Thoughts on politics and life from a liberal perspective

Sunday 17 May 2009

Is Charlotte Gore the most influential Lib Dem blogger?

Following Nick Clegg's announcement that the Speaker of the House Michael Martin must go (an unprecedented step for a party leader) I am asking myself, could it have been influenced by this post by Charlotte Gore on Liberal Vision?


I know that the blogs are closely monitored by the leadership and could it be that the feelings of the grass roots here have helped gird Clegg's loins here?

I for one fully support Nick in what he has done here. Someone had to do it. Martin is useless and has to go. Blind adherence to convention is what has got MPs into this mess in the first place. It will take some mould breaking like this to resolve this crisis.

Lets all hold on tight and see what happens next!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, I'll treasure this particular headline forever I'm sure, but I can't - and don't want to - take credit for this.

It complete fits in with who Clegg said he wanted to be when he was campaigning to become leader of the party - challenging the status quo, battling against the wrongs of the cost Westminster bubble. He will never get a better opportunity to demonstrate his commitment to that.

Well done Clegg!!!

Mark Thompson said...

Hi.

I agree that it does fit with Clegg's profile. Even though I was not a member at the time of the election I would have voted for Chris Huhne.

However Clegg continues to impress me and this is the latest brave move that will hopefullu continue to increase his reputation as a confident politician who knows what has to be done and gets on with it.

I wouldn't expect you to take credit for it but you have certainly contributed and I wouldn't be at all surprised if your comments and similar ones throughout the Lib Dem blogosphere had some effect.

Anonymous said...

Put it this way, the fastest way to destroy whatever influence I have is to tell people I have some ;)

Still, it's nice all the same.

Clegg is his own man though - fairly certain I'm happier that he's leading rather than following undemocratic, unelected blogging gobsh*tes like me ;)

Mark Thompson said...

"Put it this way, the fastest way to destroy whatever influence I have is to tell people I have some ;)"

Fair enough. Mum's the word from now on!

Oranjepan said...

Answer - no.

Basically because there are some pretty high-ranking party officials who blog.

What it does show is that CG is becoming more mainstrean within the party, which I think is a good thing. However, whether this is because she is shifting towards the majority, or because the majority is shifting towards her is something I couldn't answer if I tried.

The wider political environment should obviously take some credit for this, as the division between right and wrong has some real and tangible cases to cite. Clegg & Co need to continue to prove they are not on the side of the cynical and corrupt bunnies*.

*not a coot, sweet & fluffy one.

Costigan Quist said...

Yes, of course Charlotte is, but you're not meant to mention it, Mark. As the real power behind the throne, Charlotte prefers to remain in the shadows.

Colin Ross said...

Nope, it's you!

Mark Thompson said...

Very flattering Colin but as I said on Alix's blog I think I just got lucky with timing for the link from Ms Toynbee.

Very nice to hear that you like my blog though.