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Week on the web
Andrew Alexander
It's hard to remember how political spotters survived elections when they were dependent on the TV news and evening papers: The web has turned the vote and its aftermath into an orgy of live blogging and comment.
Using some impressive new live blogging software were ConservativeHome, which came out early to predict a win for Boris.
At the time of writing we're unsure if this was prescient or a case of Dewey defeats Truman.
Guido was also holding a live interactive chat, highlights including some tough criticism of Michael Crick's hair.
Highlights from the BBC's election coverage include Geoff Hoon failing to hear a tricky question from David Dimbleby, on playpolitical.
Jeremy Vine in a cowboy suit was by all accounts unmissable, unfortunately not yet available on YouTube. Twonilblankblank said: "My eyes feel soiled".
This was bad election for Labour, and Nick Robinson accurately predicted Gordon Brown's defence before going to bed.
Three-line whip claims this was a victory for online polling company YouGov, which has been showing substantial differences with rival pollsters.
Boulton & Co noted that Boris the greyhound was the winner at Wimbledon dog track. On the real mayoral election, Daniel Finkelstein was spitting tacks at a blistering attack on Boris by Zoe Williams in Thursday's Guardian.
Iain Dale on Comment is Free asks if this is a tipping point for the prime minister: "If Gordon Brown hasn't turned things round by the end of July - or at least showed signs of doing so - he will be toast."
But the best comment on the way forward for Labour came from the party's own bloggers.
Skipper says the plan to canvass local parties on future policy is doomed to fail: "Most activists would prefer to leave the detail of policy to the specialists."
David Osler has a smartly-written and thoughtful post on the strange death of New Labour England.
"To revamp the slogan that must have paid for much of Charles Saatchi's art collection, New Labour isn't working," he writes.
Pickled Politics notes that those accusing Brown of having the reverse Midas touch have misunderstood the myth.
And the mole at The First Post is predicting the fragmentation of Tony Blair's Labour coalition.
The FT's Westminster blog takes us back to Brown's visit to the US, and notes that his meetings with media tycoon Rupert Murdoch are timed according to the electoral cycle.
Conservative MP Richard Spring has put details of his earnings and pension on his blog - an admirable move that helps demystify what is otherwise assumed to be a never-ending fund of sleaze.
And finally, Comment Central noted that recent developments in British politics have led to Westminster being mocked by the New York Times.
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Published: Fri, 2 May 2008 15:08:36 GMT+01
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