Gordon 2.0 comes round to the wonders of the Web
Matthew d'Ancona 11:44am
Gordon Brown’s promise to fit broadband in every child’s home is eerily familiar of Tony Blair’s promise many years ago, when still leader of the Opposition, to link up every school in the land with a fibreoptic cable, courtesy of BT. Whatever happened to that cable, I wonder. At the time, The Spectator majestically described the policy as “Newt Labour” – a nod in the direction of Newt Gingrich who, in the wake of the 1994 Republican congressional revolution, was promising radical democratisation via technology. “Let them eat laptops,” was the mocking liberal headline.
Whatever else Gordon says today, I am delighted that he is now a convert to the joys of webworld. He used to ask visitors to Number Ten whether they “liked the Internet” – as if it were an exotic dish or a football team facing relegation. The bibliophile Brown’s default position is to be suspicious of the web which he fears may be a university for terrorism and an engine of pornography. But he is slowly coming round to the good stuff, too, a development that was pleasingly on display when he gave his speech at Google Zeitgeist earlier this year.
In all this, I detect the hand of Tom Watson, the Cabinet Office minister and longtime member of the PM’s inner circle, and Watson’s hugely intelligent and entrepreneurial friend, D-J Collins, who is one of Google’s key players in Europe but also a seasoned political operator in his spare time. Hat-tip to them, and to Gordon 2.0
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Mike. Brighton
September 23rd, 2008 12:12pm Report this commentGordon 2.0 hah!
I remember a famous far side cartoon of a wide-eyed dog riding an unicycle across a tightrope whilst juggling. The caption read "Rex suddenly realised he was an old dog and this was a new trick".
Thomas Cussans
September 23rd, 2008 12:14pm Report this commentCuriously credulous today, d'Ancona.
This is a gimmick, pure and simple, designed only to win headlines. In other words, typical Brown
It will never happen.
Peter Wilson
September 23rd, 2008 12:57pm Report this comment"Brown’s default position is to be suspicious of the web"
Mainly because it's harder for him to lie and get away with it
chris
September 23rd, 2008 1:20pm Report this commentbrown would rather have every child have his "Collected Works" on their badside table.
Nicholas
September 23rd, 2008 1:39pm Report this comment"The bibliophile Brown’s default position is to be suspicious of the web which he fears may be a university for terrorism and an engine of pornography."
When it comes to freedom of expression you have to take it warts and all. Once you start making judgements about what is "good" and what is "bad" and then try to control it you are, essentially, imposing a subjective Political Correctness. At first such controlling dogma seems at odds with New Labour enthusiasm for diversity and equality. However it can be neatly reconciled with George Orwell's "all animals are equal but some are more equal than others" metaphor which is become the contradictory proposition for much of their preaching, interfering and meddling behind the march towards another Orwellian vision.
Not every enthusiastic reader or watcher of murder whodunits is a psychopath being influenced to kill. Some may be but it has not so far led to calls for the genre to be controlled or banned.
The government would not expect the idea of their agents opening and copying everyones private paper mail to be acceptable - (it has not been since Elizabethan times) - yet in electronic form this is not just acceptable but actively pursued.
People once thought that to travel at a speed of over 20 miles an hour would be injurious to the human body.
A little more perspective and a little less hysteria from government is perhaps desirable.
jsfl
September 23rd, 2008 1:53pm Report this commentSpend, spend, spend. The country will be bankrupt by 2010. I am beginning to believe Brown despises everything about this country and is determined to wreck it for generations to come.
And what happens after three years when these people no longer receive this benefit? Do they just stop using the internet (because they cannot afford it - if they can afford it in the first place) or is this another intended long-term rod for the taxpayer to carry on his back and part of Brown's scorched earth policy?
What of associated legislation will there be to control the Internet? Whilst it can be a marvellous tool it is also the most anarchic place on earth. Just as children can benefit from the Internet they can also be harmed (just think holocaust, denial,extremist political sites, paedophiles etc. etc), .
Furthermore, is this just Gordon puckering up to yet another group of Global entreprenuers? After all he has done precious little to control and protect the country from Global financiers and the energy suppliers?
Like most other policies it discriminates not only against those who can afford the internet but also those who do not have children or whose children are old enough to fend for themselves. Basically, if you're not in the age group 20-45 you are of no use to this Government unless you are among the JK Rowlings of this world.
Most importantly it enhances Brown's anti-old age policy. He cares nothing for those over 50 whatever however hard they have worked in the past. They are just cash-cows or a burden.
No matter which way you look at it this is a bad policy. What next free Wii or Sky Plus?
As for the thread Mr D'Ancona your vested interest is showing (and no doubt £ signs in yor eyes). As such this thread is purile.
The Internet needs to be harnessed before those who potentially are the most vulnerable in our society are allowed to wander it's virtual landscape.
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