The political blogosphere was awash this week with comments about Hazel Blears' speech to the Hansard Society where she dared criticise leading political blogs and media commentators alike. (I doubt many bothered to get the whole speech though, because the cometary on it was dire!)

So here it is in full, and not just the edited version which appeared in The Guardian:

 

Many of us read what the opposition blogs produce, some then go on to write about their talking points, and even more link their own blogs to 'the enemy'.

All harmless fun? Not a bit of it, as any Internet consultant would tell you, should you ask. I know because I am one. This lack of understanding is in some ways a mirror of Labour's wider communications problem, the difference is that it's one which could easily be changed.

News that the Conservatives have removed three top Tory bloggers from their link list may be a signal that they are planning to emulate Labour's approach towards blogs as they complacently prepare for what they see as inevitable victory in 2010. Labour should do the opposite.

Labour Central is a new social bookmarking site from the party, like Digg or del.icio.us, which lets you share and vote on links to blog posts, videos and news. I think it shows a party willing to take Web 2.0 and its potential benefits seriously.

Shamelessly using LabourHome to draw attention to my new blog for a Miliband candidacy.
http://thereisanalternative.wordpress.com/

Below is the text of a piece that I have written for the Guardian's Comment is Free website.

If you were to choose two words that people today use almost daily that they had never used or had even heard of five years ago, the words would probably be "iPod" and "blog". Just a few years ago, blogs were relatively rare. Now there are millions.

I personally have now removed my link to the Guido Fawkes 'gossip' blog. My reasons:

1. He (Paul Staines) writes unpleasant, personal and often downright vile posts about individuals in a bid to create a 'sensational' story.
   
2. He (Paul Staines) masquerades as a libertarian but is all too keen to threaten people with libel - particularly regarding his alleged links with the some odd organisations when he was a student at Humberside College of HE.
   
3. His blog is not 'political', there is rarely any discourse about policy or ideas - there is, mainly, just gossip.

LabourHome could provide links to lots of other sites so why is there a link to a blog like Guido Fawkes?

I am not in favour of banning things and the removal of the link is more a statement about our 'mission' than anything else. Paul Staines will respond with some 'witty' comment and his freinds on the right will rally round and accuse us of  being afraid of debate and ... who cares?

What do you think?

Looking at my stat counter I came across this lovely entry (I know it is painful but you need to read through all the comments)which highlights my blog and suggests that pro-BNP bloggers 'hit the bastatrds' on their blogsites.

Charming!

Are the rightwing blogs going to become an albatross for the Tories?  

I dont post here very often so thought i'd post a link to my blog which I do update regularly www.unionfutures.blogspot.com