Comments on: Nadine’s "cult" blog

By: Welshcakes Limoncello

Welshcakes Limoncello — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:02:49 +0000

There is no point in having a blog if you are not going to interact with readers.

By: Ellee Seymour - MCIPR, PRESS CONSULTANT, JOURNALIST, POLITICAL AND PR BLOGGER. » My sympathies for Nadine

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:23:33 +0000

[...] Nadine’s "cult" blog [...]

By: mutleythedog

mutleythedog — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 11:43:27 +0000

I shall not be posting on her blog anyway as there is no space for me to ‘grandstand’ which is what I like doing best ….just like my friend Tim!!

By: Tim Ireland

Tim Ireland — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:59:47 +0000

Erm, Ellee… Nadine is also claiming that many of those “hundreds of comments” have been coming from one individual.

I’d also invite you to read what she broadcast just before closing down comments. The need for ‘space’ is spin at best.

By: Ellee

Ellee — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:46:20 +0000

Nadine, thanks for this clarification. I really had no idea you were getting hundreds of comments. It’s a compliment in many ways, so please don’t give in to the low-life, don’t let them win.
However, I sympathise with how you must have felt getting vile comments too, especially with such intensity.
It’s so disappointing too because this indicates there is a need to discuss abortion. I read a book this year about the reasons why women voted the way they did in the last American presidential election. One of the most important issues which women felt had not been discussed openly was abortion. This one issue decided how many women voted.

I can understand why you need a breathing space right now, I look forward to when your comments are reinstated. I love your blog too.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:24:18 +0000

I agree with Tim – Nadine needs a better platform eg WordPress – I will gladly set her up with one at minimal cost. As for moderating her comments by email how antediluvian is that. I am also sure that someone would be willing to moderate her comments at minimal to no cost.

By: Tim Ireland

Tim Ireland — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:07:48 +0000

So, Nadine, your argument is that you have refused all valid challenges to your abortion-related posts because of a series of invalid ones that we’re not allowed to see. I could say something about throwing the baby out with the bathwater here, but instead I’ll suggest that you get a more robust blogging platform, which will make moderation of the alleged abuse easier to handle.

Oh, and I would seriously consider doing this before the difficulties of the abortion debate (some of which are nothing to do with the contentious issue of abortion, and of your own making) have passed you by… otherwise people might get the idea that you’re the kind of person who makes spurious/baseless accusations and then runs away when called on them.

I do admire your determination to focus on the concerns of your constituents, BTW. I assume this was why you spent so much time ensuring that the abortion debate went in the ‘right’ direction.

By: Nadine Dorries

Nadine Dorries — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 21:40:54 +0000

Hi Elee,
Not a single penny of an MPs allowances can be used to support a blog. I have to pay for my blog site, and the running of it from my own pocket.

This is because there are posts on the site which could be deemed to be party political, such as when I put the boot in on the government. Allowances, including the £10,000 communications allowance, can only be used to communicate with constituents to inform them about the work an MP has undertaken on behalf of his or her constituency. You cannot ‘campaign’ using tax payers money.

The fact is I was getting hundreds of comments. Many, as a result of what I have been doing with regard to abortion, some of which were absolutely vile.

There are some lovely people out there, but there are also some serious low life – and when you put your head above the parapet, as I have, the low life take aim.

I may, when my work regarding abortion takes a slower pace, re-introduce comments. However, in the meantime, having to deal with people who think it’s cool to re- post their comments 40 times a night, and there are dozens of them, so that it takes over an hour to sort out the email account in the morning is no joke.

The comments I now take on email are far more serious in content.

It would be great if I didn’t have a day and night job and could focus on the blog, but that‘s not why I’m here.

Very few of my constituents used the blog to communicate with me, but almost every person I meet reads the blog and therefore that is where I need to focus what little time I have.

I did take comments on my BB but I am afraid I had to stop that also when I started to receive some very weird posts late at night, which frankly scared me.

Someone is going to comment “if she can write such a long post…�?!!

I often read your blog Ellee, far more eclectic and better written than mine!

By: Ellee

Ellee — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:16:10 +0000

I think bearing in mind how sensational Nadine’s posts were on abortion, these highlight the need to have an interactive debate on such an important issue, the more comments the better.

By: Philipa

Philipa — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:15:41 +0000

I don’t think moderation a problem if the MP delegates as Geoff says and it is, as Ellee says, well within budget for her to do this. Mountjoy – Boris Johnsons site has only recently been less spontaneous, due I guess to the hosting problems that have been widely published. However I know that the site has always been moderated and the moderators are quick and brilliant. In fact I think the moderation on that site is about as near to perfect as one could get