In the space of 24 hours we have seen the end of 42-day detention, the scrapping of plans for secret inquests and now the abolition of Key Stage Three tests. Just as banks are desperate to offload their toxic loans, the Government is swiftly ditching its toxic policies.

Last week, Leo Hickman at the Guardian observed, was a great time to be burying bad news.

Local government minister John Healey has blurted out the ideology of our rulers. Councils, he says: are in a different position from individual savers. They are intelligent, they’re well-informed investors… This is not just false. It is the precise reversal of the truth.

Ros is such an inspiration, and as a woman I would very much like to see a champion within the party to ensure women are seen and HEARD. But Lembit is also an inspirational character, which is why I had such a hard time deciding.

One of my constituents, Ron Morton, who chairs the Shortwood green belt campaign, rang the Government office for the south-west and asked, "Why are there no more comments since 25 September?" He was told that the official consultation website is not currently being updated with participant submissions, because "Gary is on holiday."

If you support the National Housing Federation's campaign for private developers to build to the same environmental standards and timetable as housing associations, then you can sign their petition here.

Coffee House may speak with many voices but they all sound the same. And yet, and yet… There have been two articles this week which have partially broken the mould and seem worth higlighting.

Politicians are selected in the same way that manufactured pop bands are - for their media-friendliness, and ability to recite others' words, more than any great skill they have.

Faced with a crisis that it patently can't control, the government is instead seeking to exert power where it still can: over us.

This feels to me more like a campaign to punish people for smoking: you might be addicted, but by God we're going to try and stop you getting any pleasure from it. A nasty puritanical "we know what's best for you and you shouldn't be enjoying yourself".