Six of the Best 426

John Pugh introduces "Grim Up North?" - a call for a rebalancing of the British economy by a group of Liberal Democrat MPs from the North of England - for Liberal Democrat Voice.

"Putin’s great fear is that the people of a future better Ukraine might inspire an entirely different unification with their East Slav brethren on his side of the border – a common cause of popular revolt against him and other leaders like him." James Meek reports from Ukraine for the London Review of Books.

Iain Dale pays his tribute to Marion Thorpe.

"Reaching the conclusion that you are part of a minority that’s smarter than everyone else does rather incline one to authoritarian or undemocratic politics." Matter of Facts reveals the nasty side of nerds.

It is, incredibly, 20 years since Morrissey's 'Vauxhall and I' was released. The Mouth Magazine marks the anniversary.

Jones the Planner visits the Thames estuary: "It is difficult to leave Thamesmead without a sense of disappointment. Clearly, the visionary concept was flawed but it honestly expressed social purpose and optimism for the future. Most of what we see today suggests tawdry short termism and self serving hype."