Interesting to see ‘previously a-politicial’ NHS blogger Dr Crippen laying his political cards on the table, and joining the new multi-author blog CentreRight.com, a subsection of ConservativeHome. (Thanks Iain.)
Looking closely at the ‘about us’ text, CentreRight.com declares itself to be ‘a hub for the British conservative movement’ – note the small ‘c’. And I guess by some people’s standards, Labour are a centre-right party these days. But as an offshoot of ConHome, there’s no doubting where its political affiliations lie. Playing devil’s advocate for a moment… OK, so now we know Dr Crippen’s political ‘agenda’. It’s hardly a shock. But does it make him more or less trustworthy as a ‘front-line blogger’?
It probably shouldn’t. If you care about your work, if you care enough to blog, why shouldn’t you become more closely involved with those who may/will eventually run the NHS? (In that sense, it’s actually admirable: someone prepared to put his money where his mouth is.) But whilst his writing may not change, people’s reading of it may well do. Sad but true.