Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Reshuffle Fever Heightens, But It's Not the Fault of Bloggers

Those reshuffle rumours just keep on comin'. The latest is from Ben Brogan who tips IDS to replace Chris Grayling to shadow James Purnell at the DWP. I'd be in favour of that, but from what I know IDS would rather stick needles in his eyes than return to the front bench. However, David Cameron can be very persuasive and might well have the powers of persuasion needed to bring him back. We'll see.

On 8 January I warned
that reshuffle fever was threatening to get out of control and that David Cameron would be wise to nip it in the bud. If anything, the speculation has got worse and is on the verge of becoming damaging. Tim Montgomerie echoes this point today, and Ben Brogan demonstrates with a curious article about William Hague that any minor move is in danger of being over-interpreted.

However, for really taking the biscuit, I turn to Peter Riddell's column in today's Times. I am being interviewed by Peter later (along with Tim M) for a piece on this Saturday's Week in Westminster on the Tory reshuffle, so I shan't antagnise him too much in advance :), but for him to allege that blogs are doing the damaging speculation is quite astonishing...

The fevered debate about Mr Clarke on the blogosphere reflects a deeper Tory ailment: a neurotic short-termism fuelled by overinterpreting the latest events or polls. I am a fan of the Tory websites, which carry stories not reported elsewhere. But bloggers feed a frenetic mood that militates against long-term thinking. Another result has been a flood of statements and initiatives by party spokesmen.

Quite the reverse. Bloggers have written about the reshuffle AFTER it became a story in the MSM and not before. It is actually lobby journalists who have "fed the frenetic mood". One of them admitted to me that he only writes reshuffle stories because there is "bugger all else" happening on the political front. It is the Westminster lobby which "militates against long-term thinking" not the blogosphere. Westminster journalists mainly care about the here and now. They are interested in filling tomorrow's newspaper. Increasingly, longer term thinking is happening on many blogs (this one excluded!) and that's a good thing. In fact it's an aspect of blogging which few seem to acknowledge. While blogs are excellent avenues for reacting instantaneously to breaking news stories (see my instant take on Glen Roeder's sacking by Norwich HERE!), they are also now being used to throw out new ideas fly kites and gauge reactions.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

I just don't think that's true - at least not re: Clarke and ConservativeHome. They take EVERY opportunity to make a posting as to why Clarke entering shadow cabinet would be a bad thing.

I agree that yourself and Ben Brogan have been more reporting the stories. ConHome is giving an editorial which in itself gives a new "Tory split" story.

Armchair Sceptic said...

Iain, Paul: Pressure from bloggers has stopped politicians making fatal mistakes.

For example, the grassroots campaign for lower taxes emanates from the TPA, ably assisted by the conservative blogosphere.

The campaign to keep Clarke out of the shadow cabinet is critical. Without it, Cameron may make a mistake that WILL DENT THE TORY POLL LEAD.

Short-term bad press is better than a long-term strategic mistake. The blogs are often a lot more strategically-minded than frontbench politicians who may react to the headlines foolishly.

OBC News said...

DC is in the Sun talking about it; my heart sank when I read this (as summarised in the Telegraph):

"Mr Cameron also kept open the possibility of a return for Ken Clarke, the former Cabinet minister, by saying the Europe issue - which many belive would make it difficult for Mr Clarke to return - had been 'settled' in the Tory party."

Settled? Seriously Dave?

Oscar Miller said...

Peter Riddell has some nerve to say that Conservatives 'over-interpret' the polls. After months and months of being inundated with the 'Brown bounce' doctrine. No doubt it's sour grapes because of yesterday's 10-point lead. Just because the polls are turning suddenly they're 'over interpreted' by Conservatives. Is Riddle trying to tell us that Labour HQ don't live and breathe the polls?

Bill Brinsmead said...

As a break from feeding the pigs I look at Conservativehome. Pretty depressing stuff for a countryman.

Conservativehome is constantly promoting the cause of right wingers regardless of their merit. Theresa Villiers, Graham Brady, Liam Fox, Eric Pickles, Michael Fallon, John Redwood for instance, although they seem to have given up on Theresa.

At the same it constantly attacks the capable who don't follow its euro centric, Anglo centric authoritarian line; Theresa May, David Willetts, Ken Clarke, Baroness Warsi, Francis Maude.

Predictable and tiresome

Unknown said...

Look at LabourList or look at Kevin Maguire in the Mirror
--------------------------------

Yeah, Kevin and his three friends have managed a total of three whole posts this year.

Are they too lazy to get a work-experience student to do it even.