I don't supposeDavid Miliband could have expected any credit as the first blogging Cabinet Minister.
Instead there's this snearing paragraph:
Environment secretary David Miliband's blog has come in for criticism over its relentlessly on-message style.In other words, a Cabinet Minister who supports the Government of which he is a part.
Disgraceful!
3 comments:
I think there is a serious point, Phil.
Nobody seriously expects Miliband to slag off his colleagues in public.
But his blog - your blog - any blog will get respect if it is 'off message' to the extent of speaking out loud on the difficult questions, rather than always taking the safe option or sticking to the easy wins.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you can't have some fun at the expense of easy targets like Anne Widdicombe and Roger whatever his name is.
But it would be nice to see you post on nine years of bus deregulation in Lincolnshire, for example.
Labour has not made it easy for us.
Brynley: i take your general point, however...
On bus deregulation and "Labour not making it easy for Lincolnshire" I'd draw your attention to the average of an extra million quid a year the Labour Govt gives to the county in the form of the Rural Bus Grant - which was never available before.
On buses generally, I became Fair Deal Phil after campaigning some years ago for a fairer deal for our pensioners and disabled people and the fact that SKDC has the meanest scheme in Lincolnshire.
Maybe it's time to reheat the campaign.
As an elected councillor I will always put the interests of Deeping St James first.
But as you know, South Lincs is dominated by Tories.
Hopefully, my weblog gives some balance to the overall picture...
Phil, I think your blog is great.
But don't be afraid to bang on with a well-chosen personal view which conflicts with the party line.
Provided you make clear it is a personal view,and that you are not off on some selfindulgent permanent disloyalty trip, it will strengthen your blog and wont get you the sack.
On bus deregulation., Phil. The point is it hasn't worked and Labour's official policy is to do nothing.
So we get a very good, indeed excellent, bus service Bourne-Deepings-Peterborough. And we get some excellent subsidised Interconnect/Callconnect in certain parts of Lincs where the public interest has been looked after.
The transport statistics tell their own story. We need a light touch bus regulator. It sounds obscure. But without such a thing, the misery will continue. If you were looking for a topic where you could make a difference...
"South Lincs is dominated by Tories", you say. Well, yes and no.
They are there. But many of them are hopelessly out of touch with the concerns of local families and they will have to change fast if they wish to stay so cosy.
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