Blog action day

...was yesterday. And we missed it. Oh well.

But over on his blog, sharp-as-a-knife Gamesley Councillor Anthony McKeown reminded us what it's all about:

across the world bloggers are uniting to highlight environmental issues, and hopefully as the organisers say get the world talking towards a better future

And without a hint of irony (or punctuation if the above is anything to go by), Anthony urges us to join the Friends of the Earth's campaign "The Big Ask":

The way the campaign works is by asking you to contact your MP to make sure the Government does the right thing

So it's curtains for humanity then! (And we thought that FoE were only mooting what to do after being courted by Rupert Murdoch. Perhaps they've already made their mind up...)

Getting back to 'blogging about environmental issues', you may remember that Anthony only allows you to comment on his blog if you leave a name (rather than an obviously false name or 'anonymous' - me? I'm Mr Lewin's little boy!). And he's blocked comments critical of High Peak's stance on the bypass in the past. So given the environmental devastation and increase in pollution the bypass will entail, allied with the fact that Ant is for the bypass, what is his blog doing to highlight environmental issues exactly?

His right of reply is guaranteed here. Come on Ant, we'd like a debate!

Free speech (the limits of)

We note that Councillor McKeown has replied to our previous post on his weblog. He has demanded that I declare my real name, on condition of allowing my comment to be published.

Putting aside that the fact that I am Mr Lewin (Junior), there's an issue of free speech here. Plenty of ordinary people have good reason to protect their anonymity from politicians. In certain other local authorities, openly revealing your opposition to this road scheme carries serious risks. Given that the Glossopdale Councillors are completely willing to follow the Tameside Labour Party's line on the bypass, cautious individuals are wise to tread carefully.

Demanding that I reveal my identity before I can access my rights smacks of the Labour Party's plans for ID cards, which no doubt Councillor McKeown is four-square in favour of.