Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Iain Dale's Diary: Your Top 20 Political Blogs Please


There are two more weeks to go in Iain Dale's remarkable experiment in Blog-ocracy. Last year his guide to political blogging included a top hundred. He compiled it himself using his skill and judgement.

As Iain Dale's Diary probably has more outward and inward links across the political spectrum than any other he is in a pretty good position to do that. In fact my view is that that would likely be a far fairer process than having his readers and their readers provide lists and then melding them. Without any weighting this will produce a Tory-heavy list.

Iain wants a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 20 blogs ranked as you see fit. Iain at iaindale dot com, or in comments.

My list below has been compiled rather quickly. So many apologies if you're unjustly left out. There are a few extra rules I've imposed on myself. No mainstream media blogs e.g. Kevin Maguire. No blogs with minimal party politics e.g. Kerron Cross. No mass collectives e.g. ConservativeHome, Bloggers4Labour, LabourHome though I've included LibDemVoice. And finally - no more than half with the same party allegiance as the nominator, the rest non-aligned or opposition.

Labour of Love
Ministry of Truth
Recess Monkey
Luke Akehurst's Blog
Bob Piper
Rupa Huq
Dave's Part
Stephen Newton
Hamer Shawcross
Newer Labour
Ellee Seymour
DizzyThinks
Pickled Politics
Political Betting
Suz Blog
Prisoners' Voice
Guido Fawkes
The Black Triangle
Lib Dem Voice
David Lindsay
Iain Dale

If there are more than 20 there it'll have to be a case of devil take the hindmost.

Will be back to stick all the links in soon.

UPDATE: Ellee, Suz and LDV will be added to the blogroll. Parbury would have made it if it wasn't for ... all ... those ... pregnant ... pauses. Fib Dems similar ... I'm also going to catch up with the Manchester blog scene, political and otherwise, very soon. And finally finish off the redecorations to a three column format ... also soon. PS No MPs.

18 comments:

Stephen Newton said...

Thanks for that. I'm too modest to nominate myself for awards... which usually means I'm never nominated!

Chris Paul said...

Oh go on! Get one of your sock puppets to do it for you. Oh no, we don't have those do we.

Anonymous said...

Rofl. 10 non-Labour occupying positions 11 - 20 on your list.

Chris Paul said...

Thanks anonymous and well-spotted. Though there are some all-Tory Top Twenties lurking about, are there not. And, I must admit an error, one of the non-Labour in the positions 11-21 (oops) is actually Labour on the quiet. And not the most obvious one.

jailhouselawyer said...

Glad to see that I come above Guido and Dale, and even Bob Piper gets a mention. There are 21 on your list. Sorry, you can't vote for yourself. We can't have it suggested that you are vote rigging...

David Lindsay said...

Very many thanks.

Stephen Newton said...

Actually, I really don't have any sock puppets. But maybe I should.

Anonymous said...

Much appreciated, many thanks, especially as you support Labour. I included Labour and Lib Dems on my list too.

Chris Paul said...

Thanks all. There are 21 on my list John yes. As I said if there were more than 20 then devil take the hindmost ... which is ... Dale ... ooops again.

jailhouselawyer said...

I suspected that would be your answer.

BTW, I now have a webcameron and may well do some videos like 18 Muppet Street...

Anonymous said...

Thanks mate!

Chris Paul said...

Are you going to be Statler to Dale's Waldorf?

Chris Paul said...

That one was to JH. You're welcome Sunny!

jailhouselawyer said...

I wasn't thinking of sitting that close to him, but I like the idea of heckling.

Unknown said...

chris,

thanks for the high ranking for recess monkey - but what's wring with "collectives" - Labourhome's my baby and is much better for having diverse writers than if i wrote everything mysel

Chris Paul said...

There's nothing wrong with collectives Alex! Just decided to give myself some more rules. Think Iain has gone from tyrant/philosopher king to mobocracy without enough rules to make it work.

Labourhome will surely get plenty of votes and endorsements. Very subtle piece of Liverpool selectioneering in CIF I noticed.

Anonymous said...

Flattered to see myself up there. I owe you one.

Kerron said...

Harsh, but delighted you don't think I'm party political...I think!