Bob Piper has been a Labour Councillor for the Abbey
Ward in Sandwell, West Midlands, for 10 years. He is a lifelong supporter of Aston Villa Football Club and a follower of Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
The views expressed here are mine in a personal capacity, not those of the Labour Party, Sandwell MBC, Aston Villa or Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Get it! Mine... just mine!
Promoted by Bob Piper of 115 Barclay Rd, B67 5JZ on behalf of the Labour Party, care of 39 Victoria Street London, SW1H 0HA . Hosted (printed) by Swaithe Internet Solutions who are not responsible for any of the contents of these posts.
Please note however, that The Labour Party is not responsible for the content of this website or individual posts as, unless specifically stated, I am writing solely in a personal and individual capacity.
Promoted by Bob Piper of 115 Barclay Rd, B67 5JZ on behalf of the Labour Party, care of 39 Victoria Street London, SW1H 0HA . Hosted (printed) by Swaithe Internet Solutions who are not responsible for any of the contents of these posts.
Please note however, that The Labour Party is not responsible for the content of this website or individual posts as, unless specifically stated, I am writing solely in a personal and individual capacity.
James Delingpole, a right-wing and rather turgid 'journalist' and novelist, writes that Mad Mel has a "magnificent blog" (cough, splutter) and that she would have walked away with the Best UK Blog Award if it hadn't been for the fact bloggers have supported 'Created in Birmingham' (what, how terribly strange is it that bloggers might vote in a blog award poll?). The reality is many of Phillips' votes trickle in overnight, triggering allegations that she has a lobby pushing her blog from the US. You might know that as soon as Phillips started losing the right would start crying foul.
Anyway, even if you have already, there are two more chances to vote between now and 10pm tomorrow... go on, there's no contest. A proper local based arts blog, or a Zionist rant hosted by a tiny sectarian magazine.
Not sure it's entirely (or remotely) fair to describe the Spectator as either tiny (circulation 80,000 pw) or sectarian. After all it takes contributions from more or less every side of every debate.
And does it matter where the votes are coming from? After all, the great thing about the blogosphere is that it can be read simultaneously all over the world.
As to Zionism, Israel and the Jews, I realised ages ago that there's almost no point reading opinion pieces on either side of the debate. You never get anywhere new, just a shrill and angry re-hashing of an argument that's been going on for a century and more.
asquith said:
January 12, 2009 2:38 PM | permalink
I thought James Delingpole was a "libertarian", so how can he be mates with Mad Mel?
He also quite blatantly hates himself, & tries to make up for his insecurity by belittling others.
Fair point - though they certainly argue that sales (newstand/subscription) are also going up...
Funnily enough though, the only place I've been to recently that was dishing them out was one of those Intelligence2 debates - which are sponsored by the Speccie so it seemed fair enough.
Actually, they do put a bob or two into sponsorship, so I suppose it is reasonable to plug the mag. As for sectarian, I should probably withdraw that too because you are right, they do include some leftish stuff. Didn't Bruce Anderson resign over an article by Georgeous George a few years ago, or was that from somewhere else?
I think the Brute has resigned from pretty much every publication he's written for hasn't he? It's sort of a rite of passage.
I've never been able to get out of my mind the image (as reported at last year's Tory conference) of him pinning some young Tory lovely up against the wall with his belly while he told her how he could advance her career. Shudder...
I can console myself at the news that a bunch of adenoidal Brummies won the poll, despite my vote for Mel even though I never read her, because over on the other side of the water Anthony Watts has won (subject to confirmation as I write) the 'Best Scientific Blog' poll - and I never got around to voting for him! It must be the old 'Curse of Duff' effect - so watch it, Councillor, or I might vote for you one day!
January 12, 2009 2:37 PM | permalink
Not sure it's entirely (or remotely) fair to describe the Spectator as either tiny (circulation 80,000 pw) or sectarian. After all it takes contributions from more or less every side of every debate.
And does it matter where the votes are coming from? After all, the great thing about the blogosphere is that it can be read simultaneously all over the world.
As to Zionism, Israel and the Jews, I realised ages ago that there's almost no point reading opinion pieces on either side of the debate. You never get anywhere new, just a shrill and angry re-hashing of an argument that's been going on for a century and more.