This entry was posted on
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2005 at
9:29 am and is filed
under The Political Weblog Movement.

Gareth Davies – Dragons, poodles and spin doctors: But of course, as quite a few people know, the expert in question is Tim Ireland, of Bloggerheads fame. Tim is no secret practitioner of the black arts in darkened rooms; he promotes himself relentlessly. Right up until, in 2005, along comes Tim and launches BackingBlair, his one man attempt to bring down the Prime Minister because Tim doesn’t like him. Now, it’s always a little dodgy when a hitherto impartial practitioner, available to the highest bidder, a latterday technological Beau du Jour, suddenly starts to claim to have high political principles. And that’s led me to wonder in recent days whether Tim really does have high political principles, or whether he’s actually engaged in the ultimate act of self promotion. ‘Look at me’ he’s shouting to the cognoscenti, I’m Tim Ireland, the cleverest man in the blogosphere, the relentless promoter of the best MP’s websites and the originator of an oh so witty and post modern campaign against the Prime Minister. It’s clever, it’s relentless, and it’s a story of one clever man using his skills and abilities to manipulate the technology to tell us what he wants us to hear. Ireland boasts of how he used his ability to ensure that Google searches for Tom Watson were more likely to produce answers related to his client than to the infinitely more famous golfer Tom Watson. I understand what people like Tim do, and why people pay them, but I feel like he’s re-arranging the global phone book, tearing out the pages he doesn’t want you to see, and adding in the pages that promote his people. And now he’s using our electoral process to promote Tim Ireland, the brand. I’m not sure I like that idea…

Ahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Gareth, you’re a world-class arse. One can only wonder why you have such ‘concerns’.

(puts on fisking gloves)

To begin with, this post starts with a suggestion that Paul Flynn MP was blogging before Tom because he published excerpts of his book on his website. The key to blogging is networking and communication. Flynn’s site does not allow comments now, and didn’t then. Case closed. Now on with the numbers…

1. Tim is no secret practitioner of the black arts in darkened rooms; he promotes himself relentlessly.
It’s called transparency, Gareth. I’m sure you’d be able to have a much bigger hissy-fit if I was a secret squirrel hiding behind a pseudonym. And I make no excuses for any level of self-promotion. The more I achieve, the more people know about me. This allows me to more I achieve more. I’m on a (temporarily paused by necessity) mission. And I’d like to think that it’s a worthy one.

2. Right up until, in 2005, along comes Tim and launches BackingBlair, his one man attempt to bring down the Prime Minister because Tim doesn’t like him.
Yes. Just because I don’t like him. This is a campaign based in hate, not reason. And one-man attempt? I could have sworn I had 3 other core team members and a few dozen bloggers onside. Perhaps they are merely voices in my head.

3. Now, it’s always a little dodgy when a hitherto impartial practitioner, available to the highest bidder, a latterday technological Beau du Jour, suddenly starts to claim to have high political principles.
*Suddenly* claims to have high political principles? Do your research, Gareth. Highest bidder? I say again: Ahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Tom came to me. His site was built on a shoe-string budget because I thought the project really needed to happen. Boris, like William Hague, was offered his blog for free (all he pays for is hosting) – again, because I thought the project really needed to happen. But you seem to suggest that I’m some kind of whore.

4. I understand what people like Tim do, and why people pay them, but I feel like he’s re-arranging the global phone book, tearing out the pages he doesn’t want you to see, and adding in the pages that promote his people.
*My* people? The only thing that sets these people apart is a willingness to communicate. They get out there and network and reap the rewards. And they have their own opinions. *And* their opinion reaches more people via Google and other search engines because it is supported by other people in a wider sense and in a specific sense (i.e. via linkage to the blog in general and/or a link to a specific post). Ooh, look! Here’s Tom’s opinion and many differing opinions on the subject of protest voting.

I don’t say this often enough, so I’ll take the opportunity to say it now…

Hello to you, fellow blogger and/or regular reader of Bloggerheads. Except for Gareth, who is an arse. It’s because of your support that I’m able to do what I do. I thank you.

PS – Did you catch that last bit? “It’s because of your support that *I’m* able to do what *I* do. *I* thank you.” See? It’s all about me! Look at me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me!

;o)