A big Presentation

Labour have announced a 'big conversation' which will be held online between politicians and the nation.

It looks like a good idea, we can fire questions to assorted ministers and presumably at some point some heavyweights as well. They answer and we all learn that little bit more. Except that when you look at the rules on the questions they are these...

What we're really getting is interactive Prime Ministers Questions, with all the difficult questions taken out. Wouldn't it have been more effective (and more of a conversation) to wander round the country taking questions at local venues from interested public? The results could have been videoed and put online.

They could have done every constituency with a labour MP and then every constituency they're challenging in. People could have gone to the next election able (if they wanted) to have watched an hour long Q and A session with their local candidate.

As is so often the case when politicians try to engage the point of the exercise seems to have been lost in the small print. Still, I guess its a good start.

Update Apparently this is loosely connected with Tom Watson, a labour MP who is genuinely conversing with his constituents.

Oh and you could look at New Wave Labour, but it might be worth waiting until there's some actual content on the website.