On CiF, I think at some stage they are going to trip over the contradiction between expecting people to write for nothing apart from a bingo prize for making the front page, while having an editor in Chief (Mr Rusbridger) paid of the order of half a million pa. Combined with the tar-pit comments box, they will have to raise their game within the next 18 months or civilised forums (Lib Con may be one) will challenge them.

Great points in your comment. I've written before about Comment Is Free dominating the left-leaning blogosphere; I must admit, it hadn't occurred to me that LibCon might be doing the same, but perhaps you're right. Let's see what comes out of that fringe meeting on Sunday (co-sponsored by LibCon itself).

For what it's worth, I'm inclined to agree about the boycott. It seems petty. I've found numerous quality blogs because of Iain's previous lists, so whether or not I agree with his politics, I'm glad he's taking the trouble to compile the list.

(Oh, and for the record... I was invited to poll my readership; but I feel a bit uncomfortable about Puffbox.com being considered part of the political blogosphere anyway, so I thought I should steer clear.)

>In theory, these are precisely the people who should be wanting to see it fail.

Please forgive me for a vigorous reaction, but that particular theory is 22 carat bunk! Guido wished LabHome success when it started (he wrote an article on it saying so), and so have I whenever I have commented. At present I have 2 Labour members on my writing team, which is the same number as the two Tories.

I've been vocal on wanting to see vigorous grass roots politics across the spectrum since the day I started; nothing less will do, since there are important political things that the blog form is the best vehicle for.

In so far as people talk about boycotts of their opposition, whether it's Lab Home or Lib Con, I think they are simply shooting themselves in both feet.

My take on "don't link to Dale" is that it will damage the non-linkers more than it damages Dale, and all such conversations are a simple waste of time that should be put into creative politics - God knows, bloggers - all of us - need more time to spend on political thinking and campaigning. It may be a slightly marginal argument in SEO terms, but I think it is the way.

One interesting set of data around this morning is Norfolk Blogger's reader survey which gives his reader %:

What are your political leanings
Labour - 5.0%
Conservative - 34.0%
Liberal Democrat - 45.0%
SNP - 0%
Plaid Cymru - 1%
Other -16.0%

Given that NB is one of the top LD bloggers, that seems to (perhaps) indicate a certain insularity on the Left - although it could indicate a left axis developing around Lib Con and leaving out NB (since NB is on the right of the Lib Dems in general terms).

I'd love you to write something I can cross-post if you attend the event - I have correspondents at all three and I am running a video feed, but the more the merrier.

Cheers

Matt Wardman