#CameronMustGo is starting to annoy the Tories

Have you been following the debate around #Cameronmustgo?

This hashtag was the UK top trending hashtag on twitter for most of last week  – as of yesterday it hit received 340,000 tweets or retweets. For most, I think, including myself, it is an opportunity to let off some steam, voice some frustrations about this particular Government, what it has done, what it says it is doing, and what it intends to do next. And an opportunity to inject a little humour as well.

It received no attention in the press at all, until yesterday with this rather pompous piece yesterday on the indyonline, by James Bloodworth (5996 followers). He rails against the “twitterati”, while evidently falling into that nebulous category.

There has been a Tory backlash too. There was a rather pathetic attempt to fight back with #Milibandmustgo, though it appears this was being used ironically by Labour supporters as much as it was by Tories/UKIP. A public reaction suggests to me that the impact is starting to bite – it’s the typical political PR process – ignore, refute, adopt. Of course in this case it seems unlikely that the Tories will adopt #Cameronmustgo until after the Election.

But what is also interesting is that the backlash is starting to show similar attitudes that last week forced a Labout shadow minister to resign.

Here for example are the views of a Tory MEP and Tory MP, one is chair of a select committee.

 

 

 

 

So people on twitter don’t understand democracy, or the economy?

Actually I think Twitter is good for democracy as it provides an open platform for debate among people with different views. As long as people as prepared to listen to the other side’s views, rather than shout them down or use ad hominem arguments, all is well.

As for not understanding the economy – well, what can I say? This Government has made a good job of redistributing wealth from the poorer to the richer, while cutting public services and failing to reduce the national debt. If that’s what understanding the economy means, count me out!