Ladies and gentlemen, we have our first UK government minister’s blog. David Miliband, Minister of Communities (although probably not strictly online communities?) and Local Government, and apparently an Arsenal season ticket holder, has launched a blog within the confines of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister‘s website.
Instinctively I want to give this a cautious welcome, but sod it – this is brilliant. Miliband has been touted as the ‘heir to Blair‘ (although mainly before Cameron came on the scene), and already has a seat round the Cabinet table. You couldn’t hope for a more serious trial of the potential for blogging in government circles.
A quick scan of the blog’s comments – yes, you can comment, although naturally it’s moderated – reveals much genuine enthusiasm for the project, tinged inevitably with cynicism. But the only way to answer most of the early questions will be to try it, and see. The added responsibility of Ministerial office, and the constitutional need to avoid party politics (particularly on a Civil Service website), may make this an impossible balancing act. Let’s see.