Oliver Kamm

I'm bemused by Oliver Kamm's attack on political blogs.

Most of it is fair comment about Guido Fawkes and the wierder end of the libertarian Tory blogosphere - and/or the foaming at the mouth anti-Americanism of the comments on the Guardian's Comment is Free.

But attacking political blogging as a medium because you don't like Guido is about as rational as attacking all political coverage in newspapers because you don't like Richard Littlejohn.

Lighten up Oliver, and for a starter allow comments on your own blog.

I've been on the receiving end of some fairly unpleasant comments here, but that comes with the territory of expressing yourself politically - if you express strong opinions you get strong feedback.

And what kind of rarified political world is it that Oliver lives in if he thinks angry or abusive comments are a product of the blogosphere? He should try canvassing at election time. I've had worse things said to me at Labour Party meetings than in the comments on this blog, and still gone for a drink afterwards with the people attacking me. It's called politics - it excites people and inspires them and can make them angry. It's not an academic exercise about theories it's about how government affects people's lives so if they feel they need to shout then they have a right to.