Harriet Harman was a disgrace on Newsnight last week. While we're at it, why weren't the Lib Dems invited on?

I see Ed Miliband has made some sensible, dare I see leaderly, comments on the recent unrest - for example:

'The causes are not simple, they are complex... the Labour Party is not going to engage in simplistic explanations about this'.

What a shame he didn't say this before Harriet Harman waded in on Newsnight last week with her facile, holier than thou, party point scoring, tribal nonsense. I was so angry - so angry - that I ended up nodding along with Michael Gove (YES I KNOW!!!).



It's also worth watching if you like a dust up on Newsnight.

Later classic comment from Matthew d'Ancona on Newsnight, as rioters ran amock in Liverpool, Manchester, Leicester at al:

'what we want to know is that people are safe on the streets of London'.

Oh dear.

But I'm also far from satisfied with Newsnight's performance in giving Lib Dem's a voice, both last night (Lib Dem representation: zilch) and during the week as a whole.

Nick Clegg was the first major politician to visit the scenes of the riots. Lynn Featherstone was the 'duty minister' on Sunday when this had all kicked off.

Why - as usual - isn't Newsnight giving us a fair crack of the whip? Answers on a postcard.

And finally: here's a great piece from Zoe Williams of the Psychology of Looting. Everyone should read it.