political commentator * author * publisher * bookseller * radio presenter * blogger * Conservative candidate * former lobbyist * Jack Russell owner * West Ham United fanatic * Email iain AT iaindale DOT com
Monday, January 12, 2009
Review of LabourList
I have written a review of LabourList for CommentIsFree HERE.
I've just been wandering around labourlist and it is truly pants. The layout is appalling, hard to read or navigate and resembles a Private Eye parody of moderation.
What on earth is Mr Draper thinking of ? Clearly the trolls are out in force but I suspect they will continue to monster this site relentlessley .
Shame as it'd be interesting to read the otherside of the argument. Perhaps Mr Draper should read Cluetrain?
I agree with Dr Snuggles... (imagine saying that in the real world).
It does indeed look, feel and read like Party press work, I can't see it becoming a platform for open discussion, because - let's face it - there's so many routes of attack against Labour over the last 11 years, they're going to be swamped with pro-country, anti-war, pro-green, anti-stealth tax, anti-sleaze voices - and we all know how other Labour sites have turned their backs on anyone that seems to hold any of those views.
Draper will have exactly the problem that Polly Toynbee and Jackie Ashley have on CiF: the comments on LabourList will be better - more coherent, more knowledgeable and more entertaining - than the editorial content. And it will be unremittingly hostile to Labour.
All Draper is doing is providing yet another platform for the vast and growing army of people who hate New Labour to vent their justified spleen.
It looks like it's been designed to appeal to the payroll vote of public sector workers - ie those who have enough time on their hands at work to be able to wade through the sheer mind boggling shit design just to get a sense of WTF is being written by commenters.
I thought I would have another look at LabourList to see if it was getting any more interesting. It's really pretty dreary.
All I can see is exclusion, alienation, control freakery, and a desperate desire to be 'modern'.
What's with the 'troll' paranoia? It doesn't make any sense to me. For example I am not a Tory. No way. Never have been. Does that mean because I post on Iain Dale or Dizzy Thinks that I am technically 'a troll'? I don't think so. I often disagree with Iain and Dizzy but they always have the good grace to interact in an inclusive manner.
Perhaps that is why Tory blogs are usually interesting and Labour blogs are generally boring. I've never even looked at a LibDem blog - although they might be getting a protest vote from me in the next general election.
I think Derek Draper should stop being so negative and try to listen to alternative points of view. Perhaps that is what is wrong with the Labour Party at the moment. They simply don't listen.
10 comments:
Interesting that he seems to have retained the services of the truly delightful Schillings as legal advisors. Expecting trouble do you think?
He's gone moderation crazy, too.
Paranoia?
It looks and reads like an official Labour Party website, a shining example of the Stalinist command and control mindset which typifies New Labour.
I've just been wandering around labourlist and it is truly pants. The layout is appalling, hard to read or navigate and resembles a Private Eye parody of moderation.
What on earth is Mr Draper thinking of ? Clearly the trolls are out in force but I suspect they will continue to monster this site relentlessley .
Shame as it'd be interesting to read the otherside of the argument. Perhaps Mr Draper should read Cluetrain?
I agree with Dr Snuggles... (imagine saying that in the real world).
It does indeed look, feel and read like Party press work, I can't see it becoming a platform for open discussion, because - let's face it - there's so many routes of attack against Labour over the last 11 years, they're going to be swamped with pro-country, anti-war, pro-green, anti-stealth tax, anti-sleaze voices - and we all know how other Labour sites have turned their backs on anyone that seems to hold any of those views.
Excellent article. The fact that LabourList is run by Brown's Clowns makes it abundantly clear how the site is going to be used.
Draper will have exactly the problem that Polly Toynbee and Jackie Ashley have on CiF: the comments on LabourList will be better - more coherent, more knowledgeable and more entertaining - than the editorial content. And it will be unremittingly hostile to Labour.
All Draper is doing is providing yet another platform for the vast and growing army of people who hate New Labour to vent their justified spleen.
Iain, you are too charitable for words.
It looks like it's been designed to appeal to the payroll vote of public sector workers - ie those who have enough time on their hands at work to be able to wade through the sheer mind boggling shit design just to get a sense of WTF is being written by commenters.
I wonder how much it cost us?
I thought I would have another look at LabourList to see if it was getting any more interesting. It's really pretty dreary.
All I can see is exclusion, alienation, control freakery, and a desperate desire to be 'modern'.
What's with the 'troll' paranoia? It doesn't make any sense to me. For example I am not a Tory. No way. Never have been. Does that mean because I post on Iain Dale or Dizzy Thinks that I am technically 'a troll'? I don't think so. I often disagree with Iain and Dizzy but they always have the good grace to interact in an inclusive manner.
Perhaps that is why Tory blogs are usually interesting and Labour blogs are generally boring. I've never even looked at a LibDem blog - although they might be getting a protest vote from me in the next general election.
I think Derek Draper should stop being so negative and try to listen to alternative points of view. Perhaps that is what is wrong with the Labour Party at the moment. They simply don't listen.
Post a Comment