A few people are sending in many posts a day including some long ones. I have just deleted a lot From multiple posters without reading to catch up . For this to work Please keep your contributions to a sensible number and length. One poster now sends in so much I automatically delete everything apart from the occasional one or two liner that catches my eye as I go to delete.
53 Comments
Comments are closed.
June 10, 2020
Sir John, your blog your rules.
But, you have said this many times in the past and not stuck to your own guidelines 🙁
June 10, 2020
Thanks John – I was beginning to skip a lot of entirely predictable comments from certain frequent contributors, and probably missed some informative ones from other posters in the process.
June 10, 2020
I chose to withdraw due to this deluge…..it was becoming a comic. Perhaps when I get to read more than the subject heading it will be worth it.
June 10, 2020
Perhaps also delete any post that has no contribution of any sort, and those that simply ‘hit’ or insult other posters.
June 10, 2020
Peter
What a good suggestion. But as others have said, and I intimated previously, our kind host does not always stick to his own rules.
June 10, 2020
Morning John, yes there are extremely long posts which i get bored with, because it is your diary i am reading , however i myself comment about 3-4 times / week and a couple of my contributions .(. short) have not gone through with the remarks.. ‘awaiting moderation’.
Elsewhere many of my’ e’ mails recently have not gone through to various people and I wonder if contributions to yourself are not a facet of a computer problem . I myself try not to put down or ridicule ,however there are many who obviously need this communication as a daily experience in their lives to interact or vent their frustrations.
June 10, 2020
Good morning and good for you. Some of these comments come from the same gang of contributors and are invariably incorrect, long winded or self serving.
I usually scan and skip some of them just by title.
Thanks for a good page.
June 10, 2020
+ 1
June 10, 2020
I am sorry that your polite request seems to have, once again, fallen on deaf ears. I often wonder how you find the time to moderate over a hundred (sometimes two) posts, a day.
June 10, 2020
I hope you are reading this Lifelogic
June 10, 2020
And Martin from Cardiff and Andy with his insults directed at the elderly.
June 11, 2020
This is it and I have mentioned this before to our kind host. If these Trolls were either ignored by other posters, as I do, or banned them our kind host would have fewer posts to read.
If you want know what o mean go back to any topic and look at the number of replies.
June 11, 2020
I suggest that you re-read John’s post.
His objection is mainly to the sheer volume of some contributors’ posts, not to opposing arguments.
Such credibility as his blog has depends on his posting and, where appropriate, responding to these.
Doesn’t it?
June 11, 2020
Say someone who posts twenty times a day.
June 12, 2020
On occasions, I will post that many short comments, yes. Every single one of which receives a reply from you, as do those of any other contributor with whom you disagree.
June 13, 2020
Check your facts.
I respond to some.
Mainly to correct your nonsense.
June 10, 2020
Understood, John. This is why I never complain and often defend your policy.
Off topic. BBC news this morning has a report on the CV19 issue with piano music playing over it. This is propaganda and not news if they direct our mood with piano music.
Also the airtime given to can’t-do teachers. The kids are already playing together in parks around here. You’d think we were dealing with the Black Death they way they are whingeing. They can’t handle opening up a primary school yet their Unions slate your government for their response to this disease.
It is clear from this, the lionisation of the NHS and the ongoing BLM issue that there is a Left wing push going on.
June 10, 2020
I’ve written to the BBC on many occasions about the inclusion of mood music…..to no avail
I agree its propaganda
June 11, 2020
Well you have nothing to complain about, especially as you flout etiquette and post, ‘off topic’.
The hubris and lack of self awareness of some here never fails to amaze me.
June 10, 2020
Famous last words.
I expect to be reading about the perils of PPE graduates and something called ‘greencrap’(sic) for some time yet.
June 10, 2020
Apologies, Sir John, thank you for letting us post,
Best,
Ed, London
June 10, 2020
Thank goodness as many readers cannot afford the time either Sir John.
June 10, 2020
First they came for the statues
Then they came for the monuments
Then they came for the art
Then they came for the books
Then they came for the artist
Then they came for you belief
The mob won
June 10, 2020
Exactly – if we turn a blind eye to toppling of statues, where will it all end? Boris needs to grow a back bone instead of declaring he will leave it up to individual police forces whether or not to intervene. Unbelievable statement from a ‘Tory’ PM/Government. It’s times like these that we need a Maggie. She’d sort them.
June 11, 2020
+1
Exactly. We are not the USA. A crime in one part of the country is a crime throughout and the law is the law. I expect the law to be upheld.
June 10, 2020
Particularly puzzling are the posters who post a long screed, then immediately post a reply to it themselves continuing the argument.
June 10, 2020
Like this.
June 10, 2020
That used to be the pastime of ‘The Times readers’, but as there aren’t many these days, they always forget…
June 10, 2020
You have said the same thing many times to no effect. One post this morning was a triple header before I even sent in my own. best of luck, stay safe.
June 10, 2020
Sir John,
I am clearly not privy to the number of postings that your site receives, nor to the content – good or otherwise – that may be within them.
Given that both the broadcast and printed news media are more concerned with sensationalism than objective reporting of the facts, and ‘discussion’ programmes on both radio & TV are often biased toward the agenda of the broadcaster, there are very few outlets were people can now say what they truly feel and – more importantly – be heard by a wider audience.
The Social Media sites are now cracking-down on anything that they suspect may offend a 3rd party, no matter how innocuous the comments may be. Particular words in common use, such as ‘race’ (when used to describe a contest over distance), both end members of the monochromatic scale, particular peoples names, the general colour of ‘wood’ for example, are banned on certain websites!
Your site is a welcome addition to the few that allow an opinion to be aired (although I do on occasion take issue with your webmaster’s use of the red pen in editing some posts!).
If your web-traffic is becoming too large for your time, is there an acceptable means (to the Parliamentary Standards Committee) whereby you could legitimately accept small donations to pay for a permanent staff member to administer the day-to-day running of the diary site?
I want to read other contributors’ opinions, regardless of whether they agree with my own, and it would be a shame if that were restricted in any way.
Regards,
Graham Wheatley.
Reply I run it myself and pay for it myself. I have no wish to commercialise it or take donations, which would create new problems.People who want to contribute can either help me run it, or be a nuisance. If they are a nuisance by trying to post too much and things of dubious accuracy or content then I will simply delete more.
June 10, 2020
Thumbs-up!
June 10, 2020
Graham Wheatley
“If your web-traffic is becoming too large for your time, is there an acceptable means (to the Parliamentary Standards Committee) whereby you could legitimately accept small donations to pay for a permanent staff member to administer the day-to-day running of the diary site?”
…That Sir is a damn good idea, I’d be willing to donate.
I also think that we should reflect that the administration of this site appears to require super human effort, considering JR’s civic and government duties. I don’t know how he does it, frankly.
Perhaps Parliament could consider the value of contributor’s feedback, after all they get indication of public opinion directly, no need for costly surveys.
June 10, 2020
Good afternoon.
Well, you’ll get no complaint from me 😜
June 10, 2020
The one or two liner prize you offer frankly my dear I don’t give a damn. May your god be with you, we shall not meet again
June 10, 2020
Is your Government going to be harder on people protecting British monuments rather than the people trying to destroy them ?
Your Government wasn’t given an 80 seat majority to facilitate a Communist uprising using BLM as cover.
June 10, 2020
Forgive my 2nd post today……my last for a few days probably.
However my thoughts turn to :-
The story Fahrenheit 451 revolves around the issue of book burning (could be anything the protest groups jump on) , but there is a deeper meaning to the book. Bradbury is warning that the monopolizing effect of social media will transform generations to come into a society with no genuine connections, no distinctive thoughts, and excessive reliance on technology.
June 10, 2020
Your site, your rules Sir John but to encourage compliance you need to apply those rules consistently and habitually.
Going off topic is quite useful so should not be excluded as long as it is short.
This site does make good reading, the day after each blog post when all contributions are released.
June 10, 2020
John
Save yourself some time by deleting immediately the toxic rantings from this website’s resident adolescent who targets the elderly persistently with his hate mail.
June 10, 2020
Dear Sir John,
We are so relieved to hear the Prime Miniser’s statement today regarding zoos and safari parks.
Thank you
June 10, 2020
JR
The reason might be partly that there is no comparable forum anywhere else, and I say that to your credit. I don’t know of any other MP who has the goodness to run a site like this and out of his own expense.
Consequently many of the contributions invite responses.
Your site is highly successful, and well managed.
However, slightly tangential to this topic but still relevant – quite a few of us are getting rather irritated by a certain poster’s obsession with posting hatred of pensioners. It really is uncivilised and I fail to grasp why you don’t just simply block the individual concerned.
If it was in a public audience outside, the guy would be persuaded to shut his mouth, quite honestly, considering the kind of extremism he comes out with.
Acknowledge and respect the fact that this is your site, JR, but that is my opinion.
Keep up the good work Sir.
June 11, 2020
I would rather be offended than proscribe freedom of speech, for that is what it entails. Others have paid a higher price and suffered harder burdens.
Be careful if what you wish for? There are many who would do this in order to build a totalitarian cultural revolution, where freedoms would mean nothing. Just look at the msm and political parties.
June 10, 2020
Can you comment on the lack of law and order in the UK at the moment?
Is this a failing of government?
June 10, 2020
Dear Sir John Redwood
Your wonderful online Diary is one that I find interesting, and which covers a wide range of knowledge about a whole range of factors social and economic that effect life in Britain today. You, Sir have been an MP for 33 years, I believe, and have picked up a huge wealth of experience on what the British Public want and expect from their political leaders and what is good for this country. May you long continue to be able to share those insights.
I know of no other Member of Parliament who runs an online blog and allows members of the Public to make contributions to it. It is truly a credit to you that you allow it. For those who post excessively and make criticisms you have the full right not to post them on your website; whether someone has their comments posted must be entirely at your discretion.
Of those posting criticisms about Policies that you support there are probably two categories of such people. Firstly there are those who seek to damage the credibility of policies that you support with the aim of undermining you and damaging the Conservative Party or Brexit cause. It is this first group that would consider making nasty allegations about Conservatives with the aim of harming the Party – you would do well to block them!
A second group who post criticisms will be those concerned at Policy mistakes by the Conservative Government, or who are concerned at the Leadership itself doing things that will prove harmful to the Party’s standing in the long-term. Such people will write long letters trying to persuade you to do something (or for you get your Conservative colleagues to do something) to make the Conservative Leadership change course and avoid doing harm to the Conservative/ Brexit cause. For example I myself, have written to you to urge you to get Boris Johnson to sack Dominic Cummings because I see that this could damage the Conservatives’ public standing in the longer term.
People in this second Group of Criticisers often write long, impassioned letters if they see the Conservatives making big blunders and are frustrated that they cannot fix it before irreparable harm is done. It is well within your right, Sir to delete such letters and I apologise myself if I have written too much for you to wade through in the past because you are a busy man! I do try to limit what I say to six paragraphs maximum.
However, Conservative people look and see Boris Johnson and his Government and realise that it is going to end in tears if the Government does not “Get A Grip” with the Corona Crisis. I am sure, Sir that you can understand that frustration as a back-bench Conservative MP yourself!
Kind Regards at this time
Ian Pennell
June 11, 2020
Good post.
June 10, 2020
I did my best once with a single word post (“fracking” when you asked why the US is thriving better than we are)
June 10, 2020
Sir John, the currently idle to September Vauxhall assembly plant at Ellesmere Port could be a fantastic site for Tesla instead of Germany with a ready and willing workforce, coverting the existing production line to Tesla’s. 😀 What do you think? Hope this is short enough..
June 11, 2020
“One poster now sends in so much I automatically delete everything apart from the occasional one or two liner”
I wasn’t going to comment… I hope our host realises that, because he doesn’t indicated who is flooding his site, those like me who have chosen to cut back on the number and size of comment are tarnished too.
Absence in no way proves guilt! 😮
June 11, 2020
Sir John, I simply would say that your diary, since finding it, has become a daily essential for me & I admire, respect & greatly value your articles and the readers contributions in what I consider to be a very civilised forum overall. I try to assure myself & live in hope that your colleagues, MPs & particularly members of our government actually also visit this site & read regularly & take in what is being said. Many thanks to you.
June 11, 2020
I post laconic distillations of wit and truth and yet I am generally not published.
June 11, 2020
Whether your posts, Newmania, are considered “laconic distillations of wit and truth” is a matter of opinion.
The fact that they are generally not published, is a clear indication that our host thinks that they are not !
June 11, 2020
Short post – please do something to get the meida to notice that human trafficking is happening now, today and those organising to pull down statues would be better ending the present day slave trade. Make history, don’t abolish it.
June 11, 2020
I have great sympathy and admiration for the time and effort it takes you to review and run your diary, Sir John, however, there is a certain lack of logic when one contributor in particular frequently sends in four or five submissions a day, almost all of which are quite long and you then approve them all for publication.
Sometimes a longer post is necessary to get a point across properly. ( I know that I am guilty of breaking my self-imposed 200-word limit quite often ). But, rather than insisting on shorter posts, why not impose a strict one-post-per-day-limit to each topic, plus an allowance for one or two short replies to other contributors ?
June 12, 2020
John, blanket accusations like this never work because we all think you’re talking about someone else. My contributions often get held in moderation for a long while I don’t care, most of the time I realise I’m venting my frustration as this is the only outlet I have now, I used to post on ConservativeHome but it went downhill when Montgomerie left (although his interference yesterday has annoyed me. If it’s me please let me know, just put a reply on one of my posts – enough for today thanks.