
Martin Dockrell of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) looks at the Conservative party’s links to the tobacco industry, and the tobacco industry’s false claims.
Right-Wing Watch
Diversity and democracy: Reforming the Lords
How do we embrace full democracy, reflect wider society, allow faith to flourish and treat people of all faiths and none equally; answer: a fully elected House of Lords.
Pro-cuts think tank Reform takes public sector sponsorship
Tory-Lib Dem council Birmingham City Council is sponsoring Reform’s upcoming conference “Localism and the Public Services Revolution”, at the cost of £7,500.
What should happen to an MP who is voted out of office?
The way ex-MPs get recycled courtesy of a seat in the House of Lords is often reported, but the democratic offensiveness of it is rarely commented on.
Where are all the women?
Are women being under-represented in politics and what can help redress the in balance – Ronit Wolfson investigates.
Why Frank Field is wrong on women and welfare
Frank Field told the Progress Conference that Labour should not be a feminist party and that people are attracted to a life of joblessness, reports Shelly Asquith.
Another Lords defeat bodes ill for Clegg’s constitutional reform agenda
Dr Stuart Wilks-Heeg analyses the failings, both historic and current, of the Fixed Term Parliaments bill and asks what this means for future reform.
Birmingham Lib Dem leader compares Labour counterpart to Hitler
Labour overtures to the Lib Dem group on Birmingham council with its leader comparing his Labour counterpart to Hitler.
When democracy clutches at straws
What do you in a local council election in a given ward, when the two leading candidates get exactly the same number of votes, repeatedly after several recounts. They draw straws. See the video here.
Blunkett admits AV cost claims were “made up”
David Blunkett admits today the No campaign’s claims about the cost of the reform were “made up”. Vote Yes to AV today to end this kind of politics.