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June 6, 2005

MPs: I encourage you to engage with the public via a weblog

Today the Hansard Society has released a report Parliament's failure to communicate with the electorate.

What I'd like you to do today is to take a link to this post and forward it to your local MP with a short and polite email:
http://www.bloggerheads.com/archives/2005/06/mps_i_encourage.asp

Dear MP-type person. You need to seriously consider the possibility of engaging with your constituents and the public in general via a weblog. (Click here to read more about his.)

You may in the past have thought of a weblog as a form of vanity publishing or even a personal public diary, but in reality it is a powerful networking tool. The value lies not in the technology, but in fully realising the concept of two-way communication as opposed to one-way broadcast. Think of it as a large, ongoing public meeting.

And, unlike your typical surgery, this interaction with the public will not always involve people who are unhappy with you or matters that may or may not be under your control. It will mostly involve the slow and steady building of a network of people willing to support you and help you.

But the technology alone cannot do this. What is most important is the concept of transparent engagement.

No, it's not for all MPs. It's an especially unhelpful approach for someone like Geoff Hoon who - happily - is charged with addressing the problems raised in Hansard's report.

But I would argue that an MP who is unable or unwilling to engage in this way is not fit for office in the first place.

Do you have something positive and important to say? Would you like that to endure in a way that automatically draws like-minded people to your side? Would you like to end your dependence on local and national media?

Then get in touch, and I'll show you how it works.

Cheers

Tim Ireland
manic AT bloggerheads DOT com

UPDATE - Guardian - So, you want the public to show parliament more respect? An open letter to Geoff Hoon

Posted by Manic on June 6, 2005 10:39 AM in the category The Political Weblog Movement

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	« Money, power and respect \| Main \| A letter to George » June 6, 2005 MPs: I encourage you to engage with the public via a weblog Today the Hansard Society has released a report Parliament's failure to communicate with the electorate. What I'd like you to do today is to take a link to this post and forward it to your local MP with a short and polite email: http://www.bloggerheads.com/archives/2005/06/mps_i_encourage.asp Dear MP-type person. You need to seriously consider the possibility of engaging with your constituents and the public in general via a weblog. (Click here to read more about his.) You may in the past have thought of a weblog as a form of vanity publishing or even a personal public diary, but in reality it is a powerful networking tool. The value lies not in the technology, but in fully realising the concept of two-way communication as opposed to one-way broadcast. Think of it as a large, ongoing public meeting. And, unlike your typical surgery, this interaction with the public will not always involve people who are unhappy with you or matters that may or may not be under your control. It will mostly involve the slow and steady building of a network of people willing to support you and help you. But the technology alone cannot do this. What is most important is the concept of transparent engagement. No, it's not for all MPs. It's an especially unhelpful approach for someone like Geoff Hoon who - happily - is charged with addressing the problems raised in Hansard's report. But I would argue that an MP who is unable or unwilling to engage in this way is not fit for office in the first place. Do you have something positive and important to say? Would you like that to endure in a way that automatically draws like-minded people to your side? Would you like to end your dependence on local and national media? Then get in touch, and I'll show you how it works. Cheers Tim Ireland manic AT bloggerheads DOT com UPDATE - Guardian - So, you want the public to show parliament more respect? An open letter to Geoff Hoon Posted by Manic on June 6, 2005 10:39 AM in the category The Political Weblog Movement Pings (Trackback) For trackbacks, this is the URL: http://www.bloggerheads.com/cgi-bin/mt-tbbh_20x07.pl/470 Comments Post a comment Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out) (If you're new to Bloggerheads, you may need to be approved by the moderator before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.) URL: Remember me? YesNo Comments:

MPs: I encourage you to engage with the public via a weblog

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