Six of the Best 257

"The breadth and depth of friendship and affection for the late broadcaster and Liberal Democrat activist David Walter was on view this afternoon when St Bride’s Church, Fleet Street, was packed by family, friends and former colleagues, remembering one of the kindest and most intelligent of men (a rare combination)." Jonathan Fryer attends David Walter's thanksgiving service.

The Potter Blogger calls on the Liberal Democrats to stop treating party members as an afterthought.

"It is hard to know which came first – the public’s spiralling distrust of the political class or the news media’s obsession with destroying as many of its members as possible. But clearly these two phenomena are feeding off each other. Studies show that media negativity about politics and politicians has been on the rise in developed democracies for some time. This tendency helps to provoke common misconceptions about politicians, such as the false notion that MPs have become increasingly subservient to their leaders and less likely to rebel against the party line. Meanwhile overall levels of trust in politics have been steadily declining, and the trend is showing no signs of abating." Writing on British Politics and Policy at LSE, William Brett (quite rightly) worries about the media's hostility to politicians.

Writing on Time, Adam Cohen says it is time to end solitary confinement in US Prisons.

Channel 4's Time Team has been digging at Oakham Castle. Martin Brookes has some photographs.

Life on the Cut Through my Eyes voyages from Froncsyllte to Chirk and is photographed by Google on the way.