tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post3344184546250590728..comments2024-03-04T17:54:32.559+00:00Comments on Iain Dale's Diary: The Top 500 Political Blogs in the UK - Voted for By YouIain Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-7202021029505552232010-08-25T16:13:09.530+01:002010-08-25T16:13:09.530+01:00I think that the coalition will come under serious...I think that the coalition will come under serious strain after the autumn spending review, and particularly now as the IFS have deemed the emergency budget to be unfair and regressive<br /><br /><br /><br />Check out my satrical political / current affairs blog at:<br /><br /><br /><br />www.two-musketeers.blogspot.comCouple of guyshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09028946275431219730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-62841069663451305802009-07-20T22:50:08.819+01:002009-07-20T22:50:08.819+01:00You can find the best of these blogs organised as ...You can find the best of these blogs organised as news channels, just like TV channels, on <a href="http://www.triplacc.com/politics" rel="nofollow"><b>THIS SITE.</b></a><br /><br />The site presents the top blogs in the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia all organised according to the different countries. Blogs galore!Dicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-72955849313300238672008-06-21T00:21:00.000+01:002008-06-21T00:21:00.000+01:00THIS ARRIVED IN MY INBOX THIS EVENING FROM ZIMBABW...THIS ARRIVED IN MY INBOX THIS EVENING FROM ZIMBABWE. THE CONTENTS ARE TRULY SCARY. THESE ARE RELATIVES OF MINE - I CAN VOUCH FOR THEIR HONESTY AND SINCERITY. THIS IS A DESPERATE CRY FOR HELP. <BR/><BR/>PLEASE HELP IT TO REACH THE EYES AND EARS OF EVERYONE IN AUTHORITY WHO IS ABLE TO EXERT PRESSURE TO RELIEVE THIS SITUATION BEFORE A CATASTROPHE OF DESPERATE PROPORTION OCCURS.<BR/><BR/>THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP AND CARE.<BR/><BR/>Subject: Mount Carmel farm - a weekend at home in Zimbabwe...<BR/> <BR/>Please pass this along - perhaps it might reach someone in government who<BR/>could find a conscience and be persuaded to sit up and do something<BR/>honourable for a change and denouce Mugabe once and for all. (I received<BR/>this via a school friend in the US who still has many friends in Zimbabwe -<BR/>as do many of us.)<BR/>Heather<BR/> <BR/>.... and this a week prior to the "free and fair elections"<BR/> <BR/>Mount Carmel farm - a weekend at home in Zimbabwe...<BR/>Sent: 16 June 2008 14:40<BR/> <BR/>Dear all,<BR/>It has been quite a weekend.<BR/>We were made very aware of impending problems on our Mount Carmel farm<BR/>before it even started. Various letters came in as well as verbal warnings<BR/>from concerned people all over the district. People were told that Mt.<BR/>Carmel cattle and potatoes would be dished out to them. The election<BR/>campaign is being fought on "one hundred percent empowerment"<BR/>ie. taking everything that belongs to people who are not black and giving<BR/>it to Party faithfulls. The Party has got nothing else to offer the<BR/>people... People were told if they did not come they would be beaten.<BR/>President Mugabe arrived in our little town of Chegutu that afternoon and<BR/>people were only informed that morning.<BR/>Everyone had to suddenly go to his rally whether they wanted to or not. He<BR/>apparently told the people that if the opposition got in it would be war.<BR/>The unexpected Presidential rally must have thrown the organisation for the<BR/>Mount Carmel "programme" [as it was referred to in a letter from one of the<BR/>organisors].<BR/>That evening we only ended up with about 500 of the expected 1500 people<BR/>that were to come. They were bussed in from all over on tractor trailors,<BR/>lorries, car and busses. We even had one bus from Shamva hundreds of kms<BR/>away. The drums and chanting started soon after dark. Nearly fifty fires<BR/>were lit all around. The leaders were waving guns around and had everyone<BR/>doing their bidding. The chanting and sloganeering was military style - all<BR/>in unison for hour after hour after hour all the way through the night. We<BR/>could not sleep.<BR/>When dawn broke and the birds started to call the chanting broke into a<BR/>noise that sounded like a terrible swarm of bees on the rampage. We knew<BR/>that the beating had then started and we prayed. It turned out that anyone<BR/>who they believed had been polling agents at polling stations was covered<BR/>in cold water. We had frost that morning and it was cold.<BR/>They were then told to beat each other with sticks while the crowd egged<BR/>them on. The noise went on for a few hours. Some of them had already run<BR/>away. Those people will not vote; still less be polling agents in the next<BR/>election because you have to vote in your own ward I understand and they<BR/>are designating which polling station too so that they can check who you<BR/>voted for.<BR/>They had been searched for any cell phones so that they not relay any<BR/>atrocities on to anyone. They were told that they would be killed if<BR/>information leaked out. Everyone is tight lipped about what went on. Today<BR/>they go through the day mechanically with terror written all over them. A<BR/>neighbor, Marius Erasmus, drove past on the main road and was<BR/>stopped at a road block that they had set up on our road. He managed to get<BR/>through that but at the next one they put burning logs on his bonnet and<BR/>tried to get into the car. A couple of hundred people came out from the<BR/>packshed where the indoctrination was taking place. He managed to reverse<BR/>and turn around and get through the other road block taking some rocks on<BR/>his windscreen and other places on the car.<BR/>Meantime Bruce [Lauras brother] had been at the Chegutu police station<BR/>trying to get police out. We had been there on five occasions the previous<BR/>week trying to tell Chief Inspector Gunyani and Inspector Manyota and<BR/>Assistant Inspector Bupera of what was to take place. We had given two<BR/>letters for the attention of the officer in charge, Chief Inspector<BR/>Gunyani. Bruce waited for six hours at the police station but could not get<BR/>a reaction to stop the beating and dismantle the road blocks. He saw Chief<BR/>Inspector Gunyani, Inspector Manyota and Assistant Inspector Bupera amongst<BR/>others. It is clear that they are under orders not to react.<BR/>Our electricity went down and both cell phone networks also ceased to<BR/>operate. We were left with no communications and our way out onto the main<BR/>road was sealed off by a road block. We prayed and read psalm 118.<BR/>Bruce eventually decided to come out himself. Miraculously, just before he<BR/>arrived, the road blocks were dismantled and everyone disappeared. Shortly<BR/>after the guards came to tell us of thieves in the maize - about 30 people<BR/>were just helping themselves. We caught some of them and chased them off<BR/>and recovered their booty.<BR/>That evening we got a call from Nettie Rogers who was very badly beaten up<BR/>with her husband six weeks ago by Gilbert Moyo and his gang. They had also<BR/>had everything from their house and workshops stolen in that raid including<BR/>even their clothes. Gilbert Moyo was taken into custody by police but was<BR/>then let out again as a hit man. He "hit" Billy and Nova Nicholson in the<BR/>area a few nights ago and they had half an hour to get out of their home and<BR/>off their farm or end up the same way as Bruce and Nettie had. We do not<BR/>know what has been looted there yet.<BR/>Bruce and Nettie were staying in a cottage on another farm when Gilbert Moyo<BR/>arrived with thirty people and said he was taking the farm for Senator<BR/>Madzongwe. They managed to get to the main homestead with the Etheredge<BR/>brothers while I went to police with Dirk Visagie.<BR/>We spent an hour at the police station but they refused to react as it was<BR/>an "issue of land." I told them that disposession of ones home and assault<BR/>of ones workers were matters that were important for them to deal with; but<BR/>after Bruces six hours fruitless wait for a reaction that morning I knew we<BR/>were wasting our time; and so we eventually proceeded to Stockdale to give<BR/>whatever support we could.<BR/>As it happened an army Major by the name of Indora spoke to Gilbert Moyo<BR/>and the Etheredges and Bruce Rogers eventually ended up transporting Moyo<BR/>and his gang back to their base 20 km away on Ranwick farm in the early<BR/>hours of the morning as the "hit" had not got official sanction. They got to<BR/>a road block of 50 ZANU people on the main Concession Hill road but they<BR/>were allowed through and back without incident.<BR/>Such road blocks are now common at night to stop observors and anyone from<BR/>"outside" getting to any pungwes and seeing the atrocities that are taking<BR/>place. A friends worker went to their rural area near to the Nyamapanda<BR/>border post to see his elderly mother last month. In these areas any<BR/>movement needs official sanction from the Party and written ZANU permits are<BR/>even required to visit the next ward in many places. I have seen such<BR/>permits.<BR/>The friends worker was stopped at a road block and had to wait 2 days to get<BR/>someone to vouch for him. During that time 4 people who had not got anyone<BR/>to vouch for them were asked if they wore long sleeves or short sleeves. The<BR/>first replied "short sleeves". They cut his right arm off at the top with an<BR/>axe. The other three replied "long sleeves". They cut each of their right<BR/>hands off. He said that he saw the hands wriggling on the ground detatched<BR/>from their owners. Those hands can not vote any more. I have heard of many<BR/>other hands like that.<BR/>It seemed macabre that Bruce who was so badly assaulted by Moyo 6 weeks ago<BR/>was taking him back to "his" home scott free. Presumably all Bruces worldly<BR/>possessions are now in that place that they took him to. Nettie asked Bruce<BR/>to look out for their dog which also disappeared on the 6 May; but they most<BR/>probably killed it. Bruce saw no evidence of it.<BR/>There appears to be no sign of any SADC observors out here. A friend said<BR/>he had seen some sipping drinks and reading the newspapers in the Meikles<BR/>hotel in Harare over the weekend. Voter registration goes on even now.<BR/>The old people at Greenways Old Peoples home say they are now off the voters<BR/>role but the ones that are dead are still on...<BR/>Meanwhile the atrocities go on at the all night pungwes and the people<BR/>tremble with fear. I read that the observors are officially not allowed out<BR/>after dark because their safety can not be guaranteed. They need to defy<BR/>that and get out and see with their own eyes these things if they care at<BR/>all.<BR/>We ask you to pray and send brave people and peace keepers to stop the<BR/>atrocities before they get even worse. Maybe I write this in vain; but I<BR/>write this crying.<BR/>With love in Christ who is our Saviour whatever happens,<BR/>Ben.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-39121592825813870572008-02-23T17:51:00.000+00:002008-02-23T17:51:00.000+00:00So where the fuck is Rouge Gunner?So where the fuck is Rouge Gunner?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-22705561878668147882007-10-16T03:50:00.000+01:002007-10-16T03:50:00.000+01:00Not surprising I get down to 256 or something on a...Not surprising I get down to 256 or something on a blog url that hasn't been posted to for eleven months now - I wonder who still uses that link and has missed out on a whole year of scintillating content!Jock Coatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15550558005508328017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-66279671507726312652007-10-02T00:40:00.000+01:002007-10-02T00:40:00.000+01:00Er, because Times Comment Central is a blog and Co...Er, because Times Comment Central is a blog and CommentIsFree isn't. In any case, it didn't get many votes.Iain Dalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-68822451946995530952007-10-02T00:33:00.000+01:002007-10-02T00:33:00.000+01:00How come Times Comment Central is in but not Guard...How come Times Comment Central is in but not Guardian Comment is Free?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-43554853615899469972007-10-01T20:02:00.000+01:002007-10-01T20:02:00.000+01:00A rather right wing view of UK Blogs I think!206 L...A rather right wing view of UK Blogs I think!<BR/><BR/>206 Lenin's Tomb - I cant believe it! Anyone who who is Socialist and interested in UK Blogs would place Lenin's Tomb in their top 20.<BR/><BR/>And my own Blog - the Respect Supporters Blog (posting daily for the last three years)not even in the top 300 yet in the top 20-30 best Blogs list on the Socialist Unity site best Blogs list.<BR/><BR/>I think a more balanced view on UK Blogs is required and there are many great 'left of New Labour' Blogs not even mentioned in your top 300 or were even considered I have no doubt.<BR/><BR/>Neil Williams<BR/>Respect Supporters Blog<BR/>http://respectuk.blogspot.com/Neil Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07717904547789171315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-4812711127015898362007-10-01T15:02:00.000+01:002007-10-01T15:02:00.000+01:00An SPGBer in at 299!As it should be.An SPGBer in at 299!<BR/><BR/>As it should be.Imposs1904https://www.blogger.com/profile/04043116442576404667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-64798745933668593972007-09-30T13:07:00.000+01:002007-09-30T13:07:00.000+01:00Chuffed to bits that my blog did so well. Lots of ...Chuffed to bits that my blog did so well. Lots of people seem to read it and many LibDems nervously email me info rather than add comments.<BR/><BR/>Couldn't give a stuff about whether I'm a member or not. Or the digs from little boys trying to score points. Seen several of late.<BR/><BR/>Given the choice it was my blog, which I refused to give up. For what? To be a goody two shoes under the party control freakism. To take down posts with are embarrassing - NEVER. Do as you are told and shut up - not my nature. Most people don't know the real truth and keep speculating. I've still got my resignation letter to prove it. Maybe it is time to publish it. Would make waves. If you are somebody in the party you can’t resign with dignity they try and wripe the floor with you to show you who is the boss. <BR/><BR/>Why many LibDems don't like to hear mention of my blog is because for years I was so intertwined with the party at the highest level even helping a HQ so I know who is who, the way they think and operate and the campaigning methods. I'm not somebody who lives in the sticks just reading what is going on.<BR/><BR/>They are just scared of what I might say and try to put a lid on it. There are some real dipsticks in the party who are living in cuckoo-land.<BR/><BR/>I've remained in the greater family as a supporter up to now even canvassing and delivering leaflets but if the political climate radically changes I may change my mind. I'm not wasting my vote. Nobody wants to back losers.<BR/><BR/>Noticed so many blogs are classified according to who they support and not if they are party members. <BR/><BR/>So thank you Iain keep me under the LibDem umbrella for NOWAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-56437587213334536192007-09-29T20:56:00.000+01:002007-09-29T20:56:00.000+01:00Are the raw voting figures available? How many vot...Are the raw voting figures available? How many votes were cast for each blogger? You received 60% more votes than somebody else but 60% of what? How many votes did it require to get in at number 500 or 400 or 300?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-36171131184660197432007-09-29T20:04:00.000+01:002007-09-29T20:04:00.000+01:00Thanks Iain, and thanks to those who voted for me....Thanks Iain, and thanks to those who voted for me. I'm chuffed to get such a great place after only 10 months of blogging. Next year the world....Daily Referendumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00899003349232334603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-89473726499338336002007-09-29T19:03:00.000+01:002007-09-29T19:03:00.000+01:00I can't stand the suspense Iain, am I anywhere in ...I can't stand the suspense Iain, am I anywhere in positions 301-500 in the Top 500 or just number 90 in the Right of Centre list? <BR/><BR/>I do like your football team analogy; my football team is in fact almost as lowly as position 90...Not a sheephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14123293202225008273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-11196634071224425952007-09-29T17:58:00.000+01:002007-09-29T17:58:00.000+01:00Amused to see myself compared to Newcastle United ...Amused to see myself compared to Newcastle United FC, the only football club that I have ever supported (albeit in the most desultory way)...<BR/><BR/>DK<BR/><BR/>P.S. I can't believe that there's a Tonbridge blog...Devil's Kitchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13832949569501846730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-43522452383390363192007-09-29T17:39:00.000+01:002007-09-29T17:39:00.000+01:00Pleased to say that "Independence Cymru"(http://al...Pleased to say that "Independence Cymru"<BR/>(http://alanindyfed.blogspot.com/) is not rated or included in the British Blog ratings.<BR/>We are purely a Welsh blog and do not recognise a British anything.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16258854366964329334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-9600017995201020752007-09-29T16:46:00.000+01:002007-09-29T16:46:00.000+01:00Christ! I didn't think I'd make the 500, let alone...Christ! I didn't think I'd make the 500, let alone reach 271.<BR/><BR/>Small potatoes, but nice potatoes nonetheless.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-63987451063826594732007-09-29T16:45:00.000+01:002007-09-29T16:45:00.000+01:00Damn and blast the url chopper off-er.On my name.Damn and blast the url chopper off-er.<BR/><BR/>On my name.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-59715541397321877062007-09-29T16:44:00.000+01:002007-09-29T16:44:00.000+01:00Order your buttons here:http://www.poliblogs.co.uk...Order your buttons here:<BR/><BR/>http://www.poliblogs.co.uk/blog/2007/09/buttons-for-blogs-in-iain-dales-top-100/Matt Wardmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04326720801362744582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-60537051741490902262007-09-29T16:43:00.000+01:002007-09-29T16:43:00.000+01:00>Im suprised you managed to hold out to put 300+ i...>Im suprised you managed to hold out to put 300+ individual hyperlinks up<BR/><BR/>Excel, my friend.Matt Wardmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04326720801362744582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-33930988624339175102007-09-29T16:10:00.000+01:002007-09-29T16:10:00.000+01:00But you still haven't linked to my blog!But you still haven't linked to my blog!bethanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03863774794319689089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-51159362140440292572007-09-29T14:06:00.000+01:002007-09-29T14:06:00.000+01:00Chuffed of course, personally but can't understand...Chuffed of course, personally but can't understand Flying Rodent being so low down. Clearly one must not be tongue in cheek.James Highamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14525082702330365464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-50092155433259793072007-09-29T14:00:00.000+01:002007-09-29T14:00:00.000+01:00Delighted by my showing in 281st place. Now can an...Delighted by my showing in 281st place. Now can anybody better my drop of 230+ places from last year?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-24162920778501279092007-09-29T13:27:00.000+01:002007-09-29T13:27:00.000+01:00183rdGet in there!183rd<BR/><BR/>Get in there!Jeremy Jacobshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02014279463894807064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-65352448950663407052007-09-29T13:15:00.000+01:002007-09-29T13:15:00.000+01:00216th out of 500!YEAH!!!P.S. the web address chang...216th out of 500!<BR/><BR/>YEAH!!!<BR/><BR/>P.S. the web address changed some months ago to http://conservativemindblog.blogspot.comSir-C4'https://www.blogger.com/profile/03917709983378003032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-10751813644443610702007-09-29T13:14:00.000+01:002007-09-29T13:14:00.000+01:00Thanks for the top 300.. it gives me a good little...Thanks for the top 300.. it gives me a good little bit of reading to do.<BR/><BR/>grrr for not putting the other 200 on...<BR/><BR/>Im suprised you managed to hold out to put 300+ individual hyperlinks up, and am glad you have done so.Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13436610374515422703noreply@blogger.com