Blogging & Politics

[Marmora Man]

What does the EDF think about the current furore regarding Gordon Brown's media advisor, McBride, along with Derek Draper and their planned blog based smear campaign against the Tories?

Are the political bloggers just talking to the "Westminster Village" and political obsessives or is this a deeper and more significant development in political campaigning?

For the record I feel that blogging does have a place in the political spectrum - but more as one man / small group lobby groups proposing new ideas, policies and thinking for consideration. Gossip is inevitable part of the "noise" on such websites but for McBride to actively create the prurient tittle tattle as a political campaign was not only completely improper (I'm sure our Admin wouldn't have allowed such stuff thru' the EDF filter) but politically naive.

[Huguenot]

Well, yes, I thinking 'making up' stories destroys democracies, which are reliant on informed decision.

If people deliberately do this in order to influence voting intent then they should go to jail, not to a new job.

If it's true then it's a different matter altogether, and people are allowed to offer their interpretation or speculate as to impact.

This particular story appears to be just silly. I don't know whether it revealed intent to smear people, or was just a smug little twit putting up silly ideas to a mate.

[red devil]

Draper reckons someone hacked into his account, if true will be interesting to find out who, personally I'm more worried about the hacking of private emails than the 'tittle tattle' contained therein...

[Huguenot]

Great point RD

[HonaloochieB]

I don't know what the difference is between gossip between part of the noise and McBride's prurient tittle-tattle. I think that they can be one and the same, isn't it all about the stance that's taken by the reader?

Brown does not need to apologise for McBride's idiocy and I think the Tories who think he needs to should get over themselves and get on sorting themselves out to being a decent opposition.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

HonaloochieB Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I don't know what the difference is between gossip

> between part of the noise and McBride's prurient

> tittle-tattle. I think that they can be one and

> the same, isn't it all about the stance that's

> taken by the reader?

> Brown does not need to apologise for McBride's

> idiocy and I think the Tories who think he needs

> to should get over themselves and get on sorting

> themselves out to being a decent opposition.

Never mind this diversion Looch.

I've just voted for you, as part of my quintet in The Comedy Awards, no pressure but...;-)B)

[louisiana]

'Hack' might be a bit of an overstatement.

He probably did nothing more than accurately guess a crappy (insecure) password.

All too often it'll be the name of the person's dog or cat. The proportion of computer users that use 'password' as their password has fallen but is still shockingly high. And apparently there's been a huge rise is people using 'password1' as their password.

[????]

I think Draper is a charlatan leech and him and his soret (Labour and Tory) the reason why so many 'normal' people find the whole political 'thing' so revolting

[louisiana]

Oh Drooper is dire, but McPoo is paid from the pubic purse, thus placing himself in a whole other dimension. Super Poop.

I did use to vote Labour, once upon a time, in a land far, far away...

I am now fascinated by the question of why a political party should have such a violent death wish. Or not. (Fascinated, that is.) Why waste mental space on these - as you say - charlatans and leeches.

[AllforNun]

Could be worse, he could have shagged a prostitue, lied about it under oath and in court, rose to become deputy chairman of a major political party and life peer....oh the good old days.....

so what if cameron and osborne wore 'Hang Mandela' T-shirts' 'blacked up' and 'crossed dressed' in their university drinking days....those posh lot all did that did they not ?

[Marmora Man]

BUMP!

This is beginning to unravel. Gordon Brown's history of micromanagement and "dissing" any potential rival for No. 10 seems to be paying him back with a number of prominent Labourites queuing up to give GB a hard time.

As a long term opponent of New Labour and Labour I'm enjoying the political fallout of GB's poor recruitment decisions.

[????]

I'm beginning to struggle to think of anything that suggests that GB is fit to hold the office of Prime Minister....unlike you MM it just fills with disiullusionment rather than any kind of glee and reinforces my prejudice rapidly becoming opinion that most people involved in politics think it's some kind of point scoring 'game' and are largely unfit to hold ANY power..."those most likely too seek power are the least suitable to excercise it"....

[Keef]

It's fair that you enjoy this MM, but you can't think that anyone else will smell any sweeter surely? I'm with quids.

[AllforNun]

yer i hate new labour too - ED was great when it had those old sarf london pubs, a couple of shops and a tag of being the arse end of nowhere. The conservatives idea to keep all the good stuff in Dulwuch village was inspired. Now these bleeding labour lot get in, house prices go through the roof handing all those old sarf london families a bucket of money to hand on to their kids and to top it off, transport and opportunities increase and the local schools really started to improve. Bleedin tony blair.

[macroban]

Anthony has stigmata already?

[AllforNun]

Yes in sympathy for GB who they are sacrificing in order to ensure the triumphant 2coming ?...............surely not you gasp.............shirly has nothing to do with it !

[Huguenot]

"Now these bleeding labour lot get in, house prices go through the roof handing all those old sarf london families a bucket of money to hand on to their kids and to top it off, transport and opportunities increase and the local schools really started to improve. Bleedin tony blair."

Good heavens, Christ on a bike etc.. Am I in agreement with AfN?? Assuming the irony meter was going full tilt of course.

Also I agree with MM, things must be going to hell on a handcart!

GB has indeed reaped the rewards that autocrats suffer when it comes to succession time, there's no-one there. I'm not sure this is directly the responsibility of Gordonski, but more of the length of time they've been in office.

I don't feel any glee, because there's no evidence that the Tories have a better solution. In some respect this is a greater criticism of the opposition, because they've had plenty of time to build a better infrastructure without the pressures of government. Even with this free hand, they come up with the potty boys. Ridiculous.

[louisiana]

"The website set up to smear Tory politicians about their health, family and sex lives was registered to the House of Commons, The Times has learnt."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6094572.ece

[macroban]

Before Amazon deletes the reviews...

[Huguenot]

It has rather the air of an orchestrated attack, methinks he is hoist by his own petard.

Or in English, overcome by his own farts.

I can't comment on the quality as I haven't read it, but my expectations would be quite low so I probably wouldn't find much to surprise me!