It’s hard to fathom, but she does:
In her speech, Ms Blears also complained about a “spreading corrosive cynicism” in political discussion.
She turned her fire on political “bloggers” – accusing them of fuelling disengagement by focusing on “unearthing scandals, conspiracies and perceived hypocrisy” and of being written by “people with disdain for the political system and politicians”.
Err I realise I may be playing into her hands by saying this, but free speech much? No wonder she has a problem with blogging – New Labour’s authoritarian agenda is increasingly predicated on stifling free speech. It’s practically impossible for them to inhibit blogging though – a principle means of uncovering the abuses of her party and government, so of course her answer is to speak out against it. Get this Hazel – if your government weren’t guilty of so many abuses you didn’t want us to know about, there wouldn’t be so much disdain. In her words:
“But mostly, political blogs are written by people with disdain for the political system and politicians, who see their function as unearthing scandals, conspiracies and perceived hypocrisy.
“Until political blogging ‘adds value’ to our political culture, by allowing new voices, ideas and legitimate protest and challenge, and until the mainstream media reports politics in a calmer, more responsible manner, it will continue to fuel a culture of cynicism and despair.”
The key words there are ‘legitimate protest’. This is the government which outlawed all protests within an approximate one mile radius of parliament. This is the government which champions the police interfering with and attacking protests across the country. This is the government which…hang on is this illegitimate protest I’m engaging in? Maybe they’ll just track me down. I don’t have disdain for the political system, just these particular politicians who are hell bent on abusing it.
Cosmodaddy 