Six of the Best 430

"Clegg was quite right when he said that, as a nation, we are better when we are open-minded and work with other countries and peoples. That had resonance but it isn’t enough to win." David Boyle on the Nick vs Nigel debates.

Alex's Archives looks at the politics of the bedroom tax: "If the party leadership has never been persuaded of the wisdom of the bedroom tax then it gives us yet another indication of the price it was willing for others to pay to hold the Coalition together. Or it indicates the limited amount of leverage the party was able to exert over the welfare reform agenda."

Cutting beer duty won’t save a single pub, says Gareth Epps.

Jonathan Rowson (a chess grandmaster in his spare time) argues on the RSA Social Brain blog that Ukip needs to get serious, but will suffer when it does.

Thousands have signed a petition to bring back Time Team in honour of archaeologist Mick Aston, reports Ben Miller on Culture24.

The England and Wales Cricket Board's recently announced plans to revive old cricket grounds in urban areas was greeted with suspicion. Jon Culley on Cricinfo asks if the cynicism is justified.