Six of the Best 162

Why do we have such a low opinion of politicians these days? Ballots and Bullets writes about a conference held by Nottingham’s Centre for British Politics in December 2009: "One of the most novel aspects of the conference was the participation of some writers of  recent political dramas and comedies – and we transcribed their contributions."

"I am quite contented to be a Victorian belonging to an age which still believed in progress, material and social." Martin Tod presents a fascinating piece of family history.

Jennie Rigg, who appears to be calling her blog Reversing the jelly baby of the neutron flow these days, wonders why she loves Prince Philip.

Gus Baker, writing on LabourList, discusses The Stevenage Test.

History Today, through an article by Ian Bradley, celebrates the career of W.S. Gilbert, who died 100 years ago today: "The fact is that throughout his life, as indisputably the leading English dramatist and satirist of the Victorian age, W.S. Gilbert had a strong social conscience and a deep concern with injustice as well as an overriding sense of the arbitrariness and fickleness of life. In many respects he was closer to the social reformers and anguished doubters of the later 19th century than to the jingoists and complacent establishment figures among whom he tends to be counted."

Remember Jack Hargreaves? No? Well I do. And so does Island of Terror: "forget the cardigans and the flares, these people's faces would have been equally at home at a witch burning, or a joust, or a battle with the Vikings."