Desperately seeking George

I've just signed up at hearfromyourmp.com - apparently, they'll hassle my MP for me and not only encourage him to inform me of how he is representing my interests, but also promote debate via an online forum.

This sounds like a great idea - the various mySociety projects and sites like theyworkforyou.com are making it easier for us to hold our political representatives accountable and allowing us to easily see what they are up to.

Personally, I have the dubious pleasure of being represented by George Galloway. Now I felt pretty let down by the government over Iraq, but I really didn't agree with fighting a general election based on one issue. Surely representing a constituency of over 80,000 people is more complicated than taking a firm stance on the Iraq war? Deciding to fight that one issue in the most overwhelmingly Muslim constituency in the country didn't strike me as a particularly honourable thing to be doing either (and remarkably patronising too?). Even then, he only just pipped the incumbent "Blair Babe", Oona King, by less than a thousand votes. At the time, he had only attended 6% of parliamentary votes (according to theyworkforyou.com). To be fair to him, he's upped his average a bit since then, but has been majoring on connected issues to Iraq, such as ID cards and the prevention of terrorism bill. He's pretty good at not going against party whips, but I guess that's pretty easy when you're the only MP in your party.

So I'm not a big fan of George, but I really hope he responds to the emails that hearfromyourmp.com send him and involve his constituents with his work in the commons. Hey - its all on the web - with a laptop and a wireless connection, he can be responding even when he's showing off his vocabulary in the US Senate.

I'm pretty excited by the possibilities of using the web to broaden the reach of democratic processes, and really hope plenty of people sign up for these kind of services. With such high levels of voter apathy, and the government ignoring protests when they do happen, let's hope these kind of projects make a difference. I had a very loud, drunken argument with a friend the other night, who was saying that there really is nothing we can do any more, so we shouldn't even try. No matter how much I respect him, I really hope he's wrong...

Comments

[Uncle Jimbo]

Dear Matt,

I had a little fun when Galloway came to Madison, WI USA. A friend and I infiltrated the press conference and got some good Q&A on video

Mr. Galloway comes to Madison

http://www.madison.com/post/blogs/militarymatters/index.php?ntid=54671&ntpid=2

Cordially,

Uncle J

[Matt]

That's interesting stuff Uncle J, thanks. I agree, he can be very convincing when he wants to be. He's even started wearing Ken Livingstone-style suits, judging by your video.

He just really winds me up in situations like these - why he insists on personally insulting/complimenting people before answering their questions, I don't know. I find it intensely patronising.

It lools like he's due your side of the pond again soon, if this morning's radio news is anything to go by - let's hope he swings by Madison, WI for a rematch!

[Nick]

Well I thought the first three posts were good, but then I noticed the dates. I guess, following on from your first post that you are no better as a diarist in the new electronic age than you were back in the day! Have you written blogging off as something not for you or may you return yet again?