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Original poster

Policywonk, in Hobbs and em and ess, LIVE FROM THE G20

476 replies

policywonk · 02/04/2009 08:18

YOWZA

OP posts:
GorgonsGin · 03/04/2009 09:35

saw you on News 24 at 9pm last night policywonk and you were great!

Got very, very excited and dragged DH in front of the telly, so he has now revised his view that I waste spend far too much time with inconsequential prattling on MN and that instead I am campaigning with a very important pressure group organisation

Swedes · 03/04/2009 09:39

Guardian circulation: 350,110
Mumsnet users: 850,000

We should be horrified that the Guardian were there.

Wormsmeat · 03/04/2009 09:50

"that the government are wriggling out of public scrutiny by giving more and more of their communication time to avenues not able to conduct this serious, weighty grilling. Much like Blair refusing to go on Today during his prime-ministership, because he knew he would be grilled about the Iraq war, but agreeing to go on Richard and Judy and Blue Peter."

--that is a good point, actually, youngvisitor. I'm sure that part of the politician's motivation and hope when deigning to talk to Mumsnet etc is that they will avoid proper grilling in favour of comb-over remarks. But policywonk defeated that hope, and in general, giving access to bloggers is capable of improving the quality of scrutiny, partly because of the blogger's informed specialist perspectives but also because 'professional' interrogation techniqhes have become such a ludicrous choreographed dance. The aggression, the persistence, of a John Humphries or a Paxman is a futile ritual geberally.

DesperateHousewifeToo · 03/04/2009 09:50

Bleh, The Sparrow has replied to your comment on The Guardian website.

Superb work yesterday PW, sorry to have missed you on News 24 last night. Any way of viewing that again?

bleh · 03/04/2009 09:53

Thanks DesperateHousewifeToo.

so basically: they're scared

grumblinalong · 03/04/2009 09:59

Excellent work PW, you looked shattered but composed on news 24. Thanks for opening up the G20 summit for us. I for one found it very exciting

Were you surprised at the amount of interest other media were showing in you? Radio, TV, print and other bloggers all took notice of you and your representation of mumsnet. I hope this level of interest means something. I wish/tentatively hope we could harness this 'voice' (cringe) that we seem to have and use it to change the things e.g Maternal mortality for instance. I don't want to sound earnest or false, I think I sound it though don't I?

I, along with most other MN's, am busy trying to juggle children, housekeeping, work and a relationship BUT I also think about wider issues such as world finance, maternal mortality rates and what the hell is so enigmatic about Barack Obama. I think this is what the MSM fail to understand - we have a job to do in bringing up the next generation but who do we think we are commenting on the failures and problems of this generation? We have a bloody right to though don't we if we think it is our children who are going to have to pay and clean up the mess.

Sorry for any spelling mistakes - I have a 17 month old pulling my arm off because he wants to paint

ruty · 03/04/2009 09:59

excellent bleh. Bit of an eye opener really.

Swedes · 03/04/2009 10:12

"As I write, there's a queue behind me at least 100m long of journalists waiting to get into Barack Obama's press conference. It was supposed to start at 6.15pm, but the latest rumour is that it might be held up. I'd love to see it, but for various domestic reasons I don't think it's going to be possible." from the Guardian man.

To then go on to feel uncomfortable about Mumsnet being at the G20 is a laugh, isn't it?

ruty · 03/04/2009 10:17

LOL

Madsometimes · 03/04/2009 10:29

Fantastic blog. Yesterday I threw a huge strop at DH because he informed me that he was no longer buying the Graundiad and was going over to the FT. It seems that he has actually made a good move.

Women (even SAHM's like me) can be political and clearly MSM are feeling rather undermined by us and other bloggers getting a voice.

gizmo · 03/04/2009 10:33

Just like to add my voice to the chorus saying: well done, PW. You did Good Work there.

This idea of Mumsnet as a campaigning force...how do we feel about this? On the plus side, we're a big group which has a strong media profile and a lot of talent to offer. A lot of us feel strongly that we can use that position to do some real good.

On the minus side, how do we find a campaigning position that we will all subscribe to? Bloody hell, ladies, we can start a fight about which buttons you'd push in a lift! Would it put off new members who didn't want to get involved in whatever issue(s) we champion?

grumblinalong · 03/04/2009 10:40

I know what you mean gizmo. MN as a campaigning force...it's a tough one isn't it? I've been mulling this over since watching the comic relief film about maternal mortality rates in Africa. (Please don't mock, I'm bored on a Friday night)

EachPeachPearMum · 03/04/2009 10:48

Maybe he thought we were n*tmums? (still a wanker though...)

EachPeachPearMum · 03/04/2009 10:53

Swedes Are you breaking your Lenten penance?

bleh · 03/04/2009 10:58

Maybe MN could be a political force for the good. Everyone acknowledges that women, particularly mothers, are under-represented in the public sphere. A good example of this is hospitals continuing to have women having terminations, pre-natal scans and recovering from miscarriages sat in the same room.

But, having MN may undermine the anonimity of it to an extent (thinking disgruntled journalists snooping and what not) and yes, would you be able to gain consensus on anything? (apart from possibly froot shoots and Gregg's sausage rolls).

Swedes · 03/04/2009 11:14
JuxaLOTmoreChocolate · 03/04/2009 11:15

But there are some issues which no one would argue with, maternal mortality rates round the world, women as chattels (Afghanistan), education of all children etc.

gizmo · 03/04/2009 11:32

What, issues Mumsnet can't start a fight over

Are you sure?

bleh · 03/04/2009 11:34

Maybe put some topics in AIBU and see what happens ...

Wormsmeat · 03/04/2009 11:35

I'm sure we can all agree on the need for more parent & child parking spaces in the developing world. It is shocking how few there are. Maybe make that our first rallying point?

mumonthenet · 03/04/2009 11:38

well done pw....

can anyone sum up the following for my dd(12)/future politician/future mn blogger?

  1. What is G20?

  2. What was the summit for?

  3. Who were the demonstrators? And what was their pov?

Each time I try to respond to these queries, I end up rambling...and she ends up with eyes glazed over.

Would really appreciate someone who could explain it all in an intelligent kind of 13 year old way?

morningpaper · 03/04/2009 11:41

Mumonthenet: Try Newsround

mumonthenet · 03/04/2009 11:54

morningp, that's perfect... I had no idea that cbbc also did current affairs...

...feel really thick now. (though am not in UK if I can use that as an excuse!)

JuxaLOTmoreChocolate · 03/04/2009 11:58

I could start an AIBU thread suggesting that infant/maternal mortality rates should be higher in developing countries in order to ensure sufficient resources for us in the West as we are the truly developed, civilized and clearly superior ones.

Do you think I would be jumped on? Do you think someone might come on and defend 'my' views?

I think it'd be ignored, or the troll shouts would start immediately.

EachPeachPearMum · 03/04/2009 12:21

Jux - I think that topic would be far to highbrow for AIBU, sorry. It seems rather populist on that board.... [snobby cow emoticon]

Swedes I want a lavender hedge Garden is far too small, and have to make do with only 3 lavender plants- it is my favourite plant I think.
DS is HUGE! 8 weeks, and up to 91st centile- but not a fatty, long too- looks like a rugby player in his stripey babygros and his fuzzy crewcut head He is a very happy, smiley, chatty baby- a complete shock after the hell babyhood of DD!