Would you like Steve Hilton, Craig Oliver and Ed Llewellyn to explain what they are doing?

Tim Montgomerie

Key White House staffers are now producing regular videos - Your Direct Line To The White House - explaining to American voters what they are doing and seeking feedback. David Plouffe, Senior Advisor to President Obama, started the process yesterday:

Ed Staite (who alerted me to the video) thinks it's a great concept but it should be ministers who do it:

"I would love to see the Government undertake a similar project but, instead of hearing from Downing Street advisers, a video a week is posted by a Minister talking about what they are doing, their priorities and decisions that are coming across their desks. Then engage the public to help out, offer advice and feel part of the process in governing this country.  Undertaking this project would have a number of advantages, not least it removes the need to communicate through the media so the government would remain in control of its message, rather than be misrepresented by the BBC or newspapers with certain agendas."

Before the election David Cameron did do this, with his WebCams. Apart from an occasional Downing Street podcast he doesn't do such direct communication anymore. Time to revive the concept?