Platform 10 launches

As reported by Fraser Nelson a fortnight ago (see ConservativeHome's response) the new Cameroonian blog Platform 10 has now launched. Although there are only few articles up at the moment - on the Social Justice Policy Group, the Ealing and Sedgefield by-elections and organ donation - they perhaps give a flavour of the site's direction.

The launch of Platform 10 is another sign of the strength of the right wing blogosphere, as discussed by Peter Franklin in his recent column, and we look forward to engaging with it.

We wish Fiona Melville and her team at Platform 10 every success!

Comments

[matthew]

er, all the links are dead, and it says "Coming Soon".

Seems to have been taken down?

[TomTom]

I found this over at Platform 10

How ever much more of it! I'm sick and tired of trawling the streets with leaflets and canvassing at every possible chance, only for fellow Conservatives to deliberately sabotage any hope we have of getting this appalling government out, with your constant criticism of Mr Cameron. I shall not be coming back here. There are enough problems with Conhome, and now we have you lot doing the same.

By anonymous On Sunday 29th of July 2007 at 10:03am

I had thought it must be Jack Stone but realised the posting was literate

[Richard North]

Iain Martin in the Sunday Telegraph today pinpoints four headline issues: Europe, crime, defence and Brown's wasteful state. He is not wrong, although you would have to add immigration (another elephant in the room) to that, in order to offer a complete portfolio.

The test of this new site (and the other polical sites) is whether they are prepared to take on these issues.

[Ken Stevens]

I think they might have a start-up problem. Having accessed it via your link, I then wanted to bookmark by its own www address. However, if I google "Platform 10" to find this out, it comes up with http://www.platform10.co.uk, a website of the Royal College of Art.

[Or maybe, to the eternal despair of my offspring, I am demonstrating my utter incompetence at this web stuff again!]

[Bill]

I just had a look. Not my cup of tea but that didn't surprise me.

[Voice from the South West]

I had a quick read through of the thread on Ealing... then I had to reach for the sick bucket.

As Bill said, not my cup of tea, but then I'm not surprised by that either. I don't think that this will be a success.

[Helen]

But this is just inward looking Conservative Party discussions. How does this show the strength of the right wing blogosphere? There is a good deal more to the right wing than just the Conservative Party and its endless petty arguments or demands that there be no arguments.

[Chris Palmer]

How long before this site disappears through lack of use and posting? I had a quick look at the first three paragraphs of the 'what's the big idea?' section. I didn't want to read anymore.

[TomTom]

or demands that there be no arguments.

Lord Cardigan at his best....

Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Some one had blunder'd.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

[Erasmus]

Now let's not be too negative

It is early days, plenty of time for improvements -- which will be necessary if Platform 10 is to improve

[Not Erasmus]

"plenty of time for improvements -- which will be necessary if Platform 10 is to improve"

Genius!

[Waz]

Ken, try this link

http://www.platform10.org/

[Ken Stevens]

Waz | July 29, 16:27

Ta for that link

[Philip]

If this new site’s aim of making “the case for a modern, liberal Conservative agenda” means promoting social liberalism that is selfish allowing anything without any sense of right and wrong and without any regard for its effects on society, then perhaps this site will get nowhere.

It seems social conservatism, on the other hand, is popular, maybe because voters’ concern about crime and breakdown in society. Gordon Brown’s apparent social conservatism (as far as it goes), shown in reviewing down-grading of cannabis, casinos, and 24-hour pub openings etc has gone down well, according to the recent YouGov poll. I recall the Editor said some time ago that if David Cameron reacts to any attempt by Gordon Brown to be socially-conservative by veering more to social liberalism, this would be disastrous. Perhaps the YouGov poll warns of this danger.

[James Maskell]

I dont like it and feel its like a poor mix of Labour Home and a wish to be something like Conservative Home. Pretty sad really. Cameron's lot could do so much better than Platform 10.

[TomTom]

Cameron's lot could do so much better than Platform 10.

Really ? So you're saying they are not really making the effort ?

[Old Hack]

I've always thought being a 'liberal Conservative' is a bit of a non sequitur.

Be that as it may Plat 10's presentation is pretty mediocre, its agenda rather narrow and so probably doomed to fail, other than as a recruiting ground for Liberal Democrats on the hunt for disaffected TRG types.

[Old Hack]

I've always thought being a 'liberal Conservative' is a bit of a non sequitur.

Be that as it may Plat 10's presentation is pretty mediocre, its agenda rather narrow and so probably doomed to fail, other than as a recruiting ground for Liberal Democrats on the hunt for disaffected TRG types.

[SpudHead]

Pratform 10 - exactly what i thought it would be, coffee shop liberals ignorant to the concerns and frustrations of the real world. May it die a death soon.

[Patsy Sergeant]

I don't think I'll bother with it as it seems quite boring. It is very fashionable to criticise everything these days, particularly the Conservatives, or at least their policies. Obviously, if a labour politician/activist etc: criticises Conservative ideas that is fair game, however they don't usually do that - because they nick the ideas instead, but leave their friends in the media to do it for them!
My natural reaction to people who keep pulling conservative policies to pieces is, well why don't you come with something better, or infallible!

[James Maskell]

Im not saying that they havent put the effort in since theyve certainly tried. But theres doing a good job and theres doing a good job.

I think its soft. Its a Cameroon blog which wishes it was something more, perhaps a competitor to Conservative Home. I doubt it.

[malcolm]

Hardly a Cameroon blog when it criticises him for tacking to the right James. I wish this site well but it does seem a bit wooly at the moment.Hopefully it will in time reflect the breadth of Conservative opinion.

[James Maskell]

Its Cameroonian. The blog itself says its liberal conservative, as Cameron has claimed before. The criticism is that Cameron isnt being pure in terms of poltiical philosophy here by apparently pandering at times to the right wing.

[Jason Smith]

"Pratform 10 - exactly what i thought it would be, coffee shop liberals ignorant to the concerns and frustrations of the real world. May it die a death soon."

Quite. Cameroonies trying to insulate themselves from reality. What a waste of time and effort.

[Richard Carey]

Cameroonies trying to insulate themselves from reality. What a waste of time and effort.

Conservatives indulging in playground nick-names. What a waste of time and effort.

Purely from the blogging POV, it is interesting that there seem to be more stringent registration requirements on Platform 10. Having had that discussion on here on multiple occasions, it will be interesting to see what if any effects that has on the quality of debate.

[theduke]

I think the most obvious examples of people insulating themselves from reality are the idiots screaming to swerve to the right again! have they not noticed that our inability to sell right policies have put us in the wilderness for 10 years?

we are the largest party in local government for one major reason. in small sensible groups we work well for communities. why is it that when we all group together we turn into crazy chandelier swinging nutcases demanding the 1980's back!

take a step back and realise that we can't win elections as thatchers conservatives!

[Richard Carey]

have they not noticed that our inability to sell right policies have put us in the wilderness for 10 years?

Interestingly, I had an intriguing comment from a work colleague of mine last week, not a political person, particularly, but an intelligent professional who I think is probably a Conservatively-inclined voter. Having heard the media hullabaloo last weekend about the two letters to the '22, his first comment to me on this on Monday morning was:

"Have these people learnt NOTHING from the last 10 years?"

As many posters have here said, we should take time to listen to people who are outside the political game...

[TomTom]

have they not noticed that our inability to sell right policies have put us in the wilderness for 10 years?

Labour seems more convincing in that role and no doubt will become increasingly so

[Anthony Broderick]

Might have beena good idea a year or so ago, but this is a time when the 'Cameroon' project's principles (oxymoron I know) are unravelling and the polite critiques of people like the Editor of this site are being proven right. Too little, too lame, too late.

[Praguetory]

It looks London London London. I don't know anyone this site wouldn't alienate.

[Traditional Tory]

Don't worry about your work colleague Richard. Most voters have never even heard of those two brave MPs, albeit that they will no doubt in future years be toasted as 'The Grand Originals'

Your average Sun reader just knows the wheels have come off THAT bike.

As for Platform 13 - what a waste of space! No need for the CH Editors to worry about the competition. It looks and feels like one of Chad Noble's spoofs.

I can't see many genuine Tories wasting their time regintering for this pitiful Roon love-in.

It's bad form to intrude on private grief.