The different tribes of Liberal Democrats

BBC News Online has published a convenient analysis of the ideological strands that exist within the Liberal Democrats, compiled by political correspondent Iain Watson:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11934740

The squabble over the LibDem-Tory Coalition's plans for reforming the government approach to student tuition fees in England and Wales has served to bring these 'tribal divisions' to the fore (see accompanying graphic).

The article goes on to discuss the origins of these ideological strands (it should never be forgotten, of course, that the LibDems are an amalgam of two previously-existing parties) while suggesting additional tensions may lie ahead. Definitely worth reading as a reminder of the range of opinions that exist within all political parties.

Lord Young on the Thatcher Legacy

End-of-Term Report for Labour, 1997-2010

Conference time for the Labour Party in Manchester this weekend... As Ed Miliband steps up by a very narrow margin to take the leadership, Polly Toynbee and David Walker provide an extremely useful overview of Labour's achievements (or otherwise) during their time in government:

"The Labour years: Could have done better" (Guardian, 25/09/2010)

Interesting reading - invaluable for an understanding of the legacy that Ed Miliband is inheriting and the challenges that lie ahead for Labour in Opposition. Can they do better next time around? Read it in full.