On Monday night the web expert who runs the technical side of this site will make improvements to the layout. The work will be done after 9pm. I have asked him to make it clearer that people can ask to receive a free email of each day’s blog posting, to improve the layout of the text so people can read it more easily on small mobile devices and update the appearance. I have sketched some changes.
I intend to continue with a daily main story which I write. I will continue to turn down the various offers of guest writers, adverts and sponsorship, as I wish it to be independent, and will continue to pay for the service myself. It will continue to be the John Redwood site. It will include items relevant to my job as MP for Wokingham, with a separate local pages section on Wokingham and West Berkshire issues. It is not an MP website site paid for by taxpayers. None of its content is cleared with Conservative Central Office.
Moderating the site is taking up too much of my time owing to the refusal of a limited number of people to accept my guidance. I will repeat
Please limit the number of proposed postings each day
Avoid long postings – unless you have something novel and well researched to say, in which case I might publish them
Avoid links to other sources, unless they are helpful links to easily identified government/Central Bank/global quango free public websites supplying useful data and backup
If you want to highlight something good you have read elsewhere then mention the source and give a small summary of what excites you about it in your submission.
Avoid allegations against individuals or companies as I do not have time to check them out for libel. I afford the same protection from allegations to Opposition MPs as to Conservative ones.
I will from now on be deleting many more incoming comments from a few individuals who are repetitious , who constantly ignore this guidance and whose opinions are now well known to regular readers. They need to find something new to say and to say it better if they want to be posted.
This site does not seek to censor people who disagree with me or the government or the Conservative party, and is willing to explore alternative explanations and policy options in a sensible way.
January 17, 2021
Sir John, a BIG thank you for this site; you manage a very rare and helpful resource.
The least constructive contributors, if you can call them that, are those that just post with the intent to irritate. Perhaps only allow those that add something to the discussion, in a polite and reasoned manner.
January 18, 2021
I have thought about this too Peter, but have you noticed that many people ( probably outside of covid times) who you try to converse with, will interrupt rudely in an aggressive tone many times during a point you are trying to make and you never seem to get to the point due to the digression and interruptions. It is their normal way of life , their normal patter, they cannot help it and psychology could have it that they have had an excessively competitive upbringing , however I think that they should be allowed to demonstrate what is not preferable. This is Johns site and ultimately he will make the decisions. I disagree with much John says but he can look at himself and slowly change his opinion if he can sees he may be wrong or too unpopular….. but isn’t that most people.. people become popular as an agent provocateur also , they get a kick out of it.
January 17, 2021
That all sounds very fair to me. Some people, no names – no packdrill – you know who you are – say the same thing over and over again – every day, no matter what the subject of the day is. It is not always about ‘greencrap’.
January 17, 2021
Mike, Since “greencrap” is going to cost this country £trillions, for no global benefit, it is a very important topic. In fact it encapsulates every problem we have with corporatism, over government, global quangos, virtue signalling, and the waste of taxpayers’ money.
January 17, 2021
You miss the point. It doesn’t have to be mentioned twenty times a day.
January 18, 2021
Indeed Nick.
January 17, 2021
May one make a suggestion? Please ask your developer to fix the fact that using Microsoft Edge the ‘Save my name, email in this browser’ does not work. Nor does it work using Firefox on my iPhone.
Also a ‘go to top’ button would be very useful. On a phone in particular it is tedious scrolling up through a couple of hundred comments to reach the content at the top.
Also, it would be nice if it showed more clearly who a post is replying to.
January 17, 2021
Mike
Agree the save my name feature has not been working for the past few months, at least that is the case with using my Apple desktop.
Thank you JR for continuing with this site, as a constituent it is very helpful to see what my own MP is thinking on a whole range of subjects, also interesting to see other peoples views from perhaps a different perspective.
Whilst sometimes frustrating, I perfectly understand why you want views held from publication and being “subject to moderation”, to make sure you protect the integrity and courtesy of debate.
January 17, 2021
I agree. Also, I have been unable to submit any comments for nearly two weeks now, as when I press ‘post comment’ my submission simply disappears. I wonder if it will work today?
January 18, 2021
You need to unblock cookies to enable this function.
As this is how the information is remembered.
January 18, 2021
Dear Mike–Let’s hear it for a proper salutation
January 17, 2021
Well done John. Point taken.
January 17, 2021
Everything you say is sensible and should improve your blog, which is already streets ahead of anyone else’s. As one of the guilty parties, but also far from the worst offender, I will redouble my efforts to post shorter comments without repetition.
An option to “like” a comment would be welcome and could maybe reduce the number of replies you then have to moderate.
January 17, 2021
Like and dislike might save some posts but might also increase click bait posts.
I would like to be able to sort posts by most recent reply if it is possible. This would need some way of linking to the original post so maybe too complex.
Great site Sir John I am not surprised that moderationhas become onerous though. Thank you for your continued efforts.
January 17, 2021
Agree – a simple like or dislike tick would help and reduce my number of responses
January 17, 2021
Sir John your web expert can set up an algorithm to allow only one posting a day , and limit the number of characters per posting. It will save you a lot of time, but bare in mind people will always find away around it by changing their user name , but even then the algorithm will pick it up eventually.
January 17, 2021
You don’t need an algorithm to limit the length of a post. The maxlength attribute does that for all input elements.
Again, to limit the number of posts is easy if you have access to the code. Do you in a WordPress site? Can you get in and write a bit of code that says (given there is no logging in here) has a post been made already for THIS thread from THIS IP address? This stuff becomes a lot easier to manage if you have logins.
January 18, 2021
“Can you get in and write a bit of code that says (given there is no logging in here) has a post been made already for THIS thread from THIS IP address?” – Mike Wilson.
Sadly it is not that simple. IP blocking does not work in practice in the UK as many of our larger ISPs use rotating IP addresses. Blocking an email address results in users simply changing emails. Logins make it easier, but discourage site visitors from posting. I think our host has the right balance, although limiting post length might help with moderation.
January 17, 2021
A character limit does sound like a good idea. I not too keen on restricting the number of posts to one, but posts per day limit might prove a good idea. Also. If people did not respond to all the Trolls on this site I think both our kind host and other users would be happier for it.
January 17, 2021
Ignoring the specious posts of some of the agitators on here is a noble aim but sometimes you just can’t let the errors pass.
I think the site would be the poorer with a posting limit but off topic posts could be either deleted or held in moderation for a day. This would discourage the practice.
January 17, 2021
Amen.
January 17, 2021
@Mark B; “A character limit does sound like a good idea. I not too keen on restricting the number of posts to one”
Without one the other is pointless…
Would-be long comments simply result in self replies to the posters first comment, thus creating a long comment. This can be seen on Twitter with the original comment plus multiple self-replies until the longer than character limit message is complete.
A character count might be an idea, warning the poster when their comment is in danger of perhaps an automatic deletion?!
“but posts per day limit might prove a good idea.”
A bit unfair to those who can not always access the site each day, a bit unfair if someone posts an otherwise topical off topic comment that its self generates replies separate set of replies.
“If people did not respond to all the Trolls on this site”
First define a Troll…
Our host would be best advised to maintain the site to modern levels of security and web-accessibility compliant but then keep the rest KISS.
January 17, 2021
Lets hope it at last happens.
Short and sweet pertinent request. Put you energy and influence behind vaccination passports or endorsements both electronic for mobiles and in paper form as well, post vaccination for Covid19. Apart from personal convenience, it would revitalise the travel and hospitality industry.
January 17, 2021
How do you justify ‘vaccination passports’? There is no evidence that a vaccine stops you from carrying or transmitting covid 19. The ‘passport’ therefore is just a means of punishing those who defy the Establishment’s wishes.
January 17, 2021
And do people who cannot have the vaccine become unemployed, unable to socialise or travel pariahs?
January 22, 2021
DaveK: “And do people who cannot have the vaccine become unemployed, unable to socialise or travel pariahs?”
Of course they do. The whole thing is modeled on the Totalitarian Chinese Social Credit system.
Introduced by the Communists on SAGE – Citation given in a previous comment. And picked up by our supposedly intelligent Tory leader, hook line and sinker!
January 17, 2021
thanks for running the site john, its far better than any other politicians web presence.
hopefully it helps you see a little of what different people think in the real world, hopefully some of that will remain.
we should hold a big real world party for the contributors one day, lol, that would be interesting.
take care
January 17, 2021
Iain
Great site for a get together would be the river terrace at the House of Parliament. !
We could also go for a tour of the building, very interesting for those who have not been.
January 17, 2021
Lifelogic can buy us all meals, including John
January 17, 2021
The sentiments above are understandable.
I for one, greatly appreciate the opportunity that Sir John’s blog gives to express opinion on the topical subjects of the day. Especially as the blog is independent and it costs him to host it. Even though my posts are occasionally deleted!
January 17, 2021
Very reasonable actions.
Personally, I like the site as it is. It displays perfectly well on my Samsung’s 5″ screen. As already mentioned, a ‘like’ button would be most welcome and might reduce some posting.
Your email alerts signup is also clearly visible on a PC screen, via Chrome.
I hope you expert is not from SAGE!
January 17, 2021
@MB; Adding Like or Dislike buttons to comments tends to be meaningless unless the site has a secure login system, otherwise what’s to stop someone simply refusing cookies from the site and then sitting the hitting the “Like” button multiple time?!
January 17, 2021
+1
January 17, 2021
In the past seven months, I have devoted my time to events on the other side of the Atlantic, and my hours are out of kilter with this site, although I do still read posts and the responses on a daily basis even if I’m too late to contribute. The present format seems to work well so I am tempted to say, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.
I see that the nemesis of truth and integrity is to visit the UK soon. Who would be a Prime Minister having to deal with such people. He should count the spoons after he’s left.
January 17, 2021
He must have been invited, and he enjoys the support of the British PM and the British Woke world.
He is a miracle mind you.
Obama 69,000,000 votes 873 counties 18/19 bellwethers; win House seats
Trump 74,000,000 votes 2,497 counties 18/19 bellwethers; win House seats
Biden 81,000,000 votes 477 counties 1/19 bellwethers; lose House seats
January 17, 2021
I cannot believe what he’s getting away with. When you bear in mind the ribbing President Reagan took over dementia and what if Trump had behaved that way on camera towards women and children ? And then Hunter ?
January 17, 2021
What’s your definition of a bellwether and can you point out the 1 in 19 not going to Obama then Trump, and the 1 going for Biden.
I am sure a lot of people on this blog will be fascinated learning how your mind is working around those things. Thanks a lot in advance, I might learn a lot.
January 18, 2021
Washington state’s Clallam County was the outlier, backing Joe Biden, all the others went to Trump.
January 19, 2021
Washington State: results of presidential elections:
Biden 2,365,923
Trump 1,581,220
Jorgensen 80,235
Hawkins 18,215
LaRiva 4,822
Kennedy 2,475.
It is really something amazing to realise that some people are unable to understand some very basic features of an election. The counties are of no importance whatsoever. There are 36 electoral ‘units’ in WA, and 11 voted a majority for Biden and 9 of these 11 contain around 75% of the population of the state (with Seattle, pop. 750k, US Vancouver 162k, Tacoma 200k, Spokane 210k, and other smaller centres all having a Biden majority).
I found a couple of web sites with the type of results you quote. Well, good luck to you in the future if you go on basing your comments and your future political career on this type of information.
I am already looking forward to reading your brilliant and informed prose on a whole range of topics.
January 17, 2021
I never cease to be amazed at the time and care you must devote to this site and am very grateful for it.
January 17, 2021
Sir John,
I’m sure we can all think of contributors we’d be happy to see toned down. No doubt some are thinking of me in this respect. However, dialogue within responses is, in my opinion, a valuable feature of this site – even if the way in which the site is moderated (i.e. on a part-time basis – perfectly reasonable given moderation is not your full-time job) already makes this less useful than it could be. Obviously, this can entail multiple postings. Restricting the number of postings individuals can make will either end dialogue, or, arguably worse, deny people ‘right of reply’. This last scenario is surely something to be avoided at all costs.
In terms of practicalities, I would think that were people routinely seeing that their contributions were held back, or even perhaps ignored, they would simply give up posting. This is, of course, the best way to deal with trolls. My view is that there are many contributors you could automatically ignore without harming intelligent discourse. I can see the value in allowing people to make fools of themselves, but it does dramatically increase your workload, and by implication, limits the opportunity for sensible contributions to be made.
As for myself, I will continue to try and hold you to account for the dafter things you say, whilst hoping that, in time, you might be persuaded, if not by what I say, then at least by what unfolds.
Thank you for your time.
January 17, 2021
KISS as in Keep It Short Simeon
January 17, 2021
I believe my longest posts have tended to be those that engage with Sir John’s posts point by point. I’ve decided this approach is best avoided.
January 17, 2021
Simeon
“I’m sure we can all think of contributors we’d be happy to see toned down”
======
Like for example the ones with a pathological dislike of the elderly.
“No doubt some are thinking of me in this respect”
No I don’t think so Simeon. I for one can confirm I never see anything offensive in your posts, and while they are not necessarily sharing my sentiment – you have as much right to accept our host’s invitation to contribute as anyone else.
January 17, 2021
Steve
You certainly identified someone I have learned to ignore. I appreciate your kind words, and especially your willingness to disagree with, or even tolerate, my posts in a civil way. That said, I’d be surprised if everyone shared this quality!
January 18, 2021
+1
January 17, 2021
‘This site does not seek to censor people who disagree with me or the government or the Conservative party, and is willing to explore alternative explanations and policy options in a sensible way’.
The final qualifier says a lot more about forgiving poor Government, and making excuses for it!
January 17, 2021
This is one of the truly independent blogs on the Internet. Not relying on advertising or sponsorship so no secret agenda.
I just wish that the government would implement some of your very sensible proposals but of course they’re too interested in the likes of Marcus Rashford and Princess nut job.
Keep it up Sir.
January 17, 2021
My post instantly deleted.
January 17, 2021
Mark B
Maybe you said it like it was ? That usually does it.
January 18, 2021
Nah ! It was a glitch this time. As you were everyone 😉
January 17, 2021
I think it would be nice to be able to find a post that one has made, without having to scroll through, sometimes as many as 300 posts.
Sometimes I am interested to see if anyone has commented on a post that I have made. That doesn’t mean that I don’t read the posts of others. I do, sometimes for a considerable time. I am always interested to read what others have to say.
Sorry if I haven’t put this very clearly, and have been rather long winded. I very much enjoy this blog, and appreciate all the hard work, you put into it.
January 17, 2021
Use the find on page function Cheshire Girl. It is in the browser menu.
January 18, 2021
Control F – and then type in what you are looking for. 🙂
January 18, 2021
Not on a phone Ian
January 19, 2021
Good Point! 🙂
January 17, 2021
It’s a good point. The option to see replies to user posts or see posts since last visit, if such functionality is possible, would be very welcome to dinosaurs like me.
January 17, 2021
Just do a search on the web page – you can do this on a tablet or browser top right, right click or Ctrl F for “Find in page”.
January 17, 2021
I wouldn’t object to adverts. You shouldn’t be out of pocket for providing a valuable free-speech service.
January 17, 2021
Nice feature would be being able to like comments and rank comments by most liked
January 17, 2021
👍
January 17, 2021
“I will continue to turn down the various offers of guest writers, adverts and sponsorship..”– hurrah! 🙂
This is a tremendous resource of much value and I am grateful that it will continue.
January 17, 2021
+ 100.
Thank you, Sir John.
Mary M.
January 17, 2021
Thank you for providing this site. I enjoy reading your posts. As you know there are a number of knowledgeable contributors and only a handful of lefties!
January 17, 2021
JR, Thank you for your site, and for your hard work in keeping it going. I much appreciate it being free of adverts, sponsorship and guest writers too.
I remain interested in the antics of the EU; the lack of government preparation for the electrification of industry, homes, and cars; the lack of evidence to support the lockdowns; and – hopefully – not supporting PotUS Biden if he causes unnecessary wars; and the economy – especially the inflationary trajectory resulting from money printing.
January 17, 2021
We have a problem. Our Parliamentary representatives refuse to discuss or debate in public certain issues that the left have decided are now of a ‘criminal nature’ when for most of us they are issues of the upmost importance to our everyday lives. On that basis this site is not independent in the way for example Con Woman is or indeed Breitbart
I would like to know why you, your colleagues and your party have allowed the left and their allies the right to determine what can and what cannot be discussed?
This head in sand approach damages accountability and allows extremism and criminality to flourish under the radar
Stop working with Labour to assert control over what the public can and cannot talk about it
Our freedoms are not be sacrificed to allow your party off the hook. Your party’s primary job is take the side of freedom and liberty not to oppose this party for political convenience
Reply No topics are off limits. try discussing them in moderate tones.
January 17, 2021
Put a block on more than 3 responses to a post, all except Sir John. Then we’ll see who will get up early just to whinge.
January 17, 2021
Sir John,
I am 300 miles away where we have a Conservative MP that should be removed asap.
Your writing, campaigning, speaking is greatly appreciated, you are a beacon of common sense, wisdom and leadership.
The Conservative party is DOOMED without people like you!!
January 17, 2021
Recently I have given up reading the comments section because a few cynics try to hijack the site instead of creating their own site, often masquerading as bona fide contributions but are just click-bait traps often invoking an avalanche of understandably refutes. (The Andrew Neil and Owen Jones shows how criticism is now the modus for some).
This detracts from what is arguably an excellent daily therapeutic reading for many especially
during lockdown. Many thanks for your good work Sir John.
January 17, 2021
Thank you, your hardworking is more than appreciated
January 18, 2021
If it is possible I would like the site to be able to flag new posts which were entered after the last time I accessed it so I did not have to read/run through all the posts each time to see new posts.
This would have to include replies to previously existing posts.
January 20, 2021
Dear John.
Constructional (I hope) comments on the new site:
On my PC:
The header takes up a full 2″ of screen and remains even when scrolling down the page. It is annoying that it does this and also it keeps changing background. This is distracting.
The text is nice and clear but feel that there is too much space between the lines and there are too many words per line. I think 23-25 words per line is too many.
On my Phone:
My 5″ Samsung phone display shows all looking very good. I would prefer less room between lines to reduce the amount of scrolling required to read.
Regards
January 20, 2021
I am afraid I do not like this new format.
When I scroll down a page, the top four lines of the next page are obscured by the banner heading. It is very irritating. Why should this be?
January 20, 2021
In general, like the new site. However I do have a problem with the changing banner as it distracts me whilst reading and also hides the site info and the navigation tabs. To be honest I preferred the old banner.
January 22, 2021
The thing that most irritates me about the new layout?
Reading to the bottom of your article, then having to scroll back to the top to write a comment. It surely can’t be beyond the wit of your Web designer to put a link to the article comments at the end of the article too?
Or perhaps it’s a stratagem to reduce the number of comments?