Doing a Johnson

As those acquainted with this rather new and scary phenomena called 'blogging' (AKA the vast conspiracy of internet-savvy cranks to put Establishment pillars like Simon Jenkins out of a job. Anyhow...) will well know, Labour MP Tom Watson has been at the forefront of this blogging lark since it all began in these shores. A pugnacious former trade union organiser from the Midlands and one of the 2001 intake, Watson could be described as a 'colourful character' in a party not exactly blessed with such people in high numbers. You don't have to be a pop psychologist like Derek Draper to work out why maintream 'lefties' eschew colourfulness, ask Ken Livingstone about the years 2000-2004, for a start.

Anyhow, there is a point. There always is. Watson's blog was an entertaining read, a lively mixture of Midlands constituency minutae, heavy metal and, occasionally, politics. But then the Hon. Member for West Bromich got made a government whip and it all fell silent for a while, even temporarily going offline. Even after it was restored, all we ever got was a trickle of posts occasionally. For the past few weeks however, it's gone back to its lively self and that has made me wonder -- is the Labour Party planning to make use of its best online weapon in the election? After all, he's the closest they've got to a Boris Johnson figure (ie. something who appears less wooden than the usual party hacks, nothing salacious in my inference).