Is it me, or do you discern a shift in the blogosphere? Recently, a raft of SNP leaning blogs have simply vanished. A variety of reasons have been given, but there is something lemming like about their corporate demise.
Iain Dale's Diary, once the must read of blogs has for some time been an outrageous organ of self-promotion and Tory small-talk. After years of reading it, I have now taken it off my list of most read. It continues to dominate the blog rankings, but for how long? I think Iain has lost interest.
Interestingly, and by comparison, Tom Harris has come on in leaps and bounds. Once the epistola of a quite nice guy who was handicapped by liking Genesis and Dr Who, Tom has found a unique and convincing voice among the white noise of spin and vomit-inducing New Labour nutters and downright utter shits that inhabit the left of cyberspace. And whilst being Labour to the core, he is hugely entertaining and capable of homing in on real issues that don't get talked about elsewhere. Best of all, he publishes (mostly) my invective, which is more than The Times or the BBC will do.
Others, like Old Holborn, are on the up. OH thinks and feels like me, which is why our paths do not cross that often. What is the point of commenting, when all I could say is, "I agree entirely? He just expresses his self a bit differently - and, by all accounts is very popular.
I don't know, I really don't know, but there appears to be a pruning process in the top political blogs. There are many more I could mention; Guido of course and Political Betting that have stayed steady and strong, but I just sense there is a change going on. What do you think?
UPDATE:
I am not unaware of the presence of Tory Bear, who by all accounts has rocketed into the blogosphere, and with good reason. Dale, watch your back.
9 comments:
Thank you, WW
As much as it grates to say it, seeing as he's a socialist...
But I actually quite like Tom and his blog. A bit of humanity and humour goes a long way on the leftie blogosphere.
As for Iain Dale, I agree with you. It's boring and self indulgent.
The next six months will be extremely interesting in the blogosphere and the influence it may, (or may not), have in the run up to Gormless getting thrown out on his arse.
Honoured that you visit, Tom.
Rab, glad you are back. Better put you on the list.
Is it not the case that others should watch their backs around Mrs Dale. Backs to the walls chaps.
Anon, very good.
The fact that Ian Dale's blog has gone off the boil has nothing to do with trying to get himself selected as a Tory hopeful? Or spending too much time as a talking head on TV shows?
Perhaps the ruling class have appealed to his vanity in a bid to draw his teeth?
As Lyndon B Johnson was reported to have said about J Edgar Hoover "I'd rather have him inside the tent pissing out, than outside the tent pissing in."
Guido has slipped back in my humble estimation - his posts are less frequent now and often reflect others rather than being leading-edge.
Plato Says, Anna Raccoon & A Tangled Web deserve a mention - all fabulous!
No, it is not just you, WW.
There is a shift.
But I don't think you see the bigger picture.
Good riddance to the poisonous bloggers of every persuasion, but it's the poisonous commenters on every blog, good or bad, which are about to bring this phenomenon to an abrupt end.
I agree about Iain Dale. He's become too much the insider looking inwards. The rot began for me with his enthusiasm for 'The Chipmunk'. A virulent careerist of little brain and less judgement. Blears I mean, not Iain. But he didn't see her that way, although it was obvious to many others, even before her 'rocking the boat' debacle left nobody in any doubt.
That Weasel chap is good sometimes.
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