When I am busier than usual I will just delete posts with long paras of densely written material and or with links I do not recognise. I do not have time to word count or count multiple postings. It is quicker just to approve them if I can see immediately they do not make potentially false allegations about named people or institutions. I do not censor views from other political perspectives and allow plenty of criticisms of government. I do give myself the same protection as anyone else from personal abuse and the worst false allegations.
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November 26, 2022
Appreciate that, Sir John. I find it easier to post here than at Guido Fawkes and ConHome.
November 26, 2022
I believe ConHome “stealth moderates” people whose views it doesn’t like. It seems it has posted, but then it disappears on refresh. A number of people have said this on Guido.
In my view, the current editor is a remainer, anti-Boris, pro house-building… basically, a Lib Dem. I hoppe he’s gfone soon. I haven’t read the site for years now.
November 26, 2022
Ask for (charitable/education much needed for this dire Tory party?) contributions with a donate button and delegate the moderation to someone else perhaps? Keep up your good works if possible please.
Reply. no, I need to see the comments!
November 26, 2022
Some may prefer not to see the comments.
An ignore button is a useful feature on sites.
November 26, 2022
@LL; You totally miss understand why our host runs this site!
November 26, 2022
@ Jerry – Well he can still read them and have someone else to moderate them. So in what way do I totally misunderstand?
November 26, 2022
@LL; Read what our host said in reply to your original comment, I very much doubt our hosts choice of words was accidental, there is a distinct difference between “need” and “want”…
November 26, 2022
It’s a hobby for you Jerry
I wonder sometimes if you really believe what you argue.
November 26, 2022
There are some subjects/views that you do not publish and will not touch with a bargepole, e.g. ….. Islam.
Reply I do not know enough about Islam and this site does not do religion generally, also ignoring Buddhism, Hinduism, Chinese religions etc.
November 26, 2022
It is perhaps bad enough having to deal with the new religions of Climate Alarmism, that C02 is a devil gas, the woke lunacy, the idea that a huge tax borrow and piss down the drain state sector is a good plan for the economy,..
November 26, 2022
even vaccines, eh?
November 26, 2022
There are word counter sites free on the internet. I will start to use one, if you feel I need to cut further please tell me I don’t wish to burden you, I appreciate what you do for us and this Country.
November 26, 2022
Sir John
Your Blog = your rules. I, and I’m sure many other regular contributors, really appreciate the opportunity to communicate directly with a genuine Conservative MP (as well as each other).
Your blog is the Gold Standard of what is laughingly called “Representative Democracy” in the UK.
Thank you.
November 26, 2022
+ 1
November 26, 2022
Agree 100%. Is there any other Conservative MP?
November 26, 2022
Good, for when I am busier than usual (and often at other times too) I will just not read posts with long paras of densely written material (for It is rare enough that the effort is rewarded).
November 26, 2022
Your site, in a democratic morass, is a breath of fresh air.
Perhaps you could also ask people to stop posting the same diatribes over and over again.
November 26, 2022
monotribes
November 26, 2022
Idées fixes?
November 26, 2022
I am amazed that so many posts are accepted . They are often boring , too long and off topic .
November 26, 2022
+ Many
November 26, 2022
Shameful that you receive abuse given your generosity in sharing your views and inviting comments. Most of us are very grateful for all your efforts on our behalf.
November 26, 2022
@MPC +1
November 26, 2022
+10
November 26, 2022
+many (the previous + many accidentally went to the wrong reply)
November 26, 2022
Densely written?
Well, when it comes to density, how about this – Edwin Poots, who led the DUP for a month in 2021, wrote to the UK government in July last year saying that the proposed bill would mean farmers in Northern Ireland would be subject to the same subsidy rules as the rest of the UK, which he considers unacceptable.
So, when it comes to agricultural subsidies, he absolutely does want a border down the Irish Sea.
Think of an anagram of New Stoopid, if you will.
November 26, 2022
Maybe that’s why he only lasted a month NHL
November 26, 2022
A banal play on ‘dense’.
November 27, 2022
This is exactly the kind of off-topic comment which the blog would be better without. It adds noise, lowering the signal for those who wish to read, consider, and contribute to the post’s topic. The commentator should keep his powder dry for the next Northern Ireland post.
November 26, 2022
Word count is best done by copy/paste into a word processor app such as MS Office.
The word count immediately shows in the bottom bar. It’s easy via:
Ctrl + A (select all text in the post you’re measuring)
Ctrl + C (copy it to clipboard)
Ctrl + V (paste it into the Word app)
Read the no of words at the bottom, make decision.
Or… get better software that provides a hard llimit built-in.
November 26, 2022
Verbosity or lack of it are not a measure of quality. Most large organisations in the Uk now cut themselves off from communication by leaving it to their mindless computers. It leaves the market open to anyone with a brain.
November 27, 2022
Not sure why that was a reply to me since I agree with what you said and I can find nothing in what I said to suggest otherwise.
I was only suggesting a way to get a word count, not commenting on whether it’s a good idea. In the other thread on this I also pointed out that short posts can add nothing to a debate while some subjects need to be discussed at length (I gave IR35 as an example).
November 26, 2022
Quite right, too. Like the rest of us, you have a life to lead – and you are very generous in how you lead it for the benefit of the nation.
November 26, 2022
How you can fawn so over a party which – like Trump in the US – have utterly demeaned the highest offices of state in the country is quite beyond me.
November 26, 2022
A sexual act in the the Oval office under a Democrat leader was the ultimate debasement of office, yet the BBC was all over for Trump for alleged locker room talk when he was younger.
I don’t recall much in the way of a Saigon style catastrophe, European war or the world being on the nuclear precipice under Trump. Trump is was happens when conservatism is effectively outlawed by the incumbents in a nation’s institutions.
Even Sir John is dismissed as ‘far right’ and given that this lumps him in with loons who tape fireworks to bottles of petrol it is patently clear that such as the BBC mean to marginalise mainstream politicians expressing mainstream opinions.
——
Thank you, Sir John, this blog and for posting some pretty strong stuff from me. I don’t mean to hurt your feelings but simply mean to point out that I think the Conservative party itself is beyond healing.
November 26, 2022
The only value to you as a politician is the receipt of comment that indicates what the electorate thinks of current government policy and actions. Dependent on the complexity of the subject, the length of the response may vary, as does your submission. Your stated policy of forget the quality but feel the width will not be found very enlightening.
If this diary becomes the home of one liners and sycophants then what is its value as a thermometer of thinking in the run up to 2024.
Reply No danger of that. Just don’t overdo it, especially on very busy days
November 26, 2022
Roger Wilco
November 26, 2022
Affirmative, Understood, Confirmed… NEVER “Roger” and please respect the Wilco since he’s only just passed away.
; )
November 26, 2022
For clarity of understanding:-
Roger Have understood
Wilco Will comply
Its a bit of old abreviation for clarity that has hung on after the WW2 abbreviations and alphabet have long been replaced.
November 26, 2022
Never EVER used in the emergency services and I was a member.
November 26, 2022
living in the 1940s?
November 26, 2022
An emergency service that never left the ground perchance, and yes it came from the 40s era. Romeo Whisky came much later.
November 26, 2022
At least you have an advantage being able to see the email of any abusers.Although I can’t understand why anyone should be so rough.
November 26, 2022
There’s a very curious comment piece on the DT website this evening by Daniel Hannan. It’s essentially a statement of regret that Brexit didn’t result in the country joining EFTA. This seems very out of character for someone who has spent the past six years agitating for the most complete disengagement from Europe. Might anyone be able to explain this sudden change of heart? I doubt if this will endear him to the Leavers.
November 27, 2022
Hannan was advocating for EFTA both pre and post-Brexit Referendum.
He’s a plastic Brexiteer and I expect he’s flying a kite on behalf of the WetCON’s who “want a closer relationship with the EU.”
November 27, 2022
Sometimes brevity doesn’t work, especially if the subject is complex and controversial – for example AGW and alternative explanations for warming such as ocean pollution.
JF
How did I do? Cun? ( See The Crab that Played with the Sea.)
November 27, 2022
I understand and appreciate your position but your choice of who to wipe out is rather selective.
My medium length post in “Too many People” has not appeared but I noticed that our old friend Lifelogic was allowed no less than six posts in that one long thread. In total these six were at least three times as long as my one !
This favoured contributor has even posted three out of the total of forty five in this thread !