The Joy of Six 1144

At the end of a tribute to Peter Hellyer, William Wallace puts his finger on the Liberal Democrats' dilemma: "Britain still needs radical change, but the painful adjustments that will involve are not welcome to voters whose lives are more comfortable as things are.  We are a radical party dependent on centrist support."

Benny Hunter spends a day watching asylum seekers being jailed.

Matthew Pennell argues that, on education, the Lib Dems need to snap out of a call-and-response dynamic with populists: "What do pupils and parents actually want from the education system? Surely it’s that children are taught in a safe and attractive learning environment and the approach to education equips them for the 21st century world as best as it can be anticipated – soft skills (hello English and other modern languages, relevant to the latest tech trends (hello Computer Science) and playing to our strengths as a nation in sectors such as creative industries (hello Arts, Music and Drama)."

How do you recognise a temperate rainforest in Britain and Ireland? John Healey has the answer.

Eoin Morgan says cricket has institutionally marginalised huge parts of society: "Barriers around class, gender and ethnicity are conspiring to ensure that many young people face insurmountable obstacles before they get near the elite pathway system, let along the professional game."

The University of Southampton extraordinary four-year battle to prevent diaries and correspondence from Lord and Lady Mountbatten being made public is revealed by Martin Williams.