Communities Minister Hazel Blears made a speech to the Hansard Society yesterday in which she criticised political bloggers in the UK. “Political blogs are written by people with disdain for the political system and politicians, who see their function as unearthing scandals, conspiracies and perceived hypocrisy,” she said. Conservative grandee Lord Baker has described the comments as “extraordinary”. He said: “She needs to tune into the modern world. People have a right to say what they think and if she doesn’t like it she can blog back”. However, Blears maintains that: “Until political blogging adds value to our political culture, by allowing new voices, ideas and legitimate protest and challenge, and until the mainstream media reports politics in a calmer, more responsible manner, it will continue to fuel a culture of cynicism and despair.”
But don’t politicians write blogs too?
Yes, Cabinet Office Minister Tom Watson has an extremely popular blog, and so do John Redwood MP, Nadine Dorries MP and even the Foreign Secretary David Milliband. However, Hazel Blears is probably not suggesting that her colleagues “fuel a culture of cynicism”. Instead, she has aimed her attack at irresponsible writing, particularly by right-wing bloggers, explaining: “Blogs have only existed under a Labour government. Perhaps if there was a Tory government, all the leading blogs would be left-of-centre?”
Is that correct?
Not really. The most popular British political blogs are right-leaning but there are many popular left-wing and independent political blogs too. Harry’s Place, written by, among others, Harry Hatchet; and Labour Councillor Bob Piper’s blog are successful left-wing sites.
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So what else is Hazel Blears concerned about?
The Communities Secretary says that politics is dominated by a professional political class which is leading to low voter turnout in the UK and too few diverse political voices. She has a point. There are only 126 women in the House of Commons and 147 in the House of Lords – less than 20 per cent. The minister also attacked the media as sensationalist, warning: “We are witnessing a dangerous corrosion in our political culture.” She is not the first to draw this conclusion. Right-wing political pundit Peter Oborne wrote a book last year called The Political Class in which he described how political parties were breaking down at the grass roots. He argued that Parliament is dominated by career politicians who have little knowledge of life outside the Westminster “bubble”. Politicians of all sides cannot help but notice that the House of Commons is full of white, middle-class and middle-aged men. As for the role of the press, Blears is not the first to criticise that either. In one of his final speeches, the former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, attacked the media’s “feral beasts”.
Is our democracy under threat?
The queues outside polling stations in the US earlier this week seem remarkable in the UK. And the popular membership of political parties is at a record low. Voter turnout at general elections has dropped by 20 per cent since 1992, so it is difficult to make the case that our political life is flourishing. However, the explanation may not lie with the media or the blogosphere but with our political institutions and our elected officials. Polling suggests that people do not believe that their vote counts. Hundreds of parliamentary constituencies are considered to be “safe seats” which give their candidates such huge majorities that individual ballots are irrelevant. Similarly, voters express increasing frustration about government in general: that their wishes are ignored and that so many decisions are made by experts appointed by politicians. This powerlessness is also perceived by local government politicians who feel that too much power over the decisions they make is held by Whitehall. Only by pushing for reform of Britain’s political institutions, they argue, will we change our political culture.
Can the internet help?
Blears thinks so. It is an alarming statistic the most popular party website is that of the British National Party. Drawing her cue from the success of President-elect Obama, she believes that mainstream parties must learn to use the web as a fundraising and campaigning tool which may lure people away from the bloggers towards “considered” debate.
November 6th, 2008 at 7:08 am
Well all i can say to mrs bears is “THE TRUTH HURTS, DON’T IT” Now if people such as Hazel Blears actually did something for the people she is supposed to be governing rather than crapping all over us, then maybe people would write some nice things.
November 6th, 2008 at 7:34 am
Why are they so scared and they have much fear from a few words ? Why are they scared the truth ?
November 6th, 2008 at 7:54 am
I’m not surprised that the BNP has the most popular website. In many ways it reminds me of this site and uses much of the same language. So I guess Blears has a point.
November 6th, 2008 at 8:24 am
LOL! They really can’t help it can they? Meddlers all. They can’t stand the idea that people can finally speak their mind and reach the whole world without the filter of government approval. Must be dammed infuriating for them.
LOL!
-Ken
http://www.LaserguidedLoogie.com
November 6th, 2008 at 9:52 am
It’s the arrogance of our so called leaders, that they know best, we know nothing! So that means it’s Ok to spray us and our children with all kinds of shit without our consent or knowledge, just to see what effect it has on us – ALL IN OUR BEST INTEREST OF COURSE!!!! THEY CAN BOMB US IN THE CITIES, THEN LIE TO US ABOUT WHO DID IT – “HONEST, A BIG BOY DID IT AND RAN AWAY!!!” Maybe if they told us the truth and put the real actual terrorists in prison, we wouldn’t have to resort to rubbing their noses in the truth in the first place!!! 322 WE KNOW ABOUT YOU!!!
November 6th, 2008 at 10:03 am
Another disgusting evil wretch of a woman. Governments need to go asap.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:29 am
Another out of touch nu-labor scum bag politician
November 6th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
LISTENING TO THE BLOGS IN HERE NO-WONDER SHE HATES BLOGGERS LOL BITCH
November 6th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
“Political blogs are written by people with disdain for the political system and politicians, who see their function as unearthing scandals, conspiracies and perceived hypocrisy,”
sounds ok to me lets carry on regardles. The politicians always give us plenty of fuel for the fire,
any uselles twat can be a politician of her ilk.
November 6th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
wasn’t she a Blair babe brought in by teflon tony because she was easily moulded and manageble, Of course we despise you. Didn’t, nu labour take us into a war based on a pack of lies? Aren’t nu-labour bringing back Alister Cambell to help with gordon frowns election campaign? and haven’t nu-labour just brought back peter mandleson? nu-labour and the tories just can’t be trusted.
November 6th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
While blair was prime minister he passed over 3000 new laws, gordon brown as only been prime minister just over a year now, and he as alredy passed over 1000. The politicians seem a bit too keen to police us…but not themselves!
November 6th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
WARNING WARNING I have done pertinent research on the culture of the mayan people located in south america(exclusively) they say that a global catyclsym will occur on december 21 2012…now nasa back in 1983 came out with a press release detailing their finding of a planet outside of our solar system..what nasa calls planet “x”, this outside planet rolls into our solar system just about every 3600 years according to mayan recordings..now the last global catyclsym is debatable..in fact this whole thing is debatable just like the intent of the alex jones radio show, we can never be sure, let me say that planet x or nibiru, has been seen at the telescope center at the south pole, if you dig into the research of global government then you can realize that the globalists know enough about the galactic nature of our solar system,the globalists know enough about the galactic nature of our solar system..again this is not hard to comprehend,the globalists know enough about the galactic nature of our solar system to institute a global government before or after this date, nibiru or planet x may or may not be the end of times, i can not speak further on the future after planet x arrives and then leaves, but you can do your research on this important subject just like you did when you found alex jones…good luck
November 6th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
How does Blears define a “political blog?” Everyone and anyone who does not kiss Gordon Toupe Brown’s rear end, I suppose.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:11 am
The words carrying the most truth I have ever read, were written on a blog (and not by a politician I hasten to add), they were as follows.
Everything you see and hear in our (MAN MADE) World is BULLSHIT, all you have to do is pick the line of BULLSHIT that appeals to you the most, AND GET ON WITH IT.
The days of lying/corrupt politicians/judges/lawyers/bankers, who revel in their own IMAGINED ‘SELF IMPORTANCE’, are now almost at an end, Thank God.
November 7th, 2008 at 7:32 am
Nice one Guru!!
February 9th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Nice template. Where can i download it?
February 10th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Interesting and communicative, but would be suffering with something more on this topic?
February 15th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
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February 16th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
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