WebRoots (or The NetRoots)

An internet-based grassroots movement.

You've heard of the Tory grassroots.  The new power in the conservative infrastructure can be found in the WebRoots or NetRoots.

The conservative WebRoots are the bloggers and net-based campaigners who meet online to debate the Tory Party - its strategy, policies and, of course, its personalities.

Britain's conservative WebRoots are growing in power.  They first came to prominence when helping to mobilise opposition to Michael Howard's unsuccessful attempt to strip rank-and-file Tory members of their vote in leadership elections.  The ConservativeHome Members' Panel (which predicted the leadership election result accurately and has already uncovered concern at the party's A-List) is set to regularly provide voice to thousands of Tory activists' concerns.

Within other countries the NetRoots are beginning to reshape the political landscape.  Bloggers have actively promoted Stephen Harper's bid for Canada's premiership and les bloggeurs achieved a 'non' to the EU Constitution - defeating an almost unanimous 'vote oui' plea from Paris' political and media establishment.

In America the Democrats' NetRoots helped raise money for an unknown Democrat candidate and almost delivered him victory in a Republican stronghold.  The MooreOn tendency within the Democrats' NetRoots is pushing the party to the left and may threaten Hillary Clinton's presidential bid because of her support for the Iraq stage of the war on terror. On the Republican side of America's political divide it was the speedy and mighty anger of the conservative blogosphere that led the fatal attacks on George W Bush's nomination of Harriet Miers for the US Supreme Court (see here and listen to this).

Comments

[Frank Young]

The potential for using technology for politics and campaigning is immense and very exciting

[Frank Young]

The potential for using technology for politics and campaigning is immense and very exciting

[Wat Tyler]

The world is changing for sure...I'm not sure we should expect DC to pay much attention to us roots while he's on such a roll, but we are building a conservative ideas/campaigning network that just hasn't existed up til now. And the really neat thing is that it's not intermediated by the Party heirarchy.

[Wat Tyler]

Or even hierarchy.

BTW, talking of roots, I think you should post a link to Eu-Serf's excellent Right Links site ( http://rightlinks.co.uk/linked/ ).

[Rob]

Definatelty a useful definition. Going to be using it in my politics assessed assignment on political parties. Will have to put Conservativehome in my bibliography

[john Skinner]

I'm sure Cameron's people monitor the blogs. They'd be crazy not to. By the way, if you need info on Cameron operations, e-mail Michael Gove.at "michael@michaelgove.com". He usually replies very quickly.