The promised Tory social networking platform has now officially launched as webcameron, with an introductory video from the kitchen of David C, demonstrating that policians do need to YouTube. It's all rather carefully (un)staged, with one of the children of the family adding authentic noises off.
The site is a blog, with videos from David Cameron and guests, and the opportunity for anyone to register and contribute through the open blog. Inevitably comments on the initiative range from cyncial to dewy-eyed, but I go with Mick Fealty at Slugger O'Toole
Whatever you think of the Tories, this is web leadership. When Cameron has long since found his feet, the others will look like feeble amateurs.
As I wrote earlier, I think that this sort of social networking site is a step beyond most earlier e-democracy and e-paricipation projects ... you get a bit closer to the people involved, which means you can form better judgements about them and what they say.
I hope the Tory initiative will give the government a further nudge in their Digitial Dialogue experiments with Hansard Society, which - so far as I can see - haven't yielded any public blogs. The next phase will review environment secretary David Milliband's blog - not originally part of the experiment - where the latest entry reports his recent visit to Bolton Wildlife Trust at their new headquarters. This sounds interesting:
... appropriately a former petrol station, to provide a stimulating low carbon centre for education and community life. The wildlife element is centred on the lake and grounds at the back.
Not even a picture, though. Next time, can we expect a bit of footage shot by the minister? That would be a nice one: politician behind the camera for a change.
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