Six of the Best 417

"The crucial thing for the Liberal Democrats is whether differentiating themselves from the Conservatives, the visceral anti-Toryism of progressive voters, and Ukip, can save the suburban and south-western seats they hold against the Tories." Lewis Baston discusses how the Liberal Democrats will do at the next election over at Progress Online.

Lynne Featherstone wants us to join her campaign to end female genital mutilation in a generation.

"The Hudson was so polluted that wooden boats from the Caribbean would sail up the river so that the water’s poisons would kill the bore worms that were damaging their hulls." Joseph Berger writes about Pete Seeger's role in saving the Hudson River in the New York Times.

"Bagehot is not entirely forgotten ... but exactly who or what he was is now a little fuzzy in our minds. A few stray bons mots about the monarchy, some connection with the Economist (which keeps his memory green in the pseudonym of a regular columnist) – that is as much as most of us can dredge up." Ferdinand Mount reviews a biography of Walter Bagehot for the London Review of Books.

The Plains of Almeria - under the title "The strange case of Gael Kakuta" - asks if Chelsea's policy of loaning their starlets to lesser clubs is backfiring: "Josh McEachran is a prime example of a player who has impressed in the Chelsea first team but struggled to make an impact on loan."

English Lakes Blog on a homage to the lost Eric Ravilious mural at the Midland Hotel, Morecambe.