The Contented Politician

It has been reported in some sections of the media that Gina Ford is writing a political blog. This is not the case. The Contented Baby team, with the help of some of our website members, will be putting together regular round-ups of the main events and issues that are likely to interest members in the run-up to the general election.

Gina, meanwhile, is concentrating on all things Contented Baby-related. To read her latest news, please click here.

Weekly Round-up (5)

The week began with a shock for the Conservatives, who have been quietly confident for a long time that they will win the election. But the polls have been getting narrower - and last weekend a survey showed Labour might beat them to it. The YouGov poll of 60 key marginal seats for the Sunday Times gave the Tories 37 per cent of the vote and Labour 35 per cent; but under Britain's electoral system, the newspaper predicted this would give Mr Brown 317 seats compared with the Tories' 263.

The findings sent shock waves through Westminster and caused panic among the Conservatives. Labour strategists claimed the shrinking Tory poll lead was the result of voters "taking a long hard look" at Conservative leader David Cameron and his policies. The Tory leader did his best to put a brave face on it, telling supporters at a pre-election rally that he has "got what it takes to turn this country around". Claiming it was his "patriotic duty" to beat Gordon Brown, he outlined six key election campaigning areas: Dealing with the deficit; boosting enterprise; shoring up families; backing the NHS; raising standards in schools; and cleaning up politics.

But his week got worse, as a furore erupted over his party's links with Lord Ashcroft, a billionaire based in Belize. For years, the businessman has refused to say whether he is a full British taxpayer or keeps some of his assets offshore. Last week he finally cleared up the mystery, admitting he is a so-called "non-dom", meaning he does not pay UK tax on his overseas earnings. The Conservatives hoped that by coming clean, they would draw a line under the controversy. Instead, the week was dominated by new questions about the commitments the billionaire gave the authorities when he was awarded a peerage, and whether he'd kept his word about being permanently based in Britain.

Despite the Tories' troubles, it wasn't all plain sailing for Gordon Brown this week. There was a major row over the government's refusal to reveal why the killer of little James Bulger - the Merseyside toddler murdered in 1993 in a crime that revolted the nation - has been sent back to prison. Despite a public clamour for more information, Justice Secretary Jack Straw will not explain why Jon Venables, released in 2001 on licence with a new identity after serving eight years for James's killing, is back behind bars, claiming it is "not in the public interest". The authorities fear that if they give more information, Venables' cover will be blown - and taxpayers will have to cough up hundreds of thousands of pounds to give him another secret identity. But the secrecy led to accusations that the government is putting the rights of criminals ahead of the rights of victims and their families.

The prime minister also came under fire over support for the armed forces, with the Conservatives saying he's put the lives of British troops at risk by failing to provide the equipment they need. Ex-leaders of the Labour party also made the headlines. Michael Foot died aged 96, and it was announced that Tony Blair's long-awaited memoir will be published in September. The book, which is expected to make the former prime minister £5m, will be called 'The Journey'.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg ended the week pledging to clean up politics, saying his party stands for fairness and a good start for children. Mr Clegg later urged head teachers to"raise their game" as part of a £2.5bn funding deal proposed by his party. He asked schools to reinvent the curriculum, raise results and close the attainment between rich and poor.

With the Conservatives promising a revolution in the way schools are run - with parents being given the power to open their own schools in a system similar to one that works well in Sweden - education looks set to be a major battleground in the election. Labour says the Tory plans for so-called "free schools" would cost billions and put children from less well off families at a disadvantage. Under Conservative plans, the worst state schools would eventually close, but that would take a while. Schools secretary Ed Balls says a generation of youngsters could be condemned to sub-standard education as better off pupils deserted the least popular schools to attend the new start-ups.

In the skirmish, which party do you trust to give your children the best education?

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