I recently contributed an article on political blogging to Richard Bailey for the next publication of Behind the Spin. I naturally mentioned how Labour lagged behind Conservative bloggers, who have fire in their bellies and have dominated the political blogging scene, as any opposition party hungry for success would.

Since then, I have been informed of LabourHome’s intention to use its blog to launch its own candidate to oppose the re-election of Jack Dromey as treasurer of the Labour Party, but too late for inclusion with my story.

It is promoting Mark McDonald, a human rights barrister and associate editor of LabourHome, as its preferred choice, who is hoping to "reconnect the party to grassroots via the internet".

Mark says:

“This is a campaign begun from the grass roots. It is probably the first major campaign in the UK run using the new media of blogging and the internet. It is my object to harness all that this new media technology enabling me not just to talk to members but also to set up forums so they can talk to me. I intend to talk to as members as I can, to visit CLP’s, (constituency Labour Parties) particularly outside London and importantly when it comes to this election the unions.”

I seem to remember five of the six Labour Party deputy leadership candidates using blogs for their campaign, and the one I judged to be best became the winner.

It’s obvious that the social media is going to be an active campaigning tool during any elections. However, Labour contestants in the deputy leadership battle failed to keep their blogs running afterwards. Why did the conversation suddenly stop? They are still elected politicians serving constituents, as well as the nation.

What will be different this time? Can Labour really run an effective grassroots social media campaign? I wish it every success because Labour needs to develop this technique, only time will tell if it will become a role model for best practice.

Update: I have just read the front page splash about this in today’s PR Week which states "Labour plotters to ape Clinton comms tactics". Then it occurred to me, where is Mark McDonald’s personal and dedicated campaign blog? So I typed his name in Google with the word "blog" added and came up with two totally different people ranked at the very top, one who describes himself as "a musician and a laugh", while the second Mark is pictured swigging beer from a bottle.

Why does LabourHome’s own Mark McDonald not have his own blog? If I have missed it, please let me know. As it stands, he is hiding his real identity behind an already established site written by other bloggers. Let’s see the real Mark McDonald show his true face on his own site.