A blogger-sceptic gives in….
They say they are read only by political hacks and opponents. But nevertheless, I have come to the conclusion that any way of improving communication with local residents has to be a good thing. So here goes.
This blog is intended to keep local people up to date with my work as one of the newly elected Liberal Democrat councillors for East Dulwich.
I hope that over the months and years it wil become a source of at least some interest to local people.
Thanks to my brother Matt for setting me on my way. I suspect that finding things to say will come more easily than mastering the technology.
alex said,
July 3, 2006 @ 3:13 pm
Read only by political hacks and opponents… surely not! Well, like you I have considered for a long time that bloggers were only talking to themselves. But then the mainstream media (MSM, as I believe they are known) started to lurk on certain blogs and pick up little gobbets of political intel… so now it’s part of the landscape of politcal battles just like streets and council chambers!
Glad to see you’re doing your bit
Dave said,
July 3, 2006 @ 4:02 pm
God you Lib Dems are all getting into this blogging malarkey! Congratulations on taking the plunge though. I look forward to reading how things are going chez Thomas as well as the occasional Fib Dem party political broadcast.
Watch out what you write though (I strongly advise against blogging while drunk or riled). It is true that these things are read by your political opponents - as my own local councillor has discoveredthe hard way !!!
Be well …
Fiona Colley said,
July 4, 2006 @ 1:04 am
Welcome to blogging Richard. It can certainly seem like you’re talking to yourself, your friends and your foes at first. But I’ve been blogging for nearly three years now and increasingly I find that constituents do read the blog - it took some time (and advertising), but I now get comments and lots of emails via the blog.
I do find that constituents are much more interested in local issues than party politics - councillors with very political blogs do seem to only attract a very political audience.