In a spasm of madness a few weeks ago, from their conclavial confinement, the Liberal Democrat Voice team saw fit to emit a puff of white smoke in favour of myself, concerning the vexed matter of who would be Wednesday Editor of this august and elegantly barnacle-clad ship of the cyber-seas.
In the course of my duties last Wednesday, my not-very sophisticated news gathering antennae became aware of the news that Charlotte Henry had left the party. Newsmoggie kindly published a post concerning that. An interesting comments debate ensued under said post and it was one of our most popular offerings for this week.
You can read Charlotte Henry’s blog here. She has been a skilled and controversial Lib Dem blogger, as well as a journalist in such hallowed quarters as the Independent on Sunday, The Spectator Coffee House and TotalPolitics magazine. She was a regular feature of the eBuzzing LibDem top blogs and of our Golden Dozen collections. Rather like the grit in an oyster that eventually yields a pearl, Charlotte was a remarkable and warmly regarded part of the Lib Dem blogosphere.
As many of our readers are bloggers or read blogs, it is not surprising that the post covering Charlotte’s resignation was popular.
However, out of 42 comments left under the article announcing Charlotte’s resignation, five questioned whether we should be putting up a separate post to record that a blogger had left the party. So the question is: Should LDV put up a post when a blogger leaves the party? Perhaps this also touches on the wider of issue of: When should bloggers blog at all? (From a blogger’s point of view the answer tends to be: you should put up enough posts to keep people interested in your site. The beast has to be fed – to paraphrase the Grand Old Blogmeister himself, Iain Dale.)
Over the years here on LDV, we have covered the departure of leading members of the Libby Demmy blogosphere before. Mark Thompson and James Graham spring to mind. The thing which links James, Mark and Charlotte is that, outside the immediate Lib Dem blogging bubble, they each established a “footprint” in the wider media.
We do also cover when new Lib Dem bloggers start blogs and have posted occasional “Meet the blogger” posts. I think all that reflects that the LDV team, and many of our readers, are very much part of the Lib Dem blogging sub-family. You only have to attend one of our wonderful annual awards ceremonies to feel the sense of family amongst our ickle community of Lib Dem bloggers.
Would we cover any old, or, for that matter, any young, Lib Dem blogger leaving the party? Well, no, we do draw the line somewhere. We have not, to my knowledge, covered the convoluted jiggerypokery of at least two bloggers I can think of.
Perhaps it is illuminating to consider this matter through the prism of some of the posts we have published but for which, to my knowledge, we have not received significant numbers of comments of the “OMG!!!!! WTF?????? Why are you even putting up a post about this??????!!?!?!??!!!!!”-type. Just idly and gently rifling through my grey matter, the ones that spring to mind are:
- An incident of Danny Alexander farting (loudly – it was apparently reminiscent of the London Blitz) which was disseminated live around the Sky Media Centre on 100 monitors to alarmed staff.
- Regular posts about what I understand is called a “game” which involves grown people chasing a spherical container of air around a field and then having a kiss and a cuddle when they get the container between two sticks. I’m told it’s quite popular.
- A review of LibDem-logoed socks which may or may not be suitable for wearing while you deliver another wheelbarrow-load of Focii.
Up against those posts, is a quick cut and paste about a blogger leaving the party really OTT?
And perhaps it is also instructive to consider a random handful of subjects which we decided not to cover but which were, nevertheless, aired on other parts of Sir Tim Berners-Lee’s ingenious interwebby device:
- Goldfish, Liberal Democrats and what really happened – in fairness this is, IMHO, Dr. Mark Pack’s best ever post.
- The rumour (fiercely denied) that George Osborne padlocks his office milk fridge so that Danny Alexander can’t nick the Chancellorial milk.
- An MP photographed in public holding an A4 manilla envelope.
So, the margin for judgment on when to post something, or not, can be, to quote a phrase from Monty Python’s “Meaning of Life”, “waffer thin”. Loud internally-broadcasted farts (yes) or goldfish (no) – it’s a razor’s edge difference between “go” or “no go” here at LDV Towers.
Please do tell us what you think about all this in the comments below. And, yes, it has been anticipated that there may be one or two: “Should LDV be putting up a post asking if LDV should be putting up a post if and when a blogger resigns?”-type comments.
* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
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45 Comments
Loads of people have left the party in the past few years – people who have spent decades out in the cold and the wet weather delivering leaflets, knocking on doors, standing for election, donating money.
I hadn’t heard of this lady until the article and wasn’t really impressed with what she had to say.
But I will forgive you if we can have an article/thread on the inherent credit creation of the Bank of England and the possibility of a QE for jobs programme.
Sorry, that should read “the inherent credit creation powers of the Bank of England.”
We need to be aware of those who leave us in such a way that leaves us open to attack and weakens our ability to campaign.
Given that two such have now left us accusing the party of racism we have to be aware of what was said and vigilant
I think there is a need to debate about whether LDV needs to put up a post about whether it was right to put up a post about a blogger leaving the party…….
Possibly things are a bit inward looking?
@Lauren SALERNO
“We need to be aware of those who leave us in such a way that leaves us open to attack and weakens our ability to campaign.”
Such as 20,000 social liberal activists!
I had never heard of the girl, though her reasons seemed perfectly valid, and she is of course free to express them.
I just didn’t see why this one person deserved an article over the numbers of people who, as Tsar Nicolas say, have spent decades delivering and canvassing in the cold and wet for the party.
Sorry, but LDV just gives far too much prominence to bloggers.
It always amazes me that ‘tweets and blogs’ are placed above Recent Comments (the life blood of the site!) and Flock Together (the life blood of local parties!) on the right hand side of every page.
I think the issue was less so about bloggers in general, and more about this particular blogger. Publishing articles announcing high profile bloggers leaving the party is necessary and perfectly acceptable. The problem in this case with Charlotte is it furthered her personal agenda as a “senior liberal democrat”. Many people, myself included, were very bitter about the attention her resignation received as a martyr for the party. The vast majority of Charlotte’s blogs and intentions have been shamelessly self promoting and have very little to do with the party and liberal values. As an activist against sexual harassment, sexism and abuse in the party, I have never felt comfortable with her blog posts about sexism as they have always left me uneasy. It often exposes personal information and the whole tone and atmosphere feels to be more ‘Charlotte Henry: Prominent sensationalist scandal exposer’ than about cleaning up the party. By posting this article, it played into Charlotte Henry’s shameless self promotion. She is basically the next Ben Ramm.
I guess the better question is if LDV exists as a forum for all brands of Liberal Democrat opinion, or only for those of the front-line party? You don’t need to read many comments here to recognize that a large group of LDV readers are anti-coalition and you don’t need to read many articles to know the editorial line is very much pro. If the website wants to give a voice to the broader church of liberalism then it should be posting ever single time a blogger leaves and/or joins – even offering bloggers of both kind the chance to write their own pieces.
This is of course will lead to a lot of anti-party sentiment on this site, but maybe that is something we need to hear? Alternatively, if the editorial line is based in support for the party alone then new bloggers are the only real priority. After all, most of us who have jumped ship are unlikely to be coming back anytime soon. I doubt that bloggers take the choice to leave lightly. I suppose what I’m getting down to is that the answer is based entirely on where LDV sees itself in relation to the party – voice of or “voice of”.
Josh Townsley
I am sorry but I think that your reference to this woman as a ‘girl’ is demeaning.
If I had said that, Caron Lindsay would have had my post deleted.
The LibDem’s primary problem is to attract new supporters.
Highlighting old supporters dropping their support doesn’t seem likely to help solve it.
There are precious few non-parliamentary female Lib Dem pundits who appear on television – there’s Miranda Green, Miranda Green oh and Miranda Green. Daisy has been on the Daily Politics and I think Linda Jack and I have been on Newsnight once each! Charlotte appeared from time to time and the last time I saw her on Sky News a few weeks ago she disposed of the UKIP spokesman on Culture (!?) without much difficulty. The LDV team was right to mark her loss.
I had never heard of Charlotte Henry until I was told she had left the party.
By the way, Paul, remember to turn out the lights since I may forget.
Tony
I thought the post was fine and I wish Charlotte well. Some people have complained about the negative publicity, but I think this is fine if you resign whilst you are doing it. If you resign then it doesn’t look self-serving and it is a bit of quid pro quo.
Regards
“Sorry, but LDV just gives far too much prominence to bloggers.”
I don’t think it’s unreasonable for a blog to pay a particular amount of attention to other bloggers.
LDV is not an official outlet of the party. It’s a blog, in conversation with other blogs. If you only read one blog, then you miss the other half of the conversation – it’s like hearing only one side of the telephone call.
what Josh said. The original post seemed to be a deliberate attempt to make a mountain out of a molehill … and this article itself is perpetuating the error. I’m normally a big fan of LDV and its editorial team, but this falls well beneath their usual standards.
In answer to the question in the headline: no. Anyone who cares will already know about it from Twitter. If the blogger wants they could write a post for the site.
LDV should also stop putting up posts about football. This cringe-inducing faux populism only serves to alienate the vast majority of the population who rightly don’t care about overpaid men with different coloured shirts running about in a field. If the argument is we should have stuff that isn’t about politics then where are the posts about rugby, cricket, tennis, angling, golf, or other entertainments like TV, music, films, books etc.
Apologies for my reference to her as a ‘girl’. It was the fault of ignorance rather than an attempt to belittle or offend Charlotte. She is of course a woman.
My fault, I call Nick Clegg ‘our boy’ without thinking about it!
Funnily enough, there a quite a few women who rather like being called “girls”, in a nice way of course.
@Josh Townsley
No need to apologise – I wasn’t being serious, just flagging up the eternal ability to be offended these days.
Without meaning to stray further off topic.. My Mum used to prefer being called ‘girl’ (in a nice way of course). My apologies anyway!
Thanks all for your lively comments!
@Richard Gadsden 23rd Nov ’14 – 4:12pm
It’s a matter of definition. I’d call LDV a website (as I believe the team do themselves). On LDV we aim to debate – i.e. a two way conversation.
When I refer to ‘bloggers’ I mean people who publish their own opinions. They may or may not be mainstream Lib Dem.
Examples of excellent Lib Dem blogs are those of Cllr Iain Brodie Browne of Birkdale Focus (no known relation the that other Browne to whom LDV continue to give excessive coverage) and Cllr Tony Robertson of Sefton Focus.
I have not particularly noted Ms Henry’s wider contribution to the party.
Yes – its a story of general interst when someone who has appeared numerous times on TV as a LD leaves us.
Perhaps the more interesting story is why someone who was never elected to anything was on TV supposedly representing the party?
@ Tsar Nicholas, you may have to forgive Paul and Lib Dem Voice 😉
Well you wrote, “But I will forgive you if we can have an article/thread on the inherent credit creation of the Bank of England and the possibility of a QE for jobs programme.” And that;s the second time you’ve mentioned that in recent days.
I have written and had published here by various editors a number of posts doing exactly that. I have just checked: the first was in July 2009, at a time when most people thought the recession would be over by Christmas.
Members who join our or any other party can be split in two. Those who believe in the broad aims set out in the constitution of that party and have the conviction to stay and fight their corner when there is conflict and then there those who join because the views of that party broadly match their own beliefs and they get the sulks if the majority do not come round to their way of thinking when there is conflict. Quitting is a sign of weakness that only in exceptional circumstances deserves editorial space
One Lib Dem whom I had heard of, and who sadly left us ten years ago last month, is Conrad Russell.
And on this weekend of the anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy, I have just come across an article that points out that Conrad’s father, Bertrand Russell, queried the activities and conclusions of the Warren Commission.
http://www.blacklistednews.com/Bertrand_Russell_Questioned_the_JFK_Assassination/39360/0/38/38/Y/M.html
OK, OK, it may be tenuous, but I believe that I am (just about) on topic.
Hello there!
Nice to see I’m still causing a stir, even outside the LD’s 😉
I’ll be honest, while I was surprised to see my resignation attract LDV coverage, I was grateful, not least because some of the LDV editors are personal friends who supported my blogging. I also only bothered to blog my departure because I wanted some of those issues discussed within the Lib Dems, and that, more than me as an individual, is what actually matters.
This all feels very meta!
Have a good week everyone.
What’s with all the right leaning liberals leaving the party. Weird considering their recent relative successes.
On the whole, Paul, it was right to have the original article; she is a person with a wide range of blog-followers who knew her as a LibDem and that makes her significant.
To someone like me who knew the name but not much more, a ‘leaving’ post had the air of an obit or a memorial service, in that your learn things about the person that you never knew in ‘life’.
To Charlotte, if, for years, you believed that we were nearest to you of all parties, please remember that and keep in mind that you could return. Remember, we do keep discussing things and we do try to live up to our principles, even whan that is difficult or impossible.
@ Mike Clements:are you saying that anyone who joins a political party should consider themself bound to that party for life and may never leave; on pain of being accused of “weakness” if they do?
It’s fine to read who has left or joined the party – if there is a policy which can equalise the issue to some extent [I’m not an advocate for celebrities]. I can understand that some people are more aggravated by the comings and goings – but I like to know the reasons. It’s the same on the doorstep – we can all learn. Even on Israeli topics, I have learned, as Jewish myself, why some are more for or against issues because of what someone else has said. All of us can say something which inadvertantly upsets another. But it is our right to say what we believe – in the hope that it isn’t too hurtful and that others can learn, as we all do until our ending day. That said, I have not found another party as open as the LDs.
To Paul
I think you’ve missed the point. You need to look at why people are leaving the party, not who has.
People may continue to support the lib dems (eg locally) but not wish to be involved in the party perhaps because there isn’t a role for them or because of something worse.
A libdemvoice which is open, frank and honest is of value. Irrerevent posts have their time and place. But I would prefer to subscribe to a place where the crux of the current challenges and opportunities are set out and open to discussion.
If anything, on a Wednesday, you can highlight the best of ‘comments on’ from other articles on the site.
I’m just a semi-outsider here, as a fairly recent member who is in no-one’s inner circle and gets most of his information about the LibDems from this site, but let’s go from the ground up: I understand LDV to be ‘run by a volunteer collective of Liberal Democrat members, activists and bloggers’, which is what it says on the tin.
Therefore I would say – LDV doesn’t have to have a hardline policy on everything – the volunteer editors need room for manouevre. A collective is based on dialogue and collaboration, not on tight rules. Also, it is not a party organ. It does not have to reflect the last nuance of the the latest party event, unless it has tickled the fancy of the volunteer editors.
Therefore, also, those who seek to read in the runes of LDV sinister cryptic clues to the machinations of conspiracists withint the top party leadership are barking up the wrong tree, surely?
My answer to the question is that LDV can pretty much do what the volunteer editor of the day sees fit, as long as what they do is in line with the principles of the site, seeks to reflect and transmit faithfully the concerns of those contributing and commenting on the posts, and is not insulting, deliberately misleading or libellous.
If people don’t like what’s on offer, well, It’s their job to give Paul and his ilk a busier day by contributing fascinating and pithy article after article, so the volunteer editors have a wide range of varied material to choose from to offer to others to complain about for the sustainable future…
Brilliant idea sfk! I may well try out that!
Matt (Bristol)
Many thanks for that succinct summary with which I heartily agree!
I guess if someone has a profile on LDV, many people would like to know if they’ve left (or joined) the party and why.
Otherwise, I don’t see why a Liberal Democrat with a well-read blog is more worth mentioning than, say, a recently-defeated experienced councillor, assuming, of course, that LDV learns about them resigning from the party.
I agree that Charlotte Henry’s reasons for resigning from the party seemed weak – as reasons for giving up on the party as opposed to being critical and concerned within it. It looked to me like another Peter Hain resignation (remember him? Wonder what happened to him?). Maybe LDV could survey people who’ve recently left the party and find what the patterns are. We seem to hear regularly about members who’ve left over the Rennard affair but none who’ve left over issues of coalition policy.
At least we won’t have to cringe with embarrassment any more when we hear her half-baked ideas on LBC being attributed to the Liberal Democrats.
An attempt to put things into some sort of context using simply the facts of the matter and not expressing any personal views —
Ms Henry left the party with another attack on David Ward, a longstanding Liberal Democrat councillor and MP.
She has previously launched media attacks on Jenny Tonge, who over the last forty years has been a leading Liberal Democrat councillor, MP and member of the House of Lords (not currently in receipt of the whip but still a member of the Liberal Democrats).
Both David and Jenny are long standing Liberal Democrats and it is no exaggeration to say that the have devoted decades of their lives to working for the party. They are both still members of the Liberal Democrats today. Ms Henry was a member for five years but has now resigned.
Anyone’s reasons for leaving the party should be of interest to all Liberal Democrats, whether or not they agree with them (© JS Mill). In this case, it’s saddening that David Ward’s sympathy for the Palestinian people should be thought illiberal and grounds for leaving the party (and I say that as someone who has always supported the State of Israel). While it’s understandable that well-grounded fears of foreign invasion and internal terrorism often lead to over-reaction by the Israeli security forces, it should do no harm to the Israeli cause to appreciate that such over-reaction coupled with an often over-aggressive stance by the civilian population make a long-term solution harder to achieve. David Ward sometimes expresses that more colourfully than I would, but any time I’ve heard him speak he’s struck me as a humane and thoughtful politician who deserves a higher profile in the party.
There was a level of total indifference in what I said, I complained.
You will hopefully become a club of very few members, and meet for coffee mornings and David Ward will be at your head.
As someone who practices Judaism, his comments are totally unexceptionable, when you go to Shul, and things are written about evil on the courtyard below a beautiful building, it makes you think.
Who cares? Who cares if the past was revisited.
Paul Walter
“they each established a “footprint” in the wider media.”
In this ladies case it really is a tiny footprint. Not trying to be rude, but how many people had heard of her or opinions before the recent post?
Malc
Just about as many people as had heard of James Graham and Mark Thompson when they left the party and we posted about both events.
A blog post on whether or not you should have done a blog post on another blog post. Political blogging has finally eaten itself!