Six of the Best 575

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Photo: Andreas Trepte
"This government is a bullying government. It preaches localism and practices centralism. As a localist I defend local decision making and local accountability." Richard Kemp on the government's intention to ban local councils from having ethical investment policies.

Labour MP Jonathan Reynolds explains how he learnt to stop worrying and love Basic Income.

John Field visits Osea Island, home to a government work camp and a retreat for wealthy addicts.

"I’ve tried to imagine how the view towards the Minster might look from the A59 end of Water End, where the road crosses the railway. Somewhat blighted, I suspect." York Stories examines plans for a major redevelopment in the city.

"Curlews are long-lived birds, they can reach the grand old age of 30. It seems that our British population is ageing and not reproducing, making the future look dire. As the UK holds 25% of the breeding population of the Eurasian curlew, this is an alarming state of affairs." Mary Colwell-Hector on the threat to this wonderful bird.

SlideShare introduces us to Mike, the cat who guarded the British Museum between 1909 and 1929.
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Godfrey Bloom wants his bottom spanked

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Having had a go at Emma Thompson for her foolish remarks on the European referendum the other day ("cake-filled" ... "grey" ... you remember), it is only fair that I call out the ludicrous Godfrey Bloom.

Here is his response to Emma Thompson:
My first reaction is that I would like to see him try. Emma has always been a strapping girl and would, I imagine, be the bookies' favourite in a fight with Bloom. It is far more likely that she would spank him.

Given the effort that Bloom has put into portraying the sort of Blimpish Englishman who was out of date before be was born - and given Emma's fondness for playing nannies - you cannot exclude the possibility that, deep down, that is what he wants.
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Vince Cable looks back on the tuition fees debacle

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Vince Cable spoke to Times Higher Education this week after taking up an honorary professorship at the University of Nottingham.

Asked about the Coalition decision to increase tuition fees, he said:
"It was politically very traumatic, but it was actually good policy. One of my colleagues, I think, came up with the phrase that we got 8 out of 10 for the policy but 2 out of 10 for the politics.
"The problem was that we made this pledge about not increasing student tuition fees – it was disastrous, it was not deliverable. ... 
"We got hammered for it – loss of trust, all those things. But it wasn’t deliverable in the financial climate of the coalition. 
"My job was to try to make the best of a bad job and produce a system which was genuinely progressive. It is. Nobody pays fees; they pay a form of graduate tax when they leave, depending on their income. 
"The universities as a consequence are now quite well funded, unlike most other bits of what you could broadly call the public sector."
You can see the heart of the Liberal Democrats' problem in the photo above - and I don't mean Nick Clegg.

We pledged to vote against any increase in tuition fees in the next parliament and to pressure the government to introduce a fairer alternative,

As was pointed out (I think by Polly McKenzie) in the debate I posted the other day, this took it for granted that we would not be in government after the 2010 general election.
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The making of Gregory's Girl

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John Gordon Sinclair, Dee Hepburn and Clare Grogan reminisce about the making of this 1980 film in a discussion recorded last year.

If this were the Daily Mail I would be astounded that they look a lot older 35 years on.
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