Great post by Sunder Katwala: "We look forward to both David Cameron and the Labour first-past-the-post campaign making the case that John and Edward should now be declared X Factor winners. But I think it is right that you need to win a majority to have the X-Factor - and suggest it is a principle from which Westminster might learn."

Ali C. is becoming an absolute must-read Labour blogger for me (though I hate his blog design): this is a fantastic piece, nailing Cameron's image obsession, and his bigger, strategic failure on Europe.

Oh noes the Lisbon treaty has been ratified. J Clive Matthews collects the story of the end of civilisation from twitter.

Sara Bedford takes A. N. Wilson apart

Stephen has uncovered the policy document that made Prof Nutt's position untenable. ... well I laughed.

Stephen has uncovered the policy document that made Prof Nutt's position untenable. ... well I laughed.

"Ultimately, modern science poses a lot of uncomfortable questions about to what extent we can be said to exert free will. We need to engage with that debate not merely wrap ourselves in Victorian philosophy and hope it will go away."

Sigh. All too predictable.

Caroline Righton emailed constituents in St Austell & Newquay telling them that Lib Dem PPC Steve Gilbert had tweeted something he very obviously had notm and yet she still fails to apologise and withdraw her comment.

Sarah Bedford takes apart the parents banned from play areas furore.