Wokingham MP John Redwood’s blog has been ranked the best website by a Conservative Member of Parliament for the second year running. John’s blog was also rated the second best website by any Member of Parliament, being beaten only by Tom Harris, the MP for Glasgow South.
The rankings were based on the judgement of more than 1,500 people who voted in the Total Politics annual blog poll during the second half of July. Total Politics is a politics and lifestyle magazine that has on its advisory board political heavyweights such as Paddy Ashdown, David Davis, David Trimble and Denis MacShane. The full list, together with articles from leading blog commentators, will be published in the Total Politics Guide to Political Blogging, which will be sold in bookshops from mid-September.
John’s blog is well regarded by journalists and political bloggers. Unlike his blogging rival Tom Harris, John’s website doesn’t have any articles about Doctor Who or how to survive a zombie attack, but it does contain comprehensive blog posts about subjects such as Britain’s debt crisis, quantitative easing, bank bonuses, pensions, inflation, energy policy, the recession and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Speaking about the result, John Redwood said: “While I was disappointed my website wasn’t rated the best MP’s blog this year, I was still pleased to come second, and to be voted the best blogging Conservative MP. This shows that when politicians drop the spin and communicate with voters in a straightforward manner about complicated subjects, they get a good response and people engage back sensibly”.
“My blog isn’t an MP’s website as narrowly defined. It is a running commentary and an invitation to my readers to debate with me on subjects ranging from local issues to the state of the world economy”.
August 19, 2009
Mr.Redwood
Many congratulations! I ranked your blog number one.
I somehow think Mr. Watson will delve further into the realms of fantasy over the next twelve months rather than attempt to explain and support the actions of his own government.
You, on the other hand, have the harder task of maintaining and improving on what is already an excellent blog of record. Good Luck!
Thank you for all your efforts. A clear, common sense approach to complicated issues that I do so appreciate
August 19, 2009
This self adulation lets you down.
August 19, 2009
It’s no longer the best in the county though.
August 20, 2009
Your great strength is that you can explain economics fairly and simply to people like me who do not understand what is really going on underneath all the greed, lies and more lies. That is why I spend so much time here.
Your weakness is that, for some reason, you are not in the inner circle of the Conservatives – yet!
Do you know what? I don’t even know who Total Politics are. Well done, anyway.
August 20, 2009
I have subscribed to this blog for the best part of a year and read it daily. Your grounded and articulate appraisals of current events from a right-leaning perspective are a great antidote for the spin. If only more MPs had the ability to follow suit! Many thanks.