J. Arthur MacNumpty feels that the Lib Dem Blogosphere has been exclusively attacking the SNP during the Glenrothes by election. As I said in his comments I feel this may be in part saying something about the state of the Labour Campaign. The lack of much real Labour blogging about the campaign, which therefore leads to less needing to counter attack than say the SNP postings. Also the lack of much real presence of Labour out on the street while I've been up there.
That was until recently when as Richard Thomson so eloquently puts it Mr and Mrs Macauley came a calling.
I hope that these recent postings have given Mr MacNumpty a little of what he really, really wants.
5 comments:
Well, I suppose the lack of Labour blogposts is to be expected, given the lack of Labour bloggers.
But this I think is the problem with FPP: it's the mistake we made in the 70s, with our then MPs assuming that because they won their seats in typically right-wing areas, they needed to head on a rightward tack (when in fact left-wing voters had rallied to them); with the Lab-SNP-LD scenario it's tougher as it's not totally clear who is after whose vote. It makes the case for STV, if you ask me... then we'd have a good idea of who people supported as a second choice.
PS Whether or not I want zig-a-zig-ah is my own business! ;)
The lack of Labour Bloggers is indeed a sad state of affairs. Kez's absence is even more greatly missed as even up against the ropes she still threw her punches. Yousuf is still being relatively freindly all round at the moment and Tom seems to going through some post-redbox depression or something just now.
Intersting point you make there about a largely left of centre politics in Scotland. STV certainly would make it harder for the media to hype up two parties to the detriment of others. It certainly cost those not deemed to be in it an awful lot. Whereas of course with STV your voters would not shift from you for tactical reasons but preference those other parties behind their first preference.
PS I know you really, really, really wanna zig-a-zig ah! ;0
I think, in a way, you've hit on part of the problem for Labour bloggers. Maybe it's a reflection of the fact that there are so few of them, but there seems to be a need to identify a standard-bearer among the Labour blogosphere (such as it is) and that's not healthy. Kez was the one we turned to when we wanted to hear the voice of Scottish Labour and I'm concerned that we're building Yousuf up in the same way - no one seems to know quite what to make of Tom Harris while he's going through Red Box Withdrawl. But I think it's an added pressure that can't have made things easy for Kez and might ultimately put Yousuf off if we're not careful.
Scottish Tory Boy faces a similar problem but benefits from the fact that he's not a foot-soldier in the perpetually venomous SNP-Labour battle. He also has a pseudonym so gains from blogging at arm's length.
You gain from having a core of ScotLibDem bloggers to be a part of in yourself, Caron and Bernard Salmon, while obviously I'm a member of what would be a small army and if there were something resembling a leadership structure. If there were one specific standard-bearer, the spotlight would shine on whoever happens to be on fire at the time. These days, that's Jeff.
But the building up of a Labour blogger is a problem. I'm not sure whether it's a symptom or a cause of the weak Labour blogosphere, but it's something I think we need to be wary of. If only because it does result in us having less ammo, or worse, having to head to the bottom of the barrel (Terry Kelly) again.
PS Sorry for the length, but it's a general trend that I've spotted and don't like all that much.
PPS I do not intend to confirm or deny any intention on my part to zig-a-zig ah. ;)
I agree with you that it is only part of the problem with Labour bloggers. Your right about Yousuf he may unfortunately have emerged on the blogging scene at just the wrong time Soapbox blown away, red box withdrawal, but we'll see just how that turns out over time.
It is surprising though that now they're in opposition more Labour bloggers haven't arisen to take on the Nats. That fight does currently largely seem to be bourne by the Lib Dem Blogosphere (as a political grouping) with the unidentified with a particular party Unionists, who through their lack of party affiliation seem to be as uncontrolled as the cybernats have been in the past.
The discussion of issues has dimmed a little, as there is less room to agree with one party and disagree with another on the same issue at the same time. Especially when you find yourself as the primary opposition in the Blogging sense to the Government.
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