Just another Media Monday

Regular readers of the blog will be familiar with the ‘Media Monday’ sessions I conduct with my AS groups.  Supplementing class work with wider reading is a key component of planning for success in Politics

But study of the subject is more than getting an A level, it is about laying the foundations of a long term interest in analysing the way we are governed.  Students are expected to demonstrate that they have got into the habit of reading quality journalism by presenting a five point summary of a news story from the weekend’s press.  Here I highlight a few of the key stories I have come across this weekend which may be useful in preparing for class discussion.

Most focus on the troubles facing Gordon Brown and these should prompt discussion about party policy and PM power.

Here a report in the Observer suggests that the internecine warfare within senior levels of the Labour government is damaging their chances of overhauling the Conservative’s lead in the opinion polls.

In the same paper, Andrew Rawnsley writes on how Labour are in a state of paralysis, unable to rally behind their leader, or muster up the courage to replace him

In the Sunday Times, Michael Portillo looks at the trouble being caused in the PM’s own backyard by the SNP

Over in The Economist there is more on Gordon Brown’s Scottish problem
 
And more doom and gloom for the government with something on the relationship between the economic situation and the popularity of the current government

The Coalition and the Conservatives [9 Oct 2011]
What does Cabinet do? [1 Nov 2010]
Power in the central executive territory [16 Oct 2010]
Assessing Blair - Robert Harris’ Damning Review [12 Sep 2010]
Full Cabinet graphic [18 May 2010]
Cameron As Prime Minister - Is There Anything AS Students Can Say? [15 May 2010]
Gordon Brown’s Reputation in History [15 May 2010]
Brown’s inner circle - AS exam update [6 Apr 2010]
Brown in Power – What the Rawnsley Revelations Tell Us About the Office of Prime Minister [21 Feb 2010]
Prime Ministerial Power: PMs behaving badly? [21 Feb 2010]
Executive Power [17 Jan 2010]
The heat is on [17 Nov 2009]
Cabinet unshuffle [17 Aug 2009]
It’s the economy, stupid! [1 Jul 2009]
AS last minute updates [2 Jun 2009]
AS revision: PM power [30 May 2009]
AS revision: MPs’ expenses [20 May 2009]
A new spin on PM power [28 Mar 2009]
Brown and the first PM [23 Feb 2009]
Brown and Mandy [15 Jan 2009]
An hour is a long time in politics [12 Oct 2008]
Media Monday: the Cabinet reshuffle [6 Oct 2008]
McRae on how Brown blew it [24 Sep 2008]
Wipeout! [21 Sep 2008]
Brown to reshuffle the pack? [16 Aug 2008]
Gordo’s premiership: whatever happened to the clunking fist? [12 Apr 2008]
Brown eggs: pick of the papers [23 Mar 2008]
Brown examples [22 Mar 2008]
Brown’s revolting problem [1 Mar 2008]