This week I have been mostly reading... 18th - 24th July 2009

As I mentioned last week I am changing the format of these weekly roundups to include both Lib Dem and non-Lib Dem blog posts I have enjoyed throughout the week (and also some non-blog stuff on occasion).

As before I will try to do at least one for each day:

Saturday 18th July

A rallying cry from Daniel Furr writing on Liberal Democrat Voice for liberals to embrace republicanism. Hear hear!

Costigan Quist said that Labour's so called constitutional reform package is minor tinkering, if that. Hear hear x2!


Sunday 19th July

That Costigan chap again talking immense sense on CRB checks and asking the all too often forgotten question - do they work?

Iain Dale and Tom Harris both had rather different accounts of their first experiences fighting a parliamentary seat. Both are fascinating reads.

Brian Walker on Slugger O'Toole asked why resourcing for the British army was better during the NI troubles than in Afghanistan today.


Monday 20th July

I was bit tied up on Monday so didn't read very much blog-wise. Sorry! Feel free to nominate in the comments.


Tuesday 21st July

Jock's Place gave us a glimpse into the futility of government.

Moments of Clarity suggested that if you give councils an inch they will take a mile when it comes to surveillance.


Wednesday 22nd July

James Graham had a follow up to his complaint about the treatment of Jo Swinson by the BBC with their response, and his response to their response. I think it would be fair to say that he was less than impressed.

Anthony Painter writing on LabourList suggested that electoral reform should be Labour's number one priority although he then suggested AV is the way forward. Quite how a potentially less proportional system could be better is lost on me!

Mike Smithson writing on Political Betting asked if this was the day that Cameron was going to have to sack Andy Coulson.


Thursday 23rd July

Swinton South Lib Dems took Hazel Blears to task regarding her attack on blogs. You blog if you want to...?

Between The Hammer and The Anvil had a corruscating piece which put us bloggers in our place! A particularly memorable phrase from his diatribe is how blogging can be "about as edifying as a flock of half-spazzed, one-legged pigeons pecking each other to death over a pile of sick."


Friday 24th July

Tom Freeman from off of Freemania followed up on my "How low can we go" blog post with an extrapolation of voting trends to see how the relative vote shares and seats could change as pluralism increases, with pie-charts and everything!

Paul on Liberal Burblings celebrated the "Twitterification of the Norfolk Blogger" in a piece similar to one I was planning to write (no need now!) about how great Nich Starling's coverage of the Norwich North by-election has been both in terms of blogging (he has published blog posts on every leaflet he has received) and via Twitter which he used to be disparaging about.