Monday, January 15, 2007

Should we burn Guido Fawkes?

Bloggerheads is back with a long and powerful post attacking Britain's best known political blog Guido Fawkes. He writes:
Because this is long, it is 'boring', so here's the executive summary:

1. Guido, through a number of deceits, renders any meaningful interaction with his weblog inert... above all, he's a comment cheat and a disgrace to blogging.
2. Guido is practically inviting politicians to avoid blogging or work to restrict the activity. It is honest bloggers who will pay the price.
3. Most of Guido's 'scoops' are nothing of the sort
4. Guido is a shameless opportunist and he's using your own frustration(s) against you.
5. Guido is lower than tabloid scum... and that's saying something.
6. Watch out for the switch, when Guido secretly starts (or continues) batting for those in power that he favours.
7. Guido is a stat-whore.. and a figure-fiddling one at that.
8. Guido insists on knowing where the funds come from for politicians/interest-groups, but he's awfully secretive about what funds his activities.
9. Guido is nothing but a smart-arse arsonist... and that's only if we take his word for it.
10. Guido may not realise it, but he's a bit of a homophobe... and (surprise, surprise) like attracts like.
11. Guido betrays his readers and his informants.
My own view is that anyone who believes everything they read on a site like Guido's should not be allowed out on their own. Political gossip is not edifying, but - hell! - it's fun.

So I shall not be taking my link to Guido down, even if I am not terribly proud of it. I shall be restoring a link to Bloggerheads though.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

For a homophobe he seems very friendly with Iain Dale.

Nich Starling said...

I think there is always a tendency for people to want to get on with people in a strong position. Guido's blog is actually some of the things that Bloggerheads called it.
I took down my link some weeks ago simply because Guido never credits others properly and does not seem to give reciprocal links.