How can we get our local politicians and other public servants to post regularly in this forum?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Chris Setz on October 5, 2014 at 17:35

Thanks Alan.

I find it hard to believe that Cllrs tow the party comms line - just look at the tweets they make - there simply isn't time for it to be 'cleared' - they are tweeting whatever they want, whenever they want.

I find it really helpful to consider that they might all be acting in concert - thanks for shedding this particular light.  I wouldn't be surprised if there was a comms policy - most serious orgs have them and we can all see the damage that individual reps giving their own opinion do to the party cause.  It must be hard to balance the need for people to express themselves freely and that harm. Cllrs are like the rest of us - some of them are weird.

Assuming that they are being sensible and taking a professional approach to their message management, are you saying that it's only by the parties abandoning fine-grained control that Cllrs are likely to be able to engage directly with people online in a place like HoL? If so, getting local politicians  interacting is in the gift of the party leaders, isn't it?

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on October 5, 2014 at 18:49

Ask councillors directly, Chris.

Quietly and discreetly seek them out, one at a time; and talk to them. Ask their views. Keep their names confidential. Ask them if "they are tweeting whatever they want, whenever they want" .

Ask whether or not they self-censor. Ask them to give you a copy of the policy or protocol which restricts their internet usage. Ask what happens should they tweet or post stuff on their Facebook page - or a blog - which someone powerful objects to.

The contact will probably need to be off the record. Perhaps with their voices electronically distorted.  Or through a trusted intermediary on a "non-attributable", "plausible denial" basis.

Maybe you should arrange a code of some sort.  A tried and trusted method is moving a flowerpot with a flag on your balcony if you want to meet them.  If they agree to meet you, they could deliver a takeaway leaflet to your home, circling the menu number to signify the date. I suggest you meet in the shadows behind a pillar in Wood Green multi-storey carpark.

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Permalink Reply by Chris Setz on October 5, 2014 at 19:13

And here was I, thinking you were serious - never make the mistake of taking Alan seriously - doh!

Just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you... 

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on October 5, 2014 at 19:30

I'm serious, Chris. And never more serious than when I'm playfully making a joke at the expense of the politicians currently running our Council.

I'm very seriously saying what I keep advising you. Don't assume. Don't speculate. Seek out your councillors one by one. And talk to them.

And yes, I'm hinting in a playful way that some of them may be afraid to talk openly.

I use humour, Chris, in the same way you post clips from "Yes, Minister".  To lighten-up and try to bring a smile. While telling the truth about a dark foetid, diseased corner of what passes for democracy in our borough.

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Permalink Reply by Chris Setz on October 5, 2014 at 19:53

It's not possible for me to tell when you are being serious Alan - you've played the 'sarcasm' card too often, so I'll assume everything you write is a joke - safer that way. 

There are more than 50 Cllrs in Haringey Alan - even if I had time to find them all and ask them, why would they talk to me, a stranger, about anything you imply they should keep confidential? Prefer to take them at face value - nothing they tweet is orchestrated by a higher power, I'm sure of that.

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on October 5, 2014 at 20:20

As I recall, Chris, you're a party member, supporter, and Labour voter. Perhaps you donate to the Party funds?  Attend the fundraising events? Deliver leaflets? You're surely entitled to ask?

Even straightforwardly as a resident and Council Taxpayer, councillors work for you. They should be accountable to you and prepared to give you clear and open answers to reasonable questions.

You aren't asking for their bank details, for heaven sake!  <Attempted joke>

I'm beginning to think you don't want to ask them because you are afraid that you might start getting one or two answers you'd prefer not to hear and would have to change your mind.

• "Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof."  -- John Kenneth Galbraith

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Permalink Reply by Chris Setz on October 5, 2014 at 20:39

This is not helpful Alan - we're talking about how we can get politicians to appear on HoL and why they should bother, not what I personally can or can't, should or shouldn't do. If I have to do loads of work, it's a nogo.  

It's not so much about my personal politics as how we can give all sides a fair shout and a chance to elucidate and see the reactions they provoke, so as, admittedly, to hurry them up along the inevitable path to a time when they'll all have to participate in some sort of forum in future - might as well be HoL.

Seems to me so far that this simply won't happen on HoL this time round - maybe we can get the Tories, UKIP and the Lib Dems to poke their heads over the parapet?

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on October 6, 2014 at 0:04

I've suggested factors which I think may discourage or even prevent more councillors posting on Harringay Online. You write: "This is not helpful"; and say you're sure "a higher power" is not involved.

Okay, let's imagine that I'm completely wrong. So how do you find out what factors are  preventing this happening?

I suggested asking councillors directly. But you don't want to take even this obvious step.

Chris, I'm not suggesting you do this as a full-time job and interview all 57. Maybe just pick half-a-dozen at random and have a brief phone chat with them. (Or even an email exchange.) I think you'll get some useful pointers.

Permalink Reply by Seema Chandwani on October 6, 2014 at 2:13

Hi Chris

This is a really interesting discussion. My view is a mix of a few things:

• Most politicians haven't a clue how to use social media (I don't mean they mix up their iPhone for the TV remote), I mean they just do not get social media - even those who are on it. I see loads of 'mistakes' on social media from local cllrs which is having the opposite impact of what they wanted. In all honesty, the only local cllr who actually gets Twitter is Joe Goldberg.
• Secondly, there is a fear - politicians get crucified if they tweet something wrong by opposition party politicos this could be something as trival as a spelling mistake. But also it is being pushed by "advisors" (including council officers in members services) as something risky (i.e. a bit like how sex is described by parents). I don't blame local cllrs for avoiding being themselves on social media, we locally have a few cases of where this has been used as 'evidence' against them (including myself).
• Thirdly, it is time consuming, I think we should respect that many cllrs have other jobs and a ton of meetings, so opening up Twitter as a forum leaves you open to hundreds of tweet queries that it is assumed should be responded to straight away, unlike emails where you can dedicate a Sun evening to reply.
• Lastly, most online debates are hijacked by opposition politicos. It becomes tiresome to watch Cllrs & political party accounts attack each other... or as we've seen on HOL a place to score points and outwit each other. There is also a degree of trolling, from people with one objective and that is to just wind up politicians.

It is a shame, I think social media rocks & is a great tool for political/social change and enhanced engagement. I think cllrs have a lot to learn from Joe Goldberg and his celtic loving, iron bru craving, running routine informing tweets with a bit of politics. It allows people to view him as human and normal, someone with a life outside politics who is not a political robot. 

It would be an interesting study to see cllrs tweets before & after they were elected and note the differences. 

I am exactly as crazy on Twitter as I am off.... my job does not change that and nor will it and nor should it. That's not utopia, that is just basic human rights and accepting people have a life. 

There is of course the strong possibility that some of the politicians on social media are as boring in real life as they are online!... ;) 

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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on October 6, 2014 at 12:45

I agree, I think a lot of them are not good at social media and Joe Goldberg is very good on Twitter. However, "It would be an interesting study to see cllrs tweets before & after they were elected and note the differences. " - this applies to HoL too. Where are the people who where unable to stay off of here whilst desperately clamouring for our votes? Have they been told to stay away?

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Permalink Reply by Chris Setz on October 6, 2014 at 13:50

Thanks John but I think you're falling into the trap we're all setting - thinking that HoL is the place where votes can be won.  Hugh should know as an established Consultant, advisor, speaker, practitioner etc on Network Neighbourhoods and on this thread in an earlier post he laid it out - not only does a web presence make no difference to the number of votes won, but, as Seema points out above, it can actually lose votes.

I think the players do know this - that's what stops them, not any commandment.

We all want to think that we're influential here on HoL and that a significant number of people will read what we write and hence we can bring about beneficial change just by posting, but it simply isn't true, sadly - I'm trying to make it more true.

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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on October 7, 2014 at 20:15

Karen and David used it to gather feedback and inform. Nothing else.

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