Six of the Best 864

In a post dedicated to Paddy Ashdown, Rob Stickland (the new councillor for Yeovil Without) celebrates the Liberal Democrat success in South Somerset: "He was certainly with me during the election day, knocking doors, with rosette plain for all to see, his advice ringing in my mind 'don’t use a car, walk the area show your colours and be proud, let the people see you'."

Mary Reid itemises the Alliance Party's advance in Northern Ireland's local elections.

"I don’t recall ever meeting a monied Jew when I was growing up in Manchester. We certainly didn’t know any. A few comfortable ones, maybe – but the rest of us worked hard to make ends meet, some improving as the country itself became more prosperous, others just getting by." Howard Jacobson reviews the Jewish Museum London exhibition "Jews, Money, Myth".

Robert Macfarlane on the notebooks that underpin his new book Underland.

Running Past describes the damage caused by a V-1 (doodlebug) attack on houses by Hither Green station and the subsequent redevelopment.

"I heard 'Oh Bondage Up Yours!' when it appeared on The Roxy London WC2, a 1977 album of live recordings from the club in Covent Garden. Her voice went through me like a stiletto. I wasn’t sure whether I loved or hated it – but it woke me up." Tracey Thorn celebrates the late great Poly Styrene.