Best Conservative Parliamentary Blogs

Next week we'll be opening the online vote for the 2007 Conservative Blog Awards. Over the next few days we'll be running through the three finalists in each category.  Here is the parliamentary shortlist:

Nadine Dorries MP - This daily dose of raw honesty and emotion has attracted a massive daily following inside and outside of Nadine's constituency. Some of her more traditional parliamentary colleagues think she is crazy for writing the things she does but most are secretly jealous. Nadine approves many of the comments herself and frequently responds to them (usually with several exclamation marks!!!).  This blog, essential reading for every Fleet Street diarist and proof that women can excel in the male-dominated blogosphere, will make Nadine more famous than most shadow cabinet members if she continues her mix of insights into the latest episode of Desperate Housewives and what the junior doctors crisis means for patient care.  More than anything else Nadine's blog is succeeding in demystifying what it means to be an MP.

Dan Hannan MEP - Dan Hannan's blog has quickly become one of the most popular that is hosted by The Telegraph.  Always provacative, often amusing, every post attracts a good number of comments.  Lifting the lid on the goings-on in Brussels the Hannan blog is also very internationalist.  Recent weeks have seen Dan post on Iran, Switzerland, USA and Bolivia.  Why The Telegraph hasn't given Mr Hannan a more regular column in the main newspaper is a mystery but Eurosceptics can delight in his regular postings in cyberspace and the Europhiles can be jealous at the platform enjoyed by this one MEP who (unlike his daughter) has refused to go native.

John Redwood MP - All blogs reflect their author's personality and just as Nadine's blog is very personal and friendly, John Redwood's blog is serious and often combative.  But readers seem to appreciate that.  The blog provides regular insights into the European project, government waste, Gordon Brown's burdens on the economy, the dangers of state funding of political parties and it offers a sceptical view of a big government approach to combating climate change.  This scepticism on command-and-control approaches to the environment has propelled this blog into the headlines on a couple of occasions.  In terms of intellectual seriousness the Redwood Diary almost certainly leads the field.

Comments

[Scotty]

I will be voting for Nadine Dorries simple because she gives such an open and honest account of her views on a range of issues.
That and the fact that some of the experiences she retells are hilarious, I still laugh when I remember the one about the Matron's dog when she was a student nurse.

[Andrew Woodman]

I find it very hard to split them. All superb in their own way. Nadine Dorries is certainly one of the most open politicians as she's finding the the Lord Hurd reports.

[Alan S]

That doesn't make sense Andrew!

[Andrew Woodman]

Should be 'with the Lord Hurd reports' Alan. Think I dehydrated while I was leafletting this morning. My head is all the place (some might say it's like that all the time).

[Sally Roberts]

Nadine Dorries, definitely! I am really enjoying her blog.

[David Anthony]

I'd have to go for John Redwood.

[Mercy Man]

I'm impressed Redwood does his blog every day! He should move to a much better blog platform now that he's getting more readers (same with Nadine Dorries).

[Alan S]

David Anthony: I'd have to go for John Redwood.

Why, David?

[David Anthony]

Why? Because it's thoughtful, informed, well-written and not afriad to voice an opinion.

[Tory T]

Dan Hannan. His post on the Merkel constitution document was terrifying.

[Graeme Archer]

They're all different ... why vote? (The opposite of the line that the BBC peddles about UK politics :-0)).

[Brian Jenner]

Dan Hannan is completely bonkers and an embarrassment to anyone who wants to see sensible politicians representing a Conservative government in the future.

He's a good writer, in an insane sort of way, but the fact that Charles Moore hired him proved how out-of-touch the Telegraph group was, and remains.

[Irene Dickens]

Nadine is just what we need, honest and down to earth

[Alan Milton]

Nadine of course, she is what the Front Bench needs, wake up Dave and sniff the flowers, it's time for a shuffle before GB ruins what's left.
She is also a very nice person.

[Ali T]

I feel I must leap to Dan Hannan's defence, after the post by Brian Jenner, not because I agree with eveything he says, because I don't, but because I think Dan makes an important contribution to the EU debate.

Unlike so many MPs and MEPs he is happy to confront the issues head on and he never shys away from controversy.

Far from being embarrassed by people like Dan Hannan I would like to see more of our politicians speak out on those issues that affect us in this way, even if we disagree with what they say. Is it not a more honest approach to politics?

Our party is a broad church and whilst I may disagree from time to time with what some announcements, articles etc written by people like Dan Hannan my conclusion is that our party would be a duller and less inspiring place without them.

[Ali T]

I feel I must leap to Dan Hannan's defence, after the post by Brian Jenner, not because I agree with eveything he says, because I don't, but because I think Dan makes an important contribution to the EU debate.

Unlike so many MPs and MEPs he is happy to confront the issues head on and he never shys away from controversy.

Far from being embarrassed by people like Dan Hannan I would like to see more of our politicians speak out on those issues that affect us in this way, even if we disagree with what they say. Is it not a more honest approach to politics?

Our party is a broad church and whilst I may disagree from time to time with some of the announcements, articles etc written by people like Dan Hannan, my conclusion is that our party would be a duller and less inspiring place without them.