A blogroll of honour
Hmm. Was having a think about what blogs I like to read, and skimming my links list. So, in light of the book thing, I thought I'd give some people a drumroll.
I've got pretty eclectic taste in political blogs, but I'd guess my top ten (in no particular order) goes something like this:
1) The legends that are Stroppy and Louise. Two feminists who truly understand the politics and ethics behind the word, and whose blog mixes wit, humour, light and heavy subject matter in a way that so many who take themselves more seriously fail to do. Diamonds, both of 'em.
2) One has to mention the one and only Mike and his little red page - if you ever wondered what a socialist novel in the Wodehousian style, co-written by Stephen Fry and David Lodge would look like, then give Mike's blog a look: he's living that dream. A top fellow, and one who's always welcome at mine and Denham's table for a few foaming pints of real ale.
3) Darren, the SPGB ingrate - how does one so young and possessed of such an acerbic wit, living the high life in New York, remain a member of the Socialist Party of Great Britain? Maybe he's a man of high principle, maybe he's just old before his time. Whichever, his blog is dead good, and you should have a gander at it.
4) The Grand Old Man of lefty independent-minded semi-trot types, Cap'n Dave Osler. Dave's a man who's forgotten more about the left than I will ever learn, and who writes about it in a pretty snappy way too. His blog is a mine of information about goings on in the labour movement and on the left, and one of the few genuinely non-sectarian forums for debate as well. Check it out.
5) The Daily Kos. Lamont 52%. Lieberman 48%. Need I give you further reason to read it?
6) Samizdata. Not a choice that exactly fits in with my other ones, but quite apart from being IMO the most achingly cool-looking site on the UK political scene, this right-libertarian blog actually contains some interesting debates, and does tackle issues that the left sometimes shies away from.
7) Broder. He writes some fascinating and deeply thought-out stuff, especially about Latin America, on which he's a great source of info and debate. And what's more he's only 12 years old. Scary intelligent AWL boy. And then of course there's the AWL blogger from the AWL site, the great Janine. She should post more often, because when she does it's wonderful stuff. But then she's usually far too busy fighting capitalism.
8) The New(ish) Labour bloggies, Tom and Adele - you two are nice folks; you should really get a bit more radical, but you'll do!
9) Renegade Eye and the Fiskers of Flirty Fisking both deserve a mention as well, because both do something a little differently. Renegade runs a great big networking hub of a Trotty, Jazzy blog, and conducts some fascinating debates along the way that are beyond the run of the mill. And the Fiskers are Eustonites who I'm not nasty about. Which means they gotta have something special.
10) Last, but by no means least, this list would not be complete without Harry's Eustonite Place and Lenny Lenin's Coffin. You may love one or the other, or hate both of them (a fair number of people do), and if you look at them sideways they do kinda look exactly the same, but either way the enlightenment stockbrokers and the SWP fratboys are essential reading.
OK so that was a bit more than ten blogs. So I cheated. Read 'em all anyway, when you've got a bit of time to kill. You won't regret it.
I've got pretty eclectic taste in political blogs, but I'd guess my top ten (in no particular order) goes something like this:
1) The legends that are Stroppy and Louise. Two feminists who truly understand the politics and ethics behind the word, and whose blog mixes wit, humour, light and heavy subject matter in a way that so many who take themselves more seriously fail to do. Diamonds, both of 'em.
2) One has to mention the one and only Mike and his little red page - if you ever wondered what a socialist novel in the Wodehousian style, co-written by Stephen Fry and David Lodge would look like, then give Mike's blog a look: he's living that dream. A top fellow, and one who's always welcome at mine and Denham's table for a few foaming pints of real ale.
3) Darren, the SPGB ingrate - how does one so young and possessed of such an acerbic wit, living the high life in New York, remain a member of the Socialist Party of Great Britain? Maybe he's a man of high principle, maybe he's just old before his time. Whichever, his blog is dead good, and you should have a gander at it.
4) The Grand Old Man of lefty independent-minded semi-trot types, Cap'n Dave Osler. Dave's a man who's forgotten more about the left than I will ever learn, and who writes about it in a pretty snappy way too. His blog is a mine of information about goings on in the labour movement and on the left, and one of the few genuinely non-sectarian forums for debate as well. Check it out.
5) The Daily Kos. Lamont 52%. Lieberman 48%. Need I give you further reason to read it?
6) Samizdata. Not a choice that exactly fits in with my other ones, but quite apart from being IMO the most achingly cool-looking site on the UK political scene, this right-libertarian blog actually contains some interesting debates, and does tackle issues that the left sometimes shies away from.
7) Broder. He writes some fascinating and deeply thought-out stuff, especially about Latin America, on which he's a great source of info and debate. And what's more he's only 12 years old. Scary intelligent AWL boy. And then of course there's the AWL blogger from the AWL site, the great Janine. She should post more often, because when she does it's wonderful stuff. But then she's usually far too busy fighting capitalism.
8) The New(ish) Labour bloggies, Tom and Adele - you two are nice folks; you should really get a bit more radical, but you'll do!
9) Renegade Eye and the Fiskers of Flirty Fisking both deserve a mention as well, because both do something a little differently. Renegade runs a great big networking hub of a Trotty, Jazzy blog, and conducts some fascinating debates along the way that are beyond the run of the mill. And the Fiskers are Eustonites who I'm not nasty about. Which means they gotta have something special.
10) Last, but by no means least, this list would not be complete without Harry's Eustonite Place and Lenny Lenin's Coffin. You may love one or the other, or hate both of them (a fair number of people do), and if you look at them sideways they do kinda look exactly the same, but either way the enlightenment stockbrokers and the SWP fratboys are essential reading.
OK so that was a bit more than ten blogs. So I cheated. Read 'em all anyway, when you've got a bit of time to kill. You won't regret it.
posted by voltaires_priest at
3:22 PM
11 Comments:
Thank you. I try to come here regularly, as others should.
Just paid a visit to Renegade eye's Blog. The latest entry & comments were interesting. I agree with a lot of the comments by the blogger "Sonia".
Harry's Place is very entertaining. Some of the most wicked sarcasm ever is to be found in the comment section there.
I think it was the Alliance for Workers' Liberty site where I read about what total shits the Islamists were towards the Labour movement in Iran during the Iranian Revolution.
Lenin's Tomb? Oy.
See Volt? It's not all LGF and Fox for this septic. So eat me! ;) :D
Thanks Volty
Stroppyblog quite like your site as well .
We must do a list sometime. I like lists :-)
Thanks Voltaires_Priest, you old diamond geezer.
As Richey Edwards from the Manics once sang, "You Love Us"! (tho' he was probably being ironic...)
Does Ken as in Livingstone count as radical or has he sold out?
He had a baaad attitude on the RMT strikes. And hanging out with Quradawi wasn't his finest hour either - but there again he's to the left of the Blairites.
Ken first had a shitty attitude to tube workers in 1982 shortly after becoming GLC leader.
A short history of ken up to 2000 can be found at
http://archive.workersliberty.org/wlmags/wl62/ken.htm . That will answer your question.
Oh comrade, you're too kind...!
It's easy though, to be honest. I only have to walk into the Oxford Union bar and i meet characters straight out of Wodehouse. Some of whom probably actually knew Wodehouse, and are now dead, but still lean stiffly on one of the leather-backed benches in the corner ;-)
See you soon for that foaming pint!
Ken the strike breaker. Doesn't sound too radical. Although he has been going all outspoken on us with Trevor Phillips.
Livingstone's latest is that he's privatising London Underground's East London Line (read about it here: www.hackneytuc.org.uk).
Er, isn't that the same Ken who got elected Mayor cos he opposed Tube privatisation?! Ever get the feeling your issue has been abused for the benefits of someone's career?
PS. Cheers for the plug. And yes, I should post more often. But my kids won't let me on the computer for more than ten minutes a day.
Thanks to your nagging, I've posted every day for the last four days.
And I've done the book thing you tagged me - http://www.workersliberty.org/node/6836
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