Down, down, down
A lot of comrades seem to have dropped down, e.g. Stroppy (no.90, down from 53) and Norm (no.71, down from 57), presumably due to the arrival of, er, younger more dynamic bloggers bursting on to the scene like Weggis (no.82). Here's how some of my other extended family members fared: Dave Hill (69), Adam Bienkov (55), Madame Miaow (52), Pickled Politics (50), Harpy (47), Splintered Sunrise (41), Barkingside 21 (a very impressive 35 - but not sure how left-wing), the ever-improving Though Cowards Flinch (33), last year's stars the Third Estate (28, down from no.14), Dave Osler (24), Chris Dillow (21, inexplicably down from 9), Jim J (18), AVPS (17), and the almost certainly deserving but not left wing enough for me Left Foot Forward at no.1.
Now voting is closed, I will reveal my own votes. I decided not to vote for really big hitters that would get lots of votes anyway (Harry's Place) or the blogs I really like which I sensed were too small to reach the top 100 even with my support, and concentrated on the middle of the field. And I put myself first, of course, because I'm simply the best.
1. Bob From Brockley
2. Shiraz Socialist
3. Dave Osler
4. Though Cowards Flinch
5. A Very Public Sociologist
6. ModernityBlog
7. 853
8. Dave Hill's London Blog
9. The Third Estate
10. The Daily (Maybe)
Looking at that list, I'm surprised at some of my omissions (most notably Flesh, who makes the green top 14).
Jim reminds me that Left Foot Forward is polling for "most influential" lefties. I don't quite get the question. Is this good influences? Bad influences? Influential on the rest of the left? Influential on the wider world? The British left or the global left? Looking at the Iain Dale list, clearly Shiraz Socialist are not influential enough, while Jim J, Andy Newman and Mehdi Hasan are too bloody influential!
See also: Flesh is Grass: how to be a top political blogger; Hopi Sen: a spectre is haunting blogging (via Left Outside [no.95], from whom I've stolen the picture above); TCF - boycott Total Politics.
Comments
I also query Total Politics' idea of left wing. It's a really significant shortcoming in the ranking, I think.
if you think the Tories are bad now, imagine what they'll be like in 4_ years.... insufferable doesn't even begin to describe it..