Monday, July 30, 2007

Iain Dale and the Top 100 UK Blogs 2007

The Scenario

Iain Dale has been kind enough to include Blogpower in his notification that that time of year is here again.

To U.S. and other non-UK bloggers and readers, I think there's a place for you here too. At least read this through. Even though you have to be UK or blogging about UK matters to actually be on the list, that doesn't stop you submitting your vote.

To all UK bloggers and readers, you'll most likely already know this but here's a recap:

Last year, Iain brought out a 32 page guide to the Top 100 UK Political Blogs [you'll see banners displayed on the sidebars of all the top bloggers] and very quickly it spread like wildfire across the UK.

Make no mistake, indulge in no sour grapes as this blogger did. These lists are hugely influential with the wider public, as well as with the blogosphere itself, 18 Doughty Street only confirms their importance and it avails us to get into this and get in quickly.

The Rules

In September Harriman House will publish the 2007 Guide to Political Blogging in the UK. It will contain articles on blogging by some of Britain's leading bloggers, together with a directory of UK political blogs, and a series of Top 20s and Top 10s.

Instead of me picking my Top 100 UK political blogs (as I did last year) I'd like fellow bloggers and blog readers to send me their Top 20 UK Political Blogs by email. I'll then compile the Top 100 from those that you send in. Just order them from 1 to 20. Your top blog gets 20 points and your twentieth gets 1 point.

The deadline for submitting your Top 20 to me is August 15th. Please email me your list to iain AT iaindale DOT com and type Top 20 in the subject line. You don't have to send 20, but try to do 10 as a minimum.

Personal Note

Let's make no mistake here - to be included in this list with the heavyweights of the sphere like Devil's Kitchen, Mr Eugenides, The Englishman, Dizzy Thinks, Croydonian and so on would be a great honour. If you feel you're not really all that political, no matter - there is the non-aligned section, which I have my eye on.

Nominate twenty UK blogs which take your fancy and you've done your job! This is important to Blogpower!

Remember

This is NOT Iain's personal list, as it was last year but nominated from all over the UK:

2007 Guide to Political Blogging in the UK

How Do I Assess a Blog

Here are Iain's criteria [embedded in the second paragraph].

And here is my reply and my 10 modified criteria.

Last Year's Lists

Conservative

Labour

Lib Dem

Non-Aligned

Green

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Please nominate me someone! Please please please!!!!

James Higham said...

The problem with your blog and with mine is that we're not primarily UK political. No one's going to nominate us.

This isn't about the best blogs in the UK, it's about the best political commentary.

This is yet another reason for the Open Blogpower Awards - to get people nominated who aren't necessarily political.

Daily Referendum said...

James,

If this was a "best blog" nomination, many more Blogpower members would be on my list. It's a shame that it restricted to political blogs.

I'm looking forward to next years Blogpower Awards.

Regards

Steve

Anonymous said...

Excellent! I've sent my nominations off already. With any luck we should get a really good representation for BP blogs. All we need now is to get Welshcakes and others to write a searing indictment of the state of the Conservatives / Labour / LibDems / Assorted Nats / Greens &c &c and we can even try and sneak them in too!

Anonymous said...

I have nominated Mr Newmania! He wasn't best pleased......

CityUnslicker said...

i find it hard too, as is my blog is considered by many to not be political (despite the title!).

Ah well, more power to BP. There are a few I will nominate and will post them on my site later this week.

Anonymous said...

I've nominated a couple of BP members I was reading before I joined - ThunderDragon and Ellee.

I've also now got all the BP links in my sidebar.

I've also just put up a poll about blogging MPs at the link below that I would appreciate a bit of pluggage for - I'm trying to generate a cross-party conversation.