Daily catch-up: absolutely nothing much about Jeremy Corbyn – here is a Scottish landscape instead

Plus some essential reading, an informative map and a little bit about Jeremy Corbyn

1. Another of Claudia Massie’s lovely paintings of Scottish landscapes. This is “Spring in Strathearn”, oil on panel 32 x 48”.

2. This long account by Mark Wallace of the Conservative campaign is essential reading for anyone interested in how elections are won. That does not seem to include large numbers of people in the Labour Party, who are more interested in “widening the debate”.

3. I did promise to shut up about Jeremy Corbyn after yesterday’s post. But two points before I do.

If those who thought it was important for Corbyn to stand for the sake of “democracy” and “widening the debate” could answer the points made by my friend Alan Johnson (no, not that one), I should be most grateful.

4. Secondly, the idea that Conservatives would exploit the £3 registered supporter scheme to vote for Corbyn or, more realistically, Andy Burnham, was always a non-starter.

The same objection is sometimes made in those American states that have open primary elections, in which registered supporters of the opposing party are allowed to vote. They tend not to. This is because most normal people don’t see politics as a game and are more interested in supporting a party with which they agree than in causing mischief for one with which they disagree.

5. Map of the Day from Jakub Marian shows the language people throughout the European Union think is most useful for personal development.

________

6. And finally, thanks to Moose Allain ‏for this:

“Crystal balls. I don’t know what people see in them.”