Philobiblon

I can make a claim to fame for this edition of the roundup unlikely, I suspect, to be repeated soon: it is being written by a parliamentary candidate three days before the general election (oh, and I’ve got an important council election to worry about too).

But I can at least make the claim to not be the sort of political candidate who just takes up blogging for the election…

You’ll forgive me, I hope, if I’m on the brief side. But I’m following the usual rule of taking all nominations, whether than I agree with them or not, as I’m sure you’ll see.

So I suppose, given the date, I have to start with politics – and a very fine post from Brian Barder. You’ll see a lot of notes on a well-hung parliament over the next few days, but once you’ve read this you won’t need any others.

For something different, Mary Beard has been looking at ancient Roman political gaffes, and Chicken Yoghurt has been looking inside David Cameron’s head, and Sunny on Pickled Politics has been looking into the religion of Phillipa Stroud.

Considering the issues, Jim on The Daily (Maybe) explores immigration, Gaian Economics offers some alternative thoughts on debt, and on practical politics Two Doctors look at a Scottish attempt to raise the minimum wage.

Then proving I’m doing this impartially, I go to the Britblog founder Tim Worstall for his defence of markets (which might have something to do with Tory education policy, and Heresy Corner explores the strengths of Gordon Brown.

Not really a lot of nominations this week; I suspect it might have something to do with lots of our regular participants doing politics rather than reading or writing about it.

In the not quite politics category comes this report from Waking Hereward on a poll on the anthem to be played for English victories at the next Commonwealth Games. It’s a call for action.

And more seriously, on the F Word Sarah Jackson blogs about Education for Choice an organisation that looks likely to be even more necessary in the new parliament.

And Neil Craig is concerned about the killing power of Chinese submarines.

But for something completely different, you could go cycling in Bahrain. You might think flat desert – easy. But you’d have forgotten about the headwinds…

And you might think of the Middle Ages as all muck and mud – that’s until you read Elizabeth Chadwick’s account of the Empress Matilda’s bling. You might think MPs expenses are bad, but royalty’s were a great deal worse…

So that’s it for the Britblog until after the election. Odds on its being filled with debate out how to untangle a hanged parliament? Ladbroke’s it would appear, has closed the book on that.