Charlie does surf. Meet the new wizard of the web

Matthew d'Ancona

1 March 2008

Charles Leadbeater tells Matthew d’Ancona about the riches to be mined from online collaboration — and says that the Conservatives have a chance to launch a new form of politics

But the potential is huge. The question is who will seize the initiative. Sharing, collaboration, social commons: this sounds like the lexicon of the Left. But Leadbeater is not sure that social democrats will welcome a way of thinking that intrinsically involves letting go, abandoning central control. Just as New Labour emerged from the Left being forced to embrace the reality of market economics and globalisation, so perhaps something new may be spawned by the Cameroons wrestling with the realities of the early 21st century.

‘It is interesting that the politician in this country who has made the most intelligent speeches about it is George Osborne, who is definitely trying to come to terms with it,’ he says. ‘Does political creativity come from people having to confront things they’re not, and absorb them? Could you brand a “collaborative conservatism”? “Collaborative conservatism” seems so odd — and yet, actually, that is precisely what Cameron with his decentralised energy and personal budgets and self-help and welfare is doing. Maybe that’s what they could become.’

The seer has spoken. Over to you, Dave.

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Michael Gallagher

February 29th, 2008 2:10pm Report this comment

Great article! But why doesn't the book come up on Amazon search? You might also check out my Quickthink post on this http://laf.ee/wp/?p=53

Max Kaye

March 1st, 2008 9:58am Report this comment

Leadbeater said not very much new in a prolix and boring way.

Not so much a wizard, more of a zzzzzz.

UrbanBear

March 2nd, 2008 11:05am Report this comment

The real problem is that Political Class has become deeply corrupt and does not understand or want to understand normal people, they are like the Pigs in the book "Animal Farm". Ivory Tower Career Politicians and political cadets are bad for democracy, we need people who genuinely understand the reality of working people and the real impact of government on this country.

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