There have been something like 400 comments on this blog in the last two and a bit days. As I write 20 more are waiting to be read.
In between that I have spoken at a meeting in London, spent many hours at work at City University, written several thousand words of the new book, worked on a chapter for another, and more. I even cooked at least one meal, talked to my family, dealt with some issues to do with a school trip, and slept a bit. This blog is not my whole life. It is not my main job. It is something that fits in.
I appreciate the comments this blog gets. I never expected to create a vibrant community of comment but it seems that by accident I have. 400 comments is though, given the length of some, quite a lot to read, especially when 99% got on: I have deleted almost nothing. I would be astonished if it has been less than 10,000 words given the passion and length some have written at.
Might I make a gentle plea then? Please do comment, including resp0nses. But if you have commented twice on an issue can you consider whether you need to again? Ask yourself in that case, are you still really adding to debate?
If so, well I will read it. But might you give me a chance? I have a book to finish, supposedly by tomorrow (it won't happen, but I am more than two thirds of the way there and only began in mid May). My editor is understanding but to get this out in November I have to crack on, and much as it is tempting few of you are offering words I can copy and paste so I need some time to myself as well as here.
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Talking about moderated comments, I found Cameron’s outburst against Corbyn during PMQ’s very interesting. Bearing in mind the PM’s comments are heavily pre-scripted and not at all impromptu, this should be considered very carefully for what it says about the real Tory fears of Corbyn and more importantly what he stands for.
“It might be in my party’s interests for him to sit there, but it is not in the national interests. For heaven’s sake man, go.”
Interestingly the Torygraph rag, wrote it differently:
“It might be in my party’s interests for him to sit there, but it is not in our country’s interests. For heaven’s sake man, go.”
I wonder why they chose to change national interests to country’s interests – those are very different things in my view and a deliberate mis quote of what he actually said if you watch the recording.
So who’s “national interests” is it going to be better for if Corbyn stands down? I know what I think and it certainly is not mine!
And another of his little snipes at Corbyn today was that he didn’t try hard enough to or “put his back into it” during the referendum.
Now call me stupid but when 63% of Labour voters chose Remain and followed Corbyn, while only 42% of Tory voters backed the PM, that sounds like just another Cameron porky pie to me!
He really does want Corbyn to take the blame for the referendum, see him ejected from the leadership, and leave the Tories to sail off into the sunset with a Tory-lite (and lightweight) opposition posing no threat to the economic and political establishment of this country (even if they got elected).
http://lordashcroftpolls.com/2016/06/how-the-united-kingdom-voted-and-why/
These data tell us very little, because Labour was always going to be far more pro-Remain than the Tories.
What you ought to be thinking about is how much each party leader swayed his own voters.
So, do you think Corbyn could not have done any more to push his voters? Bear this far more relevant statistic in mind: almost half of Labour voters didn’t know what the party line was in the days leading up to the referendum. That is a much better way of seeing the impact Corbyn had than simply looking at the Labour Remain percentage. And it shows he clearly didn’t get the message out. Whether that was deliberate or just incompetence is another matter, bit the key is that Corbyn failed to even communicate his party’s position to the country.
“What you ought to be thinking about is how much each party leader swayed his own voters.”
I don’t see why this should be more relevant either. The referendum was not a party political issue, and the media coverage of the so-called debate concentrated on Cameron on the one side, and Farage and Boris on the other, with Alan Johnson, the Labour campaign leader barely getting a mention.
People were fed such a load of ******** by both sides that they stopped listening to reason, or never even started, and went with their gut feelings. Anger, frustration, two fingers up to the establishment.
And what about the rest of labour’s remain campaign team John Appleseed? What did they do to make their supporters aware of labour’s position? The focus on Corbyn ignores the bigger picture which is what some people seem to want to ignore for their own political gain in my view. The whole PLP is a complete shambles and have brought this situation entirely upon themselves while trying to use Corbyn as the scapegoat for their collective failure in my opinion.
Great effort Richard, marking all those student essays and the posters here as well!
Take your time, but perhaps be brave and just allow comments to post without moderation. You can tidy up the spam and neo-liberal junk later as it will stand out, let your community of followers help by highlighting those to be deleted. If you are allowing 99% through then surely a more efficient method. Spread the load so you can concentrate on the more important!
I would support Dr. Keith’s suggestion. Especially when one takes into account that once a spammer, however you define that, has been labeled by you, then future comments from that source will automatically be canned.
An alternative is that you nominate a trusted person to share the ‘admin’ duties specifically to handle that aspect for you.
Hope this helps? (Assuming you approve the comment! 😉 )
I will consider it…..
Yes, do consider it. While your cause is noble, don’t let the family suffer from all this work. Don’t moderate all this rubbish when the wife and kids should be the focus of your attention.
They are pretty used to my dual tasking
I can type fairly well and hold a conversation at the same time
I try not to do it
As ever Richard I remain in awe of all you manage to achieve in a day (the very same day during which I, for one, achieve rather less!)
I’m sure you’re far from being stuck for material at the moment but in amongst the CiF in the Graun you’ll find many suggesting that the ‘no confidence’ move in respect of Corbyn is far from being an impromptu thing following the Out vote, but rather is a coup…long planned and hastily executed.
The link below has provoked predictable cries of ‘Paranoia!’ from one or two but does seem to have rather a lot of what to the casual reader might pass for evidence in it (rather than suggestion and speculation). Comments abound too in respect of the role of Laura Kuenssberg as a conduit for ‘papers’ and off-the-record briefings.
http://www.thecanary.co/2016/06/28/truth-behind-labour-coup-really-began-manufactured-exclusive/
IF this might be a coup (and regardless of whether or not the BBC’s senior correspondent is involved in it) I wonder if that affects your view of whether it’s time for Corbyn to go, or whether (with a long awaited report days from publication) he ought at least be given the benefit of the doubt?
If you mapped who I know in Westminster and the media I am pretty sure you could have a scandal monger working in minutes
It is a small place where hundreds of people know hundreds of people
It could be as you say….and not
And yes, Laura Kuenssberg and I know each other. For the record
I can only reiterate what others have already said. Tax Research UK is a unique blog-site due to your commitment, energy and breadth of knowledge relating to all matters political and economic. Your interaction with and forbearance regarding contributors is extraordinary. In that sense you are a ‘victim’ of your own success. I pray you will find a sustainable way to maintain all your interests both personal & professional. Thanks. Your country needs you!
I have disagreed with you about Corbyn Richard but I think those who have labelled you as a ‘Blairite’, ‘neo-liberal’ etc., have gone a bit too far and that has been unnecessary because it is simply not true.
Unlike tax and ‘proper economics’ – the likes of which gets explored on this blog in depth, politics is marred by a lot more subjectivity and feeling.
Party politics – the internal politics of political parties – is even more intense and in my view best left alone unless one wishes to be a politician. Getting involved in it will always generate heart felt responses.
Contemporary politics is in crises because people feel let down by it and have become over-sensitive when they see machinations being made by a bunch of people who are meant to represent them but seem to forget this after they get elected and seemingly do what they want instead.
I include my self in this last observation.
Richard.
I know we have had a couple of differences of opinion over the last couple of days. Like him or loathe him, you can’t deny that Corbyn has backbone. The PLP and the media have seriously messed up.
This is where we differ
The PLP were faced with a leadership that could never work
Back to Richards gentle plea – the value and pleasure of these blogs is that they have been marked by considered exchanges and even a desire to learn from others. For me the risk becoming devalued to the level of other blogs if they are just exchanges of party political accusations, and I suspect it makes It a lot harder for Richard to maintain their quality
So the idea of self-limiting comments feels like a good one. I’m aiming at no more than say one comment a day with more pauses for reflection
Two per blog was my suggestion
I’m good with that. With at least 24 hours between posts to reflect
Attracted by the idea of a self sustaining community. Maybe something to start in parallel? Would not want to lose the character and style of your blogs Richard
I can put you in touch with an author whose blog became a self-sustaining community of commentators: volunteer moderators came forward and took up the task of keeping it civilised, under the host’s occasional supervision.
This is an identifiable transition in the growth of any online forum or community.
Please do
I think this may make sense
Email contacts on blog
Just realise I’ve broken the guideline already… Must try harder!