Some of the most perceptive political commentary in recent years has come, on the left, from the music journalist John Harris for the Guardian, and, on the right, from Mail columnist and theatre critic Quentin Letts.
Yesterday, Harris bemoaned the absence of a progressive majority in the British electorate, reflected in their rejection of AV, and Letts attacked the Left's use of the word progressive in political discourse.
In fact, the local elections did demonstrate progressive tendencies, of the sort which Harris and Letts should approve, in the removal of the BNP from Stoke-on-Trent Council (which is now Labour-controlled), the performance of the Green Party, and the success of "It's Our County" in Letts's home turf of Herefordshire.
As my own politics are somewhere between those of Harris and Letts, I can, however, both sympathise with the view there is a progressive deficit in British politics, and accept that this can be viewed from the left, right, and, indeed, the centre ground.
The general consensus seems to be that Whitehall government is remote and something needs to be done about this, so it behoves politicians of all parties and commentators of all colours to discourse on just what this might be.
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