Total Politics/Iain Dale has posted their opinion of the Top 50 Welsh Political Blogs. Quite frankly some of the rankings do not make sense- the impact the Druid of Anglesey has had surely transcends his modest 19th place, and John Dixon's Borthlas not being near the top ten is an outrage. Apparently it is based on reader voting, so make of that what you will.
It can be confirmed that Welsh Ramblings has charted a respectable 15th place, one below Wales Home but fending off the likes of the Druid and the Lib Dems' Freedom Central. There are strong debuts as well from Plaid Panteg (straight in at 23rd) and Syniadau and Plaid Wrecsam have ascended to the Champions League places. However the impressive showing from yours truly marks a significant decline from last year's 5th place, which it can only be presumed was based on the same methodology.
Nonetheless, it is telling that the Welsh blogosphere (at least in the eyes of Total Politics/Iain Dale) continues to be dominated by Plaid and nationalist bloggers. Let us hope that Plaid-leaning bloggers continue to set the agenda in the run up to the Welsh General Election and the referendum, by posting interesting and thought-provoking pieces.
The importance of nationalist bloggers cannot be underestimated- Leighton Andrews remarked only last year that "we cannot afford to surrender any battleground to our opponents (in Plaid)". He made those comments when his leading staff member launched the doomed Aneurin Glyndwr blog. Not only has that ill-fated project disappeared from the radar, but I am struggling to see a single Labour or Labour-supporting blog until you get to the 40's. A sign of the fall out, perhaps, but it's clear that this particular battleground is more or less unchallenged.
Here is the full-list, with the Plaid, nationalist or Plaid-leaning bloggers in bold:
1 (3) Blog Menai
2 (10) Plaid Wrecsam
3 (6) Syniadau
4 (14) Hen Rech Flin
5 (7) Vaughan Roderick
6 (12) Miserable Old Fart
7 (11) Cardiff Blogger
8 (26) Betsan Powys
9 (16) Peter Black AM
10 Everyone's Favourite Comrade
11 Blog Guto Dafyyd
12 (12) Pendroni
13 (41) Wales Home
14 (5) Welsh Ramblings
15 (35) Freedom Central
16 (18) Bethan Jenkins AM
17 Ffranc Sais
18 Dib Lemming
19 The Druid of Anglesey
20 (13) Valleys Mam
21 (36) Blog yr Hogyn o Rachub
22 (23) Glyn Davies MP
23 Plaid Panteg
24 (15) Polemical Report
25 (49) A Change of Personnel
26 (24) Leanne Wood AM
27 (20) Politics Cymru
28 (42) Blog Answyddogol
29 Liberal Smithy
30 Inside Out - A Jaxxland Perspective
31 (45) Alun Williams
32 (28) Gwilym Euros Roberts
33 Institute of Welsh Affairs
34 (29) Dylan Jones-Evans
35 (22) Borthlas
36 (30) Paul Flynn MP
37 (27) David Cornock
38 Morfablog
39 Red Anorak
40 Mike Priestley
41 (44) 07.25 to Paddington
42 Blog Golwg
43 Plaid Cymru Llundain
44 (53) Rene Kinzett
45 (32) This is My Truth
46 (46) Denverstrope
47 Independence Cymru
48 Grangetown Jack
49 Blog Rhys Llwyd
50 (8) Cambria Politico
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8 comments:
Your mistaken. There's a Labour blog at number 13
yes not quite sure about this lists accuracy in reflecting the top 50 welsh blogs - i would have thought the number of visits a site recieves would be a better way of determining a top 50?
But that aside whats interesting about political blogging in wales is that its markedly different even from the situation across the border in england where right wing bloggers like Ian dale or the scurrilous right wing 'libertarian' Gay Fawkes seem to dominate.
Whereas in wales plaid leaning and left leaning bloggs seem to dominate the 'welsh blogosphere'. To the extent it is inconcievable that a welsh equivalent of guy fawkes could exist in the 'welsh blogosphere'...thankfully....:)
Interestingly political blogging in england seems to mirror the US where right wing and right wing libertarian bloggs rule the blogosphere. Indeed such is the apparent hegenomy enjoyed by the right in the US blogosphere it has given rise to mass right wing movements such as the lunatic 'birthers' and the deeply reactionary 'tea baggers'.
Leigh Richards
Swansea.
Anon- Wales Home is not a Labour blog.
No of course it isn't, wink wink
*Sigh*
Hah - I would beat you all if I could find the time to blog ;o)
Well done everyone who can find the time - it makes up for the non-existent Welsh media.
Penddu
It's not only Labour, I can only see about 3 Tory blogs on the list - and their are all personal blogs of politicians.
IMO this probably reflects the fact that Labour and the Tories think in British rather than Welsh terms, and so would read and contribute to British political blogs rather than Welsh ones.
I've got to say that Paul Flynn is hard done by at no36. He is always interesting, and often amusing.
It is great to see so many Welsh Blogs, though!
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