Here in Brighton the local politicos follow various online informational sources, which includes the nomenclaturally challenged http://brightonpoliticsblogger.wordpress.com/. Okay, maybe I’m being harsh. It does wot it says on the tin. Inside the tin, this anonymous blogger seems to have some pretty good sources Brighton & Hove. Certainly s/he’s got a regular feed from high up inside both the local Labour party and the local Green party. That’s not to say that s/he’s all that supportive of the Greens. After all, why complain that the excellent Amy Kennedy wasn’t going to stand in these elections in Preston Park after the public announcement of her candidature was made. That was naughty. I caught that one.
BPB Scared Of His Reflection
I’m not keen on anonymous bloggers. Perhaps there is an argument for journalists being able to obtain information from clandestine sources but, c’mon, there’s nothing nefarious about our local politic scene is there? We wear our colours on sleeves down here. Brighton Politics Blogger presents a vaguely leftish dialogue, mainly through its commentators on the local political scene but also a sophisticated support for the Labour Party. It gets to say what the Labour Party officials cannot. It gets to praise the Greens. Surely its author could still do that without anonymity? Is the Labour Party’s domestic courage now so weak that open debate guarantees ejection? I remember the days when Labour Weekly would carry pages and pages of open debate. Those times are gone and that once proud democrative movement is reduced to salvaging some edges by means of an anonymous writer, one step up from a graffiti artist. The only justification for anonymity is fear of retribution.
Not for much longer though. The Greens now know the identity of this local mischief maker. There’ll be “an outing” soon after the election. Would have done it before, had it been my decision. Then again, I’m not hiding behind the anonymous mask. So here’s a friendly poke, from one blogger to another: do yourself a favour and out yourself first… … if you’re one of us, if you’re connected locally, your postings will still be keenly followed. Obviously you’re not a phone tapping scumbag journalist of the Daily Mail persuasion. You’ve cut a good groove. Time to name it. Bit like the matter of the local Labour candidates who don’t really live here (and have just used a Labour member’s address, which they are not officially registered at), being known is better than being shown. The clock ticks…
