Philobiblon

Yes, it is the political conference season, but before I get into all of that, something different – an interview by Cath Redfern on The F Word with blogger/writer Zoe Margolis, on her new book about her experience of being a reluctant celebrity.

But back to those politics – for the Green Party conference I’ve only got to point to one post, Jim’s pretty well comprehensive blog roundup. Although he did write it before I’d had the chance to record our excellent fringe with a speaker from the English Collective of Prostitutes and a Manchester street worker, so I’m going to take the host’s privilege to point to that post now.

Ongoing now is of course what an independent observer would consider a fascinating if uncomfortable conference, that of the Lib Dems. Jonathan on Liberal England, sometime host of this roundup, is, I’m surprised to find, in New York, but he’s got some thoughts on Labour’s claim to be scooping up Lib Dem members. (And before conference blogging MP Lynne Featherstone followed through the unlamented end of ID cards.)

There’s a promise you might want to note about the universal postal service, on Caron’s Musings, and David blogging at Disgruntled Radical has thoughts on the emergency motion process, and a plea for the Trident motion.

More no doubt on next week’s roundup…

Looking back, Brian Barder has been reading the chapter on Kosovo in Tony Blair’s autobiography. He says “not to allow the perversely distorted and self-serving account offered by Mr Blair to become the accepted wisdom.” There are lessons for the future. And looking forward Jeff on Better Nation wonders what “Labour leader Ed Milliband” would mean for Scotland.

You might have also noted that a religious leader, and head of a minor little statelet, has been visiting Britain this week. Onionbagblog has an eyewitness account, with copious pics, of a little covered part of the visit. Stroppyblog has been “taking a pop at the Pope” (and those who can’t understand why he’s an issue). While Cruella is questioning the BBC’s news priorities.

Back to women’s issues, fairy godfather of the roundup, Tim Worstall, offers his views on maternity pay mandated by the European Union. Regular readers of this blog are likely to be well aware of my likely reaction – but that’s one of the pleasures of this roundup – everyone’s welcome (and if you want to nominate something you read this week the email address is britblog AT gmail DOT com.)

And All that Chas, who I suspect might have a good debate with Tim, has been watching The Wright Stuff (which I gather from Google is a TV show, although curiously the website doesn’t seem to say which channel) and getting (I’d judge rightly) very, very annoyed.

For more great blogging like that, Cath Elliott has compiled The Missing List, a great collection of feminist bloggers who somehow always seem to get left of lists of political blogs.

Away from the political world, Sharon on Early Modern Notes has been revelling in the pleasures of Twitter, not just for historians, and Earthwitch has been ruminating on the trouble with perfectionism.

And on the science side, John Hawks isn’t writing from the UK, but I’m going to use this post on the UK debate over cousin marriage as an excuse to point to his excellent blog, a must-read if you’re at all interested in human evolution, and lots of other genetics issues.

For an entirely defensible form of vigilantism, I rather think the Stroud “catch a plonker” campaign, as documented by Ruscombe Green, might catch on.

But we might worry about how the probation service might treat offenders, after reading the excellent newish On Probation blog, by a self-billed “ordinary probation officer”. Also from inside the justice system, The Magistrate explains George Michael’s sentence.

And finally on the lighter side, as the news bulletins say, Richard Osley has an account of north London’s most important sporting encounter last week, the Camden New Journal versus Camden Labour – Alastair Campbell looms large in more ways than one…

If that sounds too hard to stomach, you might enjoy a short visit to Jubilee Market Hall in Covent Garden with Ornamental Passions instead.

That’s all for this week – don’t forget those nominations (britblog AT gmail DOT com) for Matt Wardman next week.