Comments on: Tom Steinberg, MySociety and the Tories

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:07:37 +0000

History seems to suggest he was, Guido

By: Guido Fawkes

Guido Fawkes — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:29:10 +0000

So when Tom Steinberg turned up at the LabourList meeting was he being naive?

By: Jason Kitcat

Jason Kitcat — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:04:05 +0000

Personally I can see a distinction between advising ‘Government’ and a political party. It would have been better if Tom Steinberg could have shown his willingness to advise all interested politicians (as I’m sure he is willing) rather than just the Conservatives. The announcement did come off as partisan but I think it’s PR naivety rather than something deeply partisan or sinister.

So knowing Tom S the little that I do I’m happy to trust his good sense on this but hope that in future he and MySociety can tread a little more carefully on the PR front!

(Disclosure: I’m one of those awful partisan people, being an elected Green Party councillor)

By: Ganesh Sittampalam

Ganesh Sittampalam — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:34:21 +0000

I must be missing something. Have Labour got him signed up as an advisor, or not? If not, are they unable to do so if they choose?

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:46:08 +0000

I think there is a difference, not between advising the Conservatives and advising Labour, but between advising an opposition party and advising the government of the day. The Tories will probably form the next government, and were Tom Steinberg to advise them then, that would be unobjectionable. But being announced as an advisor at their last conference before the general election does at least risk his being used as a campaigning tool (“look how committed to open government we are, we have Tom Steinberg of mySociety on board, vote for us if you want to see his ideas implemented”).

By: Kenton Ward

Kenton Ward — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:53:08 +0000

Why is Tom S’s position untenable as an advisor to the Tories but not as an advisor to Labour. I think in this area it is easy to lose track of the benefits to society that Tom S has already achieved – I am positively encouraged that this type of thinking is being sought out by any political party.

By: MySociety’s Steinberg confirms advisory role with Tories @ Technology News

MySociety’s Steinberg confirms advisory role with Tories @ Technology News — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:15:18 +0000

[...] decision has been criticised by Tom Watson, the Labour MP and former Cabinet Office minister, who commented of Steinberg’s new role that “I think it is incompatible with his position as boss of [...]

By: Will Government 1.0 Swallow Government 2.0?

Will Government 1.0 Swallow Government 2.0? — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:33:39 +0000

[...] explained his reasons in a blog post, and got a quite critical answer from Labor MP Tom Watson. Steinberg advised the current government and his move looks like a betrayal to Labor supporters. [...]

By: William

William — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:13:35 +0000

It’s hard to express how encouraging it is when senior politicians are prepared to listen to the views and advice of outsiders who have no financial axe to grind and nothing to offer other than their expertise. Tom: you’ve always listened in that way, which is rare. Generally it is something that the Opposition (of whatever party) is better at than the serving Government. CIvil Servants see to that.

It is also hard to express how unattractive viscerally partisan politics are to those of us who feel we are not part of that world. It is particularly frustrating when partisan affiliation is used to determine whether one agrees or disagrees with someone or something, with a suspension of the respectful listening and measured self-expression which we need to be discerning.

I think you’re acknowledged as an exemplary political fixer Tom. You’re deeply partisan; you and I differ on that. Fine.

Your ground-breaking achievements as a switched-on Minister are unassailable. It’s also quite clear your work at that time commands a rare degree of respect both among the Opposition and in Whitehall.

I’m delighted that the Tories take Tom Steinberg’s advice, just as I was delighted your administration took his and Ed Mayo’s for the Power of Information. The feeling in my heart about both is the same.

The time may come when you too feel that the most important service you can offer is equally non-partisan.

By: Tom Steinberg, Tom Watson et al | Mark Pack

Tom Steinberg, Tom Watson et al | Mark Pack — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:02:16 +0000

[...] For those just coming to this news: Tom Steinberg (of MySociety) fame is going to advise the Conservatives, as explained by him here and criticised by Labour MP Tom Watson here. [...]